If your dog is a pup, chances are that you have at least heard about the dangers that worms can pose to their health. Worms are a common affliction for dogs, specifically those under six to eight months of age. They are as common as flea bites and just as easy to cure, if not simpler - if you know what you are doing. If you don't know what you are doing and you are a new dog owner, that is okay too; your veterinarian should know everything that you don't know about worms and how to rectify the situation. Just in case, here are the nitty-gritty and causes of worms in dogs.
Roundworms
Roundworms are the worms that are most generally found in puppies, and they are easy to cure. Usually, you can buy a treatment for roundworms that is given to your dog orally; they will release the worms through their excrement, dead later on. Puppies who suffer from roundworms tend to have round, big bellies even if they haven't eaten all day and the pot-belly ailment can get progressively worse as these worms can grow up to seven inches or more in length. The causes of worms in dogs as far as roundworms are concerned are in the soil; these worms can lay eggs that are surrounded by a hard shell. The eggs come out in a dog's excrement and can live in the soil for as long as it takes for them to be ingested. Once the dog eats the soil, the worm larvae moves up the dog's throat, finally landing in the intestine where they grow unless they are destroyed. Outside of soil contamination, mother dogs can pass down roundworms to their puppies during pregnancy.
Hookworms
Hookworms are another type of generally found parasitic worm. The causes of worms in dogs of this type are extremely similar to roundworms. Like roundworms, they can come into contact with dogs through pregnancy or infested soil. This is a type of parasite that is generally found in puppies and if left untreated, it can kill a puppy so it is imperative to ensure that puppies are dewormed, even if you are unsure whether or not they are infected.
These are just a few of the many different types of parasitic worms that can infect your dog. If you suspect that your dog is infected with worms, the best thing that you can do for him or her is to take them to the veterinarian. Deworming services are fairly cheap and a stool check and standard deworming is usually part of the routine checkup for younger dogs. Be sure to clean up your dog's excrement from the yard as often as possible and consult your veterinarian if you are in doubt. While they can infect adults and even people, these types of worms are more common in dogs and can kill if not treated correctly.
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Natalie is the author of
WormsInMyPet.com. Visit her site for more tips on eliminating and preventing worms in your dog.
