Symptoms And More Of Specific Parasites
Some puppy parasites are large enough to see and can be found in the feces or on the areas around the anus. I would say the most common is the tapeworm. Tapeworms are made up of segments (proglottids) where their eggs are contained. They shed these segments in the stool, and many puppy owners see these segments in the stool, on their puppy’s fur or on the ground. They look like small maggots or cooked rice grains that move — YUCK!
Even if you see parasites in your puppy’s stool, a veterinarian should still examine him to determine exactly what is infecting your puppy. Choosing the treatment, knowing if the parasite is a danger to you, other pets or your family, and the need for environmental/home cleaning all depend on the type of parasite causing the infection.
Have you ever been asked by your veterinarian to “bring in a stool sample”? Well, that’s what we examine to search for parasite eggs and microscopic parasites. This is the most common method to diagnose roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and coccidia. Other parasites, namely whipworms and Toxoplasma, don’t shed their eggs routinely in the stool. There are other tests of the blood and serum for those parasites whose eggs are not readily found in feces; these are mostly used for Giardia.
When should you deworm a dog?
Because worms are so common in puppies, vets recommend de-worming them for the first time when they’re 2 to 3 weeks old. Worms can pass from mother to baby before birth or soon after, through their milk. It will take more than one dose. The first round kills the worms that are there at the time.
Treating Worms And Other Parasites In Puppies
Many treatments are available for control of parasitic infections, and these come in many formulations: pills, chewable dog treats, liquid, granules added to dog food, pastes and injections. The benzimidazoles are most popular and include drugs like fenbendazole, mebendazole and albendazole. This class of anthelmintics (anti-parasite drugs) are used to treat roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms. A typical treatment protocol would be to give the product for one to three days and then repeat the dosing in two to three weeks. The repeat dosing is used to kill the parasites that were not adults (eggs, larvae) during the first treatment but have now “grown up.” Most life cycles of puppy parasites are around three weeks long.
ther parasite treatments include praziquantel, used for flukes and tapeworms; pyrantel pamoate for roundworms and other nematodes; and macrocyclic lactones like ivermectin and milbemycin found in heartworm preventives. So, by using most monthly heartworm preventives, you can also treat for intestinal parasites.
For the most part, the major classes of anti-parasite drugs (avermectins/benzimadizoles) have a very high margin of safety, meaning that giving too much will rarely cause problems. That being said, always follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for deworming.
Puppies with a large number of parasites (high worm burden) may become ill after treatment. Imagine all of the parasites in the intestines all dying at once, the lining of the intestines become inflamed, causing diarrhea, vomiting and lack of appetite. This is usually a self-limiting problem, and puppies are back to normal within a day or so.
Use of heartworm preventive in higher doses (ivermectin) is very effective against most parasites; however, some breeds cannot tolerate the higher dose. This relates to a mutation in a gene called MDR-1, which codes for proteins that protect the brain (blood-brain barrier). When dogs with MDR-1 mutation get drugs like ivermectin, opiates (morphine-like painkillers) and chemotherapy, they can have serious problems like lapsing into a coma, tremors and death.
After deworming your dog what you must do, how to avoid fever in your dog, tick fever in dogs
Dogs are ideal hosts — to worms and other parasites, that is. Animals that sniff, slurp, lick, and gobble anything in their paths, including dirt, trash, and poop, are bound to pick up pests. All the things they do with their mouths — groom, kiss, wrestle, and other social habits — can pass along unwanted guests to playmates and companions, canine and human alike.
Parasites worm their way into most dogsâ lives at one time or another. Your vet may suspect worms if your dog has diarrhea or is vomiting, coughing, chewing or licking under their tail, short of breath, or losing weight. The symptoms and treatments depend on the type of worm and where its living in your dogâs body.
Most worms that infect dogs — including roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms — live in the intestines, so thatâs the first place for your vet to look.
If itâs time for your dogâs annual check-up, or if you or your vet thinks your dog has worms, provide a fresh stool sample. Simply scoop up some of your petâs poop, seal it in a clean plastic bag, and bring it to the appointment. If you cant do that, your vet can take a sample during the office visit. Theyll check it under a microscope to see if it has worms or worm eggs, and, if so, what kind.
Heartworms are another type of canine invader that can cause serious health problems or sometimes even death. These foot-long worms live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Mosquitoes carry the wormsâ offspring from one dogâs blood to anotherâs. The vet will do a blood test to tell if your dog has heartworms.
There are many safe ways to de-worm your dog. The sooner the worms are gone, the sooner your pet will get healthy and feel better.
Your vet will give your dog medicine by mouth , Â a shot or use a topical dewormer (like Advantix, or Revolution) to kill the worms. Many of these drugs are described as âbroad-spectrum,â because theyre good for treating a wide range of parasites, including worms that live in the gut. Theyre poisonous to pests but safe for pets.
Because worms are so common in puppies, vets recommend de-worming them for the first time when theyre 2 to 3 weeks old. Worms can pass from mother to baby before birth or soon after, through their milk. It will take more than one dose. The first round kills the worms that are there at the time. The second kills those that hatch a few weeks later. Rarely, your vet may want to give your puppy blood, because hookworms drain blood from the wall of the intestines, which can cause anemia.
Treatment is much the same for adult dogs with worms. The same kinds of drugs are used, but your dog will get more of the medicine.
If your dog has heartworms, your vet will need to do blood work, take X-rays, and maybe do other tests to see how serious the infection is. Just the tests can cost $1,000 or more, but theyre necessary. Initially, your dog will be started on monthly heartworm prevention along with an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. A month later, the heartworm treatment starts. This is a strong medicine that should only be given by a vet. Typically, your dog gets a series of three shots over a 2-month period.
But thatâs not the end of the treatment. Youll need to keep your dog calm and quiet for several months after the shots. When heartworms die they break into pieces. These chunks can block blood from flowing to the heart or lungs. When that happens — and there is a greater chance when blood pumps harder, such as during exercise — a dog could die. Your vet will give you tips to make sure your sick dog gets rest so they can recover safely.
Nine months after the heartworm treatment, your vet will do a blood test to check for worms. If theyre still there, your dog will need another round of shots. If theyre all gone, you continue the preventive medicine for the rest of your dogâs life and test for heartworms each year.
The best way to protect your pet is to control the pests that carry worms, including fleas and mosquitoes, and keep your home and yard clean. Youll be doing yourself a favor, too, because some types of worms can be passed to humans.
If youâre worried about catching worms from dogs, dont let them lick or kiss you or your kids. And make them sleep on their own bed — not yours.