Dog Worms -- Dont Let Them Get Started


There may be no warning before dog worms strike.

It was about two AM, when beneath our bed the new puppy we'd brought home from the pound just a month earlier began screaming.

Not yipping or whining -- this was the kind of agonized screams that'll stand your hair up on end. Our cute, playful new puppy was being eaten alive from inside.

He had worms, even though he'd received all the right shots just a few weeks before.

Now he was dying, right there under our bed, and we weren't able to save him. The worms were just too advanced.

He had been a happy little guy, playful and filled with fun. So that night -- and those screams -- have stayed with me a very long time.

An experience like that will change your attitude fast. It sure changed mine. Up till then I'd been a bit cavalier about health care for my pets.

However, dog worms are serious business. They need to be treated as soon as possible. And even if you're not sure, get your dog tested anyway, just to be safe. Being safe is far better than listening helplessly to your dog die in the night.

If your dog has diarrhea, the cause can be dog worms and you should make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.

To determine if dog worms are the problem you will need to take a stool sample to your vet. In some cases, however, dog worms can occur even when your dog has normal stools. A yearly stool exam is needed to make sure your dog doesn't have worms. Puppies should be checked more often.

There are several types of worms. Your vet can test for all kinds and give the appropriate treatment.

Roundworms are the most common, and are usually found in newborn puppies. Older dogs usually don't have problems with roundworms.

Hookworms are also common. This worm lodges in the small intestine of the dog. When your dog has hookworms he will often have vomiting and diarrhea. In young puppies this can cause anemia and other complications.

Whipworms live in the junction where the large and small intestines meet. These worms cause inflammation in the lower part of the GI tract, and the symptoms resemble those of colitis. Whipworms are difficult to diagnose, but your vet will usually treat your dog according to the clinical signs.

Some dog worms need a host in order to be transmitted. This type includes tapeworms. Fleas most often serve as the host to carry these worms.

The flea ingests the eggs and acts as host for the larvae. then the dog swallows the flea with its tapeworm already present.

Often dogs with tapeworms do not show clinical signs. With no obvious symptoms, this makes it hard to diagnose the problem. However, if you often see your dog rubbing his bottom along the ground or on the floor, he may have an infestation of tapeworms.

It's important to get your dog checked. You don't have to learn the hard way like I did.

Dog worms are a serious health hazard. They impact your dog's health and should be taken care of the minute you even suspect there could be a problem.

Puppy-Toy-Tips.com
Learn great ways to use puppy toys for training and socializing your new pup. Make sure you're on the right track when training your dog. Also, be sure to get the free eBook of puppy coloring pages for your kids.







Related News



Pudgy pets pose problems - Tri Valley Herald

Pudgy pets pose problems
Tri Valley Herald, CA -7 hours ago
So, should your pet start an Atkins Diet? Ramsey is a "cheese-aholic." At 6 years old and 156 pounds, this bull mastiff listens for his owner to unwrap the ...

Fires & High Winds mean evacuate people, pets and livestock now. - NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)

CBC.ca

Fires & High Winds mean evacuate people, pets and livestock now.
NewsReleaseWire.com (press release) -7 hours ago
Hanson Dam and North Valley Evacuation Center- (Horses and pets.) San Fernando HS and Sylmar HS for human evacuees. (Humans) Red Cross for human needs. ...
Video: LA Fire Officials Try to Get Ahead of BlazesAssociatedPress
Fire in Little Tujunga Canyon Area Forces EvacuationsMyFox Los Angeles
all 3,443 news articles

Call for ban on primates as pets - BBC News

BBC News

Call for ban on primates as pets
BBC News, UK -8 hours ago
By Mark Kinver A loophole in animal welfare laws that allows primates to be kept as household pets should be closed, an MP has urged. ...

Pets Drive Gift Giving Trends This Holiday Season - MarketWatch

Pets Drive Gift Giving Trends This Holiday Season
MarketWatch -8 hours ago
GREENWICH, Conn., Oct 13, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- More than half of all dog and cat owners will be buying gifts for their pets this holiday season- about 83 ...


Pets Lose Homes As Owners Face Hard Times - WAAY

Pets Lose Homes As Owners Face Hard Times
WAAY, AL -6 hours ago
And for some, that means giving up their family pet. The Decatur Animal Shelter houses just a few of the hundreds of dogs and cats waiting for someone to ...
Decatur Animals Affected by Struggling EconomyWHNT
all 2 news articles

Day care centers, cremation services now offered for your pets - ABS CBN News

Day care centers, cremation services now offered for your pets
ABS CBN News, Philippines -Oct 12, 2008
With their busy schedules and nobody to watch over their dogs and cats, pet owners can now leave their "babies" at Pooch Park Doggie Day Care . ...

Settlement to be argued in big pet food case - BusinessWeek

Settlement to be argued in big pet food case
BusinessWeek -7 hours ago
By GEOFF MULVIHILL On Tuesday, a federal judge will hear oral arguments on a proposal that would bring to $32 million the amount pet food makers and ...

Pets suffer from stress of marriage break-ups - Telegraph.co.uk

ITN

Pets suffer from stress of marriage break-ups
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom -Oct 12, 2008
Family pets are suffering from obsessive compulsive disorders caused by the stress of marriage break-downs, an animal charity has claimed. ...
Pets get stressed by couples break-upsNewsLite
DIVORCE IS TOUGH FOR PETSUK Express
Break-up couples 'cause pet stress'The Press Association
Aberdeen Press and Journal - Glasgow Daily Record
all 11 news articles

System designed to help reduce unwanted pets - USA Today

System designed to help reduce unwanted pets
USA Today -1 hour ago
San Antonio has joined a growing number of communities mandating pet owners pay for licenses when their pets give birth if they intend to sell the offspring ...
Animal communication for skepticsSan Francisco Chronicle
all 2 news articles

California Animal Rehabilitation program helps dogs, cats and ... - Daily Breeze

California Animal Rehabilitation program helps dogs, cats and ...
Daily Breeze, CA -7 hours ago
Waldman, who worked as a doctor at several traditional animal hospitals before founding CARE, said she couldn't stand seeing otherwise healthy pets be ...
Tips to help with your pet's mobilityPasadena Star-News
all 3 news articles