Parasitic worms are commonly found in puppies. These worms may be transmitted by the mother to their puppies or they may acquire it after their birth. Whatever the case may be, the puppies should be free from worms or it can have serious complications.
The common puppy worms
A number of worms are seen in puppies but the common ones are:
Roundworms: This is the most common worm to infect puppies. They usually, get this infection from their mothers and are eventually born with it. The in-utero transmission is thus quite common, though the puppies can get the infection later on too. These worms are often seen in the puppy’s faeces. The transmission of roundworms takes place through the contaminated stools of the puppies which contains the larvae or eggs of the worms.
Humans can also get infected by roundworms. Lack of person hygiene further predisposes to roundworm infection. The infection is more commonly seen in children who play on the ground. The eggs and larvae of the worm are found in soil and grass and children can get the infection easily. Children have the habit of putting their hands into their mouth, and thus the worms easily gain access to their body. The worm infestation can lead to a number of gastrointestinal symptoms.
You must take your puppy for regular check ups. A veterinarian can tell whether your puppy has the worms or not by performing a simple stool examination. If the worms are found, they can be removed easily. This is known as deworming. Different medicines are available to treat different parasites. The doctor will thus prescribe the medicines accordingly.
Tapeworms: The segmented tapeworms also affect the puppies. They worms are transmitted by fleas. The tapeworm segments are often seen in puppy’s faeces. The segments are very tiny and are cream colored. Tapeworms are not usually transmitted to human beings but nonetheless you must maintain a good level of hygiene.
Medication for tapeworms is easily available and your puppy can be completely cured. You can also use various measures for controlling the ticks and fleas as they are the ones who transmit the tapeworms usually. This will make sure that your puppy does not have any re infection with these worms.
Hookworms: They are usually very small but can cause great damage to your puppy. They are usually found in hot and moist climate. The worms are found in the soil though which they gain entry into the puppy’s skin. They ultimately reach the intestine of the puppies and can cause severe infection. They are blood sucking parasites and cause severe loss of blood. The puppy may become severely anemic and this can be life threatening.
Whipworms: They are also quite commonly found in puppies. But it is not easy to find out whether your puppy has whipworm infestation or not. Initially, the puppy may show some mild symptoms but none of them are very specific or diagnostic. For diagnosing whipworm infection, repeated stool examinations are required.
Heartworms: The heartworms are the most difficult to treat out of all the worms. They are most dangerous too. Mosquitoes transmit these worms. The heartworms reside in the puppy’s heart and this can have serious consequences. The treatment of heartworms is must because if they are not treated, the puppy will most probably die sooner or later.
Heartworms are not easy to treat. The treatment is expensive and long. It is said that prevention is better than cure and that is why doctors prefer giving Heartgard to the puppies as a preventive medication against heartworms.
The treatment of parasitic worms is necessary not only for your puppy but also for your own health. Weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting are few common symptoms associated with worm infestation. Consult the veterinarian immediately, if you notice any of these in your puppy. If you have got a new puppy, you must get its stool examined for worms.
