Find food that fits your pet’s needs
When the begging starts, its hard to resist giving your pooch a bite from your dinner plate. But, do you know that table food for dogs can be harmful?
The question isnt so much can your dog eat scraps, but rather, is it good for your pup to do so? Here are a number of reasons why feeding your dog from your plate is a bad idea.
A dogs digestive system is different from a humans. Typical human food is much too rich and fatty for a dog to properly digest; eating it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and even more severe conditions like pancreatitis. Many human foods also contain an unhealthy amount of sodium for dogs.
Dog Worms & How to Detect Them
Parasites thrive on excess mucus and wastes remaining inside following bowel movements. Worms excrete even more toxic substances and can create a myriad of symptoms including headaches, insomnia, nervousness and weight problems.
Imagine going outside to pick up the dog poop and there it is. A long white worm squirming around in your dog’s poop. It’s horrifying because you know there are more in your dog. You may even panic and worry if your family can get them too.
Ok, where are my poop eaters? This unfortunately is the number one for your pet to become infected with roundworms and whipworms.
But roundworms can also be passed from the mother to the pup through the placenta or in the milk. This is one of the main reasons why the vet deworms your puppies so frequently when you first get them.
Other routes of transmission include fleas or eating mice, rabbits, or small rodents. So if you have an outdoor cat, you need to be checking stool samples frequently for intestinal parasites and the same with your dogs if you have a dog that is an avid hunter.
What are the differences between the worms?
Roundworms or ascarids (their spaghetti-like shape can be detected in your dog’s stool)
Tapeworms (noted on the surface of the stool or around the anus as small flat ¼-inch white segments filled with eggs)
Hookworms (less than an inch long, they attach themselves to the intestinal lining)
To check for intestinal parasites, you should schedule a fecal analysis for your dog at least twice a year, especially during fall and winter. This process is necessary because several internal parasite eggs (e.g., roundworms, hook, and whipworm eggs) can only be traced under the microscope. However, specific parasites such as heartworms require different screening methods for detection (i.e., blood tests). Make sure that you check out our “Transforming your dog’s health” blog series on wellness exams. (reference blog on wellness exams – 3 part series)
Intestinal parasites can do a lot of unnecessary harm to your furry friend, which is why keeping a watchful eye on your dog is essential. If you’ve noticed the following recurring symptoms, it might be the right time to schedule a fecal analysis for your canine friend:
Bleeding in the colon (large bowel) and rectum
Undigested food material, muscle, fat, and starch granules
Do worms die after a dog poops them out?
Animals with roundworms in their intestines frequently have poor growth and a swollen belly. You might be able to see the worms in dog poop or vomit. If left untreated, roundworms can cause death by blocking the intestines.
7 Household Foods That Get Rid Of Dog Worms
All animals, including humans, are susceptible to parasites and worms, some of which can be obtained from consuming contaminated food. Contaminated food is not the most common way for worms to be transferred to humans, dogs, or cats.