For our pets, worms in dogs are an everyday problems. There are two types which are most common in the UK: the roundworm and the tapeworm. Puppies are most prone to roundworm infestation and adult dogs to tapeworms. Here is a brief guide to both.
Normally a puppy is infested with roundworms before it is even born, or shortly after it is born. They are very small and look like small pieces of coiled spaghetti. Once the worm has reached maturity, which happens relatively quickly, it resides in the dog’s intestines and feeds off the contents. Feeding off the dog’s partially digested food means that the infested dog does not receive all the nutrients from what he eats. Given that in serious infestations there can be dozens of worms present at once, it’s easy to see how this type of worms in dogs infestation can lead to undernourishment. Other symptoms include a dull appearance, lethargy and vomiting or diarrhoea. Equally though, some infestations have no symptoms. In puppies, a distended abdomen is not uncommon. Serious infestations can cause a puppy’s death by intestinal blockage, so it is fair to assume that every puppy is infested and to treat them accordingly.
In the UK, tapeworms are the second common type of worms in dogs. They are long and flat and ribbon like. On reaching maturity, a segment is released and passed via the dog’s anus: it is filled with eggs. In order to complete their life cycles, tapeworms rely on another host animal. It is normally the flea, which must ingest the egg and later be swallowed accidentally by the dog. When it reaches maturity, the tapeworm attaches itself to the intestine wall and feeds off the dog’s blood, beginning the cycle again. This type of worms in dogs can therefore cause anaemia. Because of the way the tapeworm’s life cycle is completed, treating dogs for fleas is as important as worming them.
No related posts.
