How to Protect your Dogs from Worm Infestations?
Even if you are a very health conscious dog owner and try to keep the environment of your pooch clean and safe there is still risk of your beloved pooch to get ill and diseased. Hence, it is very important for you to understand the different types of worms in Australia that can affect your pooch in a very deadly manner. Worms have adverse reaction, especially on young puppies and elderly and sick dogs. These deadly parasites can cause diarrhea, swollen tummy, vomiting, weight loss and even death to dogs. Let us look at the common worm infestations found in your pooch’s intestine:
Roundworms
Puppies are usually born with roundworms. They are typically long and have a rubber hands like look. The dangerous aspect of this type of worms is that they can spread from one dog to another through faecal matter and get through the digestive system and live inside the small intestine of the dog. They can also move to other body parts of the dog with the assistance of blood vessels and respiratory system.
Tapeworms
These types of worms are commonly found in Australia. They have a tape like appearance with each worm hiding its head into the lining of the small intestine of the dog. They also spread from one dog to another with the assistance of fleas. The common symptoms depicted by a dog suffering from tapeworms are rubbing their behind along the ground to ease the itch caused by these worms. Tapeworms can be found in the faeces of the dog or extend from the pooch’s anus.
Hookworms
Hookworms have sharp hook-like teeth and they feed on the blood of the dog. They spread through poor hygiene of faeces. These types of worms can cause anaemia in dogs. The worst part of these worms is that they pass from bitches to young puppies by direct intake of larvae from the ground or from meat served to them.
Whipworms
Whipworms also known as thread worms are 5 to 7 centimetres long and reside in the small intestine and colon of the dog. These worms infect the dogs when they ingest their eggs directly.
Other notable worms found in dogs
Apart from the ones mentioned above, dogs can also infest kidney worms, lung worms and heart worms. Heart worms are caused by mosquitoes and affect the pulmonary system of the pooch. There are two different types of lung worms that can spread from bitches to puppies with the aid of saliva or by ingesting earthworms.
The only way to keep the worms away from your pooch is by deworming them three times a year for the lifetime of these pets. For a puppy you need to start the treatment when they are three weeks of age since worms can spread from bitches before birth or through her milk. Worming Treatments can be undertaken through different forms as the guidance of your veterinarian. You can give them through syringe, granules or tablets orally.
