How Can You Tell if Your Dog Has Worms?
Seeing worms in your dogs feces is a sure way to diagnose roundworms and tapeworms. If you see worms in your dogs stools, contact your veterinarian. However, there are several other types of intestinal parasites that can infect and affect your dog that are not seen with the naked eye.
“Most of the time you wont see the worms themselves, as the worm eggs are usually the only evidence shed in the stool, and the eggs are microscopic,” Conover says. “Some types of worms will exit with the stools, such as tapeworms (which look like grains of rice) and if there is a very large worm burden, other types of adult worms will exit with the stools.”
Hookworms and whipworms burrow into the intestinal lining, and its less likely that youll see these worms visible in your dogs poop. Their eggs, however, will be excreted by infected dogs.
If you see maggots (fly larvae), earthworms, or red worms (red wrigglers) in your dogs poop, its likely because those creatures are highly attracted to and feed on the feces. So they likely showed up quickly after your dogs bowel movement (rather than being included when it exited his body).
While worms might be hard to spot in your dogs poop, there are some clues to look for: While many infected dogs have normal bowel movements, you may notice physical symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, blood or mucous in the stool, weight loss, poor coat, and abdominal discomfort or enlargement. The surest way to know if your pup has worms is to have his stool tested by a veterinarian.
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Treatment for intestinal parasites is best done by a veterinary professional. “Call your veterinary care team. They will advise you on diagnosis and types of dewormer to treat the problem. They may recommend you bring a stool sample in for testing to confirm the types of worms before treating,” Conover says.
In addition, she says, an annual fecal exam should be performed by your veterinarian to make sure your dog is free of worm eggs before they mature into adults. “Puppies, particularly newborns, have a frequent deworming schedule—as recommended by a veterinarian—until they are old enough to start on preventatives,” Conover says.
If your dog is diagnosed with worms, the deworming process includes administering a medicine that is poisonous to the worms but safe for your pet. The medication is given orally (as a chewable tablet or a liquid) or by injection and requires at least two doses (sometimes as many as six or more), spaced two weeks apart. The first kills the current worms and the second kills those that, in the meantime, hatched from eggs in the intestine. After deworming medication is given, you may see worms in your dogs poop, or even in his vomit. This is a normal reaction that is simply removing the (now dead) worms from your dogs body.
The first step to preventing worms is basic sanitation and hygiene. Pick up after your dog—both in public places and in your own yard—to prevent other dogs from eating his poop (gross, but its a normal dog thing) and to avoid contaminating the soil. Contaminated soil can lead to your dog getting worms because worm eggs or larvae stick to your dogs feet, and when the dog grooms himself, they enter his mouth and result in an infestation. Finally, Conover says, “Minimize direct contact with stray dogs and other animals, and do not let your dog sniff or eat other animals feces.”
To prevent passing your dogs worms to humans, always use a plastic bag when you pick up after him, and wash your hands as soon as possible. Dont let your dog use a playground or sandbox (or any place where children regularly play) as a litter box—children can contract worms by putting dirty fingers in their mouths.
“The best way to prevent and treat worms consistently is to use a monthly product that is both a heartworm preventative and an intestinal parasite preventative,” Conover says. “You should also be using a flea and tick preventative to prevent worms and other diseases spread by these pests. Ask your veterinarian which products are best for your dog and your geographical location.”
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As a pet parent, you may be shocked to find worms in dog poop — but youre not alone. Intestinal parasites including hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms are common in dogs. Worms can often cause a variety of health concerns as theyre highly contagious. These parasites may often go undetected as well if your dog isnt taken in for routine checkups with your veterinarian for microscopic worm eggs in dog poop. If you want to keep your dog free of worms, keep reading to learn more about how to spot worms in your dogs feces and how they may affect your dogs health.
What if I know the worm came from my dog?First, let’s establish that even a dog that does NOT pass visible worms in his stool is not necessarily free of intestinal parasites. Most infected dogs only pass microscopic eggs that you will never see. That is why most veterinarians recommend routine fecal tests to check for worms. However, if your dog does indeed pass a worm, then he most certainly has parasites and needs to be appropriately medicated to clear that infection. Because different medications treat different types of worms, it is important to determine which of the four basic types of worms are present:
It is not uncommon for pet guardians to walk into a veterinary clinic gingerly holding a plastic baggie containing a worm or worms that they found on or in their dog’s stool, asking if someone can identify the little creature.
Can worms from my dog infect my other pets?Obviously finding live worms in your dog’s stool is not pleasant. And while you might make note that the adult worms themselves are not infective, remember that if adults are present, the ‘invisible’ microscopic eggs and/or infective larvae are too. That is why it is always important to wear gloves or to wash your hands after handling dogs, feces or soil; to have your dog routinely tested for parasites and to consult with your veterinarian about what you can do to prevent parasites in the first place.
How did the worm get into the stool?The first question is whether the worm was excreted with the stool or found its way onto the stool after the fact. If the dog defecated in the house, the answer is pretty obvious. If the owner was walking the dog and picking up the sample immediately after he defecated, it is also clear. However, in cases where the dog is out alone in the yard and the guardian finds the stool later, it can be a little less obvious since other crawling creatures (like earthworms and maggots) can be attracted to stool after the fact. (This is just another in a long list of reasons to clean up after your dogs promptly.)
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian — they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
4 Common Types of Worms in Dog Poop
It is not uncommon for pet guardians to walk into a veterinary clinic gingerly holding a plastic baggie containing a worm or worms that they found on or in their dog’s stool, asking if someone can identify the little creature.
How did the worm get into the stool?The first question is whether the worm was excreted with the stool or found its way onto the stool after the fact. If the dog defecated in the house, the answer is pretty obvious. If the owner was walking the dog and picking up the sample immediately after he defecated, it is also clear. However, in cases where the dog is out alone in the yard and the guardian finds the stool later, it can be a little less obvious since other crawling creatures (like earthworms and maggots) can be attracted to stool after the fact. (This is just another in a long list of reasons to clean up after your dogs promptly.)
What if I know the worm came from my dog?First, let’s establish that even a dog that does NOT pass visible worms in his stool is not necessarily free of intestinal parasites. Most infected dogs only pass microscopic eggs that you will never see. That is why most veterinarians recommend routine fecal tests to check for worms. However, if your dog does indeed pass a worm, then he most certainly has parasites and needs to be appropriately medicated to clear that infection. Because different medications treat different types of worms, it is important to determine which of the four basic types of worms are present:
Can worms from my dog infect my other pets?Obviously finding live worms in your dog’s stool is not pleasant. And while you might make note that the adult worms themselves are not infective, remember that if adults are present, the ‘invisible’ microscopic eggs and/or infective larvae are too. That is why it is always important to wear gloves or to wash your hands after handling dogs, feces or soil; to have your dog routinely tested for parasites and to consult with your veterinarian about what you can do to prevent parasites in the first place.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian — they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.