Five Familiar Dogworms--And How To Eliminate Them

There are 5 varieties of dogworms your dog can get: heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. As a dog owner, you'll want educated yourself so that you'll be able to recognize the symptoms--early.

Early detection is vital because each type of dogworm will demand a different type of treatment. Often the signs of a dogworm infestation can be hard to recognize. Other times the signs (like weight loss, vomiting, or diarrhea]) are much easier to recognize. That said, it's wise to have your dog examined regularly.

Important Note: Some varieties of dogworms can be transmitted to humans. To promote good hygiene, it is vital for pet owners to wash their hands and clothes regularly after playing outside with their dog-especially before mealtimes.

5 Familiar Dogworms -Which Do You Want to Overcome?

>>Roundworms

There are 2 varieties of roundworms: Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine. They are one of the most popular varieties of dogworms. An infestation of round worms, mostly found in puppies, brings about a pot-bellied appearance.

Causes: Often puppies may become infected before birth, through the mother's uterus or through her milk. Puppies can also develop roundworms by ingesting another infected animal or infected soil.

Roundworm eggs hang out in soil. And when a puppy swallows the infected soil, the roundworm eggs will hatch in his intestines. Those worms can in turn create more worms.

Early Detection: Roundworm Symptoms consist of pot-bellied appearance, diarrhea, vomiting, dull coat and weight loss. Look for symptoms of Roundworms in your dog's feces or vomit. They have a spaghetti-like look and can reach about seven inches in length.

Prevention & Treatment: Puppies between two & twelve weeks of age should be dewormed every 2 weeks. Puppies between 12 weeks and 6 months of age should be dewormed monthly. Puppies older than 6 months of age are less susceptive to roundworms. Even so, continue to have your dog examined at least yearly (or more often if he's considered "high risk").

>> Heartworms

Heartworms areforwarded through infected mosquitoes, usually throughout the warmer months when mosquitoes are active. The infected mosquito bites the dog. And the dog develops heartworms which destroy the muscle tissue of the heart, causing congestive heart failure.

Because heartworms are hard to decipher in their early stages, many dogs die.

Early Detection: Signs and symptoms can include a pot-bellied appearance, lack of energy, coughing and dull coat.

Prevention & Treatment: Prevention is the best medicine. And, since heartworms are hard to decipher until they grow into their advanced stages, it's advisable that you start your dog on a prevention program when they're young.

You can begin your puppy on a heartworm preventative, like Heartgard, as soon as 6 weeks old.

NOTE: You will have to have a veterinarian's prescription to purchase deworming products.

Dogworms are an ugly threat. You can read about the 3 other kinds of dogworms--and how to easily prevent them--at our Heartgard website.