Dogs
Disease - How to Spot the Signs Part 11 WORMS
WORMS
Overview
- Another dogs problem and not a very nice subject but an important
one. Dogs worms are common parasites found especially in puppies who
can sometimes be riddled with them. There are the tapeworm,
roundworm, hookworm and heartworm and because there are many
different types of these parasites, I am only going to concentrate on
the hookworm which is very common and an infestation of these worms
for example can lead to serious problems in puppies because the worm
feeds on the dog's blood.
Transmission
- As well as your dog getting hookworms, they can also be passed on
to people. It can be picked up from contaminated areas where a dog
has defecated and this is another reason why dogs should not foul
areas such as playgrounds and beaches. The worm lives in the
intestine by hanging on to the tissue with its teeth and ingests the
host's blood but a percentage of them will work their way out of the
intestine and then up to the lung tissue. Once they have arrived,
it's here that the larvae will continue to develop, and eventually
they migrate up the trachea and end up getting coughed up and
swallowed. When they arrive back in the intestine, they stay and
continue into adulthood and produce eggs that pass out of the dogs
body in the stool and the whole lifecycle starts again.
Symptoms
- Regarding the hookworm then look out for signs that include loss
of weight, anemic looking gums and black stools. The dog may have
diarrhea and be vomiting. If you suspect worms, then its best to take
a sample to the Vet and they will be able to identify the culprits
under a microscope. Tapeworm and round worms would normally be
visible to the naked eye.
Treatment
- Your Vet can prescribe the same treatment for hookworms as that
being used to control dogs heartworm. It is also a good idea to have
the dogs stools examined for hookworm and any other parasite at least
once a year.
Prevention
- Regular de-worming administered under the supervision of your Vet.
"Life
is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants
happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so
do other creatures". Dalai Lama
By
Rosemary Nettleton www.fincalinkup.com/dogsdisease.html
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