Three common types of canine worms

There are three common canine worms that can infect your dog. They include roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms. These worm infestations can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss. Let’s take a look at some of the most common canine worms.

Roundworms

Roundworms are one of the most common canine worms. They don’t typically infect adult dogs, but are very common in puppies. These worms can grow to a length of seven inches. Two common symptoms of a roundworm infestation are a pot belly and poor growth. Severe infestations of these canine worms can even lead to an intestinal blockage which can be fatal.

The eggs produced by the females are very hardy. They can survive in the environment for years. Dogs are typically infected when they ingest soil contaminated with roundworm eggs. Pups can also become infected from the mother’s milk.

Hookworms

One of the next common canine worms is the hookworm. Like roundworms, they also affect the intestinal tract and infect your dog when he ingests eggs from contaminated soil. Hookworms attach themselves to the intestinal wall and suck blood. Severe infestations of these canine worms can be fatal to young puppies. If your dog is infected with hookworms, he will display symptoms such as weight loss, anemia, and diarrhea.

Tapeworms

Unlike the two previous canine worms, tapeworms are normally transmitted by fleas. They can also be transmitted to your dog if he eats animals that are infected. Tapeworms look like flat grains of rice. If your dog is infected with these canine worms, you will notice segments in his stool.

Although over-the-counter medications are suitable for hookworms and roundworms, they aren’t effective for dealing with tapeworms. Therefore, you will have to take your dog to the veterinarian for treatment.