What Worms Could Be Doing To Your Dog
We know that a dog can be your best friend. The problem is that your best friend can’t tell you when it has a problem. It is not pleasant to think about, but worms in dogs can be a common problem. Unfortunately, there’s no way your dog can tell you that there are worms busily at work in its intestines – maybe even sucking its blood.
The Mistake People Make
Most dog owners make one big mistake about dogs and worms. They don’t pay enough attention to the dog’s stool. Well, okay, keeping a close eye on your dog’s poop is not the most fun thing in the world. But it’s the best way to see if your dog has a worm problem.
What You Might See
If you pay close attention to your dog’s stool, you might see tiny, white things moving around in it – which is a sign that you dog probably has a tapeworm. Those white specs that look a lot like grains of rice are actually cast off tapeworm segments. You might also see some of them around your dog’s anus.
A Dark, Tarry Looking Stool
Is your dog’s stool dark and tarry looking? In this case, it may have a hookworm infection. These nasty, little creatures fasten themselves to the walls of your dog’s intestines and actually suck its blood. One hundred adult hookworms can drain about 10% of your dog’s blood every day.
Is there something in the dog’s stool that looks like overcooked spaghetti?
If you see something in your dog’s poop that looks a bit like overcooked spaghetti, the dog may be suffering from a roundworm infection. These parasites – which can be as long as 7” – may also cause the dog to suffer diarrhea or constipation.
Another Vampire Worm
Another type of dog worm that will suck your dog’s blood is whipworms. They are 2” to 3” long, thin and whip shaped – hence the name whipworms. If your dog becomes infected with enough of these worms, it can suffer internal hemorrhages. If this were the case, you would most likely see blood in its stool.
Another Type Of Worm That Could Kill Your Dog
While you can see that your dog may have whipworms, hookworms, roundworms or tapeworms by watching its stool, there is one type of worm that cannot be seen in the dog’s poop.
This worm is the heartworm. It is not only far more serious than these other worms, it is harder to spot – because heartworms will usually cause no visible symptoms until they are clogging your dog’s lungs and heart. And if the infection reaches this point, your dog could suffer congestive heart failure and die.
Now That You Know
Keeping a watchful eye on your dog’s stool is not a very pleasant task. However, as you have learned in this article, it’s the best way to find out if your dog has whipworms, hookworms, a tapeworm or roundworms. If you do see the symptoms of one of these worms, you can get the dog in to see your vet and get treatment started – to end the dog’s suffering. If your dog could talk, he or she would definitely give you a big “thank you” for ridding it of a nasty parasite .