Most of the commonly occurring health problems in dogs can be attributed to infection caused by worms. Five different kinds of worms are known to infect the dogs. They include the roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms, and heartworms.
Although the symptoms produced by each worm type differ widely, there are certain symptoms that are common in all kinds of worm infections. Some of most commonly occurring signs and symptoms of worm infection in dogs include weight loss, appetite loss, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, bad breath, and dull coat.
If your dog is found dragging or rubbing his anus against the ground quite often, it is highly likely that it has been infected with worms.
Various symptoms that are specific to infection by a particular kind of worm are as follows:
Tapeworms: Weight loss, abdominal pain, itching, restlessness, and vomiting. Dried, broken segments of the worms can be seen in dog feces as small grains of rice.
Roundworms: Pot belly formation, diarrhea, sudden weight loss, and vomiting. They infect the intestines and can pass from the mother to the puppies via contaminated food, milk, soil, or blood.
Heartworms: Sudden increase in blood pressure, fainting spells, enlarged abdomen, general weakness, difficulty in breathing, and persistent cough. If ignored for a very long time, heartworm infection can lead to congestive heart failures.
Whipworms: Anemia, dehydration, lethargy, bloody stools, intestinal bleeding, and general weakness.
Hookworms: Coughing or wheezing, dryness of skin, abdominal cramps, weight loss, slimy/bloody stools, itching on feet, and diarrhea.
If you observe any of the aforementioned symptoms in your dog, take it immediately to a local vet for further examination so that the infection can be treated well in time, much before it gets worse.
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