How To Avoid Worms In YourDog

Trying to keep a healthy and strong dog is a time worthy process. Much like nurturing a garden or caring for a child, a dog needs a lot of care to ensure their health is your priority. Worms and dogs are common, some owners become very upset when this can occur, but taking them to the vet can be the first step in the right direction.

There are quite a few worms that can invade your dog, which is can be quite irritating for them to handle. Hookworms can get inside the animal through their legs and also into their paws, some even swallow them by mistake. When a puppy is still feeding from their mother they can also obtain these hookworms. Once the worms are inside the dog, they can result in weight loss, dehydration and causing the dog to have uncomfortable bowel movements as well. Roundworms are a bit larger in size and they can be delivered through feeding off of their mother and also through ingestion as well. Symptoms of a dog infected by roundworms are vomiting, coughing and having their coat of fur lose its luster. These types of roundworms can result in fatal occurrences if not detected early enough or treated by a vet. Whipworms are smaller, and can only be obtain by ingesting them. The symptoms of the whipworms are a significant loss in appetite, problems with the canine’s eyelids and gums and also can be very serious if detected in a puppy.

A common flea tapeworm is long in length, and results in causing the dog to itch or scratch which can be irritating, but these types of worms are not harmful to the dog. Another variation is the Hydatid tapeworm which is commonly found where dogs have open space to roam where a flock of sheep may be raised as well, typically on a farm. These types of worms do not generally harm a dog, but they can be very dangerous for humans to get, even fatal if not treated. Humans only get them by ingesting eggs that lay on the dog’s fur coats from contact.

Getting the right treatment for your dog when you may have detected they have encountered worms of some form, is key. Taking them to the vet regularly and always cleaning out any areas that contain fecal matter is vital. It is also advised that the owners (as much as some may like it) do not permit their dogs to lick their faces while petting or playing with the dog as well. Having your dog de-wormed is effective also, this should be done every three months when the dog is older and much more on a weekly basis when they are puppies. They do sell medications and collars to deter these types of worms form invading your dog, but prevention is the best policy to ensure your pup will be worm free! Brushing their coats on a regular basis and keeping a schedule of when they need de-wormed will be the easiest way to stay on top of any worm incidents.