Many types of worms lay their eggs in dog poop. When consumed by dogs, these eggs hatch into larvae which then migrate through his digestive tract and begin their journey toward maturity in his body.
Some larvae migrate up into a dog’s lungs, where they are coughed out and swallowed; other worms have skin-penetrating larvae that remain dormant for months or even years before infecting dogs when they walk over them.
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Symptoms
Dogs may become infected with parasitic worms by walking through contaminated soil, eating their mother’s feces while nursing (this can be especially problematic with hookworms) or eating stool containing eggs shed from these parasites, which then attach themselves to the intestinal tract stealing nutrients and leading to anemia in puppies, small breeds or elderly dogs prone to an infestation. Worms can become dormant within their bodies until later becoming active again or can even pass from dogs onto people via what’s known as zoonotic transmission.
Due to how easily worms infect dogs, veterinarians frequently request fecal samples at every annual vet exam as a preventive measure. They do this to screen for parasite eggs in your pup’s feces. Sanitation and picking up after your pup are both key ways of protecting him against contracting worms; using dewormers either over-the-counter or prescription might also help; giving puppies multiple deworming doses before starting weaning might also be effective measures.
Diagnosis
Veterinarians can diagnose most types of intestinal worms through symptoms and stool samples. Hookworms and whipworms, however, may only occasionally appear in stool samples and thus a microscope must be used in order to see their tiny eggs.
Tapeworms resembling grains of rice can often be seen in dog feces. When one passes a segment through, it appears off-white or tan in color, and may cling to fur around their anus. Fresh segments have white colors with darker edges as they move through an intestinal tract while dry segments resemble small grains of rice or sesame seeds.
Roundworms and whipworms may also pass in stool samples, though their eggs cannot be seen with naked eyes. A veterinarian can easily check for these and other worms by mixing a sample with a solution to bring up its surface layer with eggs visible under a microscope – deworming treatments should be given regularly to your dog in order to eliminate intestinal worms altogether.
Treatment
If your pet is infected with roundworm, hookworm, or whipworm eggs, their larvae can be observed in their poop. Your veterinarian will mix a sample of his or her feces with a solution and use a centrifuge to separate out eggs for examination under microscope.
Puppies and kittens are particularly prone to parasite infestation as their mother’s milk, soil and other animals can all provide sources for them to consume the parasite eggs that contain tapeworm eggs.
Puppies should receive regular fecal exams until they turn one year old, as well as parasite prevention medication throughout their lives. All puppies and dogs should also be dewormed twice annually by your veterinarian – usually the fecal flotation test is used as the standard means of looking for parasites; other tests may also be suggested by them in order to ensure all are gone from your home!
Prevention
Every dog parent knows the terrifying experience of discovering worms in their pup’s poop; and all pet parents wish they never have. Worms are easily passed between dogs and humans, making it essential to prevent further exposures between family members.
Prevention of worms starts by picking up after your dog both indoors and outdoors in order to eliminate worm eggs that may remain behind. Worm eggs can cling onto their feet, and when your pup grooms his or her feet they could enter the mouth through grooming and start the cycle all over again.
Fecal exams conducted by your veterinarian are another effective preventative measure, allowing them to check under a microscope for any worm eggs that might have made their way into your pet’s stool. Newborn puppies should receive deworming treatments more frequently while adult dogs can begin monthly preventative medication that helps control intestinal worms as well. Most heartworm medications also help control intestinal worms – making regular heartworm preventives even more effective since mothers with heavy loads can pass these onto their offspring before or shortly after giving birth, so having regular doses helps decrease this risk!
