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Parasite Info
Dogs can spread parasites without any signs of infection. If symptoms do appear, you may see: loose stool; diarrhea; blood in the stool; weight loss; an inability to gain weight; a dull, coarse coat; or in some cases, worms visible in the feces.
Roundworms
Roundworms are some of the most common intestinal worms in dogs. There are two types of roundworms in dogs: Toxocara canis (T. canis) and Toxascaris leonina. T. canis is more common in puppies and can also be transmitted to humans.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are an intestinal parasite that dogs acquire by eating infected fleas or by consuming wild animals infested with tapeworms or fleas. Once the dog eats the flea, the tapeworm egg hatches and attaches to the dog’s intestinal lining. Dipylidium caninum is the most common type of tapeworm found in dogs in the U.S. It can be passed from fleas to dogs, giving you one more reason to take flea prevention seriously.
Hookworms
Hookworms are intestinal parasites that cause anemia in dogs and can be fatal in puppies if left untreated. Several different kinds of hookworms can affect dogs. They are very small (about 1/8 of an inch) but ingest large amounts of blood when they attach to the dog’s intestinal wall.
Your dog can get hookworms from ingesting hookworm larvae from the environment or, in the case of Ancylostoma caninum, the infective larvae can pass from a bitch’s milk to her puppies. Infected dogs can pass hundreds of microscopic eggs in their stool, where they hatch and can remain alive in soil for as long as several months. A dog may eat the infected dirt or lick it from the bottom of its paws, or sniff infected dog feces. Humans can also become infected with hookworms.
Whipworms
Whipworms are a type of worm in dogs that lives in the cecum (the beginning of the large intestine) and colon, where they pass their eggs into the dog’s feces. Dogs get whipworms from ingesting an infested substance, which can include soil, food, water, feces, or animal flesh.
Heartworms
Of all of the types of worms in dogs, the most worrisome — and the most preventable — are heartworms. Mosquitoes transmit the parasite, and since avoiding mosquitoes is nearly impossible in most places, vets recommend regular heartworm preventatives to keep your dog safe. Heartworms grow and multiply within the heart, causing severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and ultimately leading to death if left untreated.
