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Hookworms
Some parasites can be very dangerous to your dog, especially to puppies. For instance, a hookworm (about 1/8" in length) will adhere itself to the small intestine and begin to suck the blood from your pet. It can cause severe anemia, followed by circulatory collapse, severe diarrhea, hemorrhaging, shock and finally death.
Puppies may receive hookworms through the mother's placenta during the gestation period or through the mother's milk when nursing. This is why it is very important that new puppies receive a de-worming formula.
These parasites can also enter an adult dog quite easily when your pet walks over soil that contains any contaminated feces from other animals. In turn, your dog then licks his or her paws and ingests the hookworm larvae. Even without the paw licking the larvae can burrow through the skin and into the dog. Once inside, the larvae migrate to the small intestine where they grow into adult hookworms, usually within 14 days.
A female hookworm will begin to lay eggs... 20,000 of them per day! As you can see, it is vitally important to have your favorite canine de-wormed should they become infested with hookworms. If you see symptoms such as diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or weight loss, take your canine to the veterinarian immediately for diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis is usually made through a small stool sample. Treatment consists of an oral or injected medication which kills the adult hookworms, but not the larvae. This treatment needs to be repeated again in 2 to 4 weeks to kill the larvae that have emerged as adults. In cases of severe anemia, your dog may require a blood transfusion.
Roundworms
Roundworms are another common parasite most often found in puppies. The worms are usually heavy-bodied and grow to about 6" in length.
Infection usually occurs as larvae that have lain dormant in an adult female dog are reactivated when the female dog becomes pregnant. The larvae begin to migrate through the placenta to the liver of the fetus. They also will migrate to the mammary glands of the mother, so that the puppies can also become infected while nursing.
The time from roundworm larvae infection to the adult stage is about 27 days. Most roundworms live about 4 months in the puppy and are usually expelled by the natural immune system of the puppy before 6 months of age.
So, if puppies naturally expel these parasites, how do adult dogs end up with them? The adult dog ingests them by eating some food supply that contain the larvae.
Tapeworms
Another very common worm is the tapeworm. This worm lives in the intestines of both dogs and cats. The worm is transmitted by fleas. When a dog or cat has fleas, they will naturally ingest the tapeworm while grooming. The tapeworm then makes its way to the intestine.
There are usually no noticeable symptoms for the most part, although sometimes your dog may show some stomach upsets, diarrhea or just seems somewhat lethargic. You can often tell if your pet has tapeworms by finding small, whitish worm segments that look like small grains of rice under the tail of your pet or on its bedding. Also, you dog may begin "scooting" their rear end along the floor because of irritation. It takes approximately three weeks from the time your dog ingests the flea until you begin to see tapeworm segments.
Although not generally harmful to an animals health, tapeworms are certainly something you'll want to rid your dog of. One of the first treatments for tapeworms is to begin a program of flea control treatment program for your pet and the immediate environment of your house and yard.
About The Author: Rose Smith, Copyright 2005
Rose Smith is the author and owner of Caring For Canines, a web site that provides information on natural dog health care. Please visit us at: http://www.caringforcanines.com
By Linda Mili (Guest Post)
01/30/2006
Recently my rescued racer retired greyhound was diagnosed with +3 level hookworm..The vet has placed him on Drontal for the next three weeks, two pills given each Wednesday....He had an accident on the second day after the first treatment. Hisstool is in the fom of diarreha...I got up the stool and sprayed the carpet area with a bleach solution, blotted the area, sprayed a few more times rubbing the area to remove the stain, etc. and sprayed the area again...I lifted the carpet and sprayed the padding underneath then I poured salt between the carpet and the pad and poured salt ontop of the carpet area. I have the area enclosed with an x-pen.. It has been 5 days now...
Are any and all eggs, larve, or worms dead by now?
Would it be safe to use a home carpet steam cleaner over the area to remove whatever is still on and in the carpet and pad?
If there are any adult worms, etc. would they attach themselves to the inner parts of the carpet steam cleaner machine?
Is there anything else I can use to assure that any and all chance of eggs, larve or hookworms are dead and no longer dangerous?
Thank you for your kindness in assisting me...I have not been able to have these questions answered by anyone on the internet or by my vet....
Linda Mili
Baltimore, Maryland
lily477 @ juno.com
Day telephone number: 410-396-3599
By stormhasit (Guest Post)
11/21/2005
Using a vet prescribed heartworm med monthly (which is a good idea anyway!!) will usually take care of most internal parasites. IE: HeartGard- prevents heartworms and most internal parasites. Revelution- prevents not only heartworms; but internal as well as external (including fleas & ticks, mange, ear mites) parasites. Your vet can give more info for the different products available for individual needs.
Personally, I use Revelution and absolutely love the way it works for me & my baby (a large 100+ lb. G. Shepard)
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