Check Your Labrador For Worms

It could be alarming knowing that your Labrador is infested with worms. What we are talking here are worms, meaning to say, different types of worms. Maybe some thinks that worms are all just the same but, no they're not. Worms vary and are different from one another.

Roundworms

Roundworms, as the name implies, have round bodies of about three to five inches long. They live in the dog's intestines but they do not attach to the intestinal wall like hookworms. Also called ascarids, they consume partially digested foods. Dogs pick up roundworms by sniffing the ground, especially sniffing other dog's feces. They can also pick it up through their coat, paws and muzzle and ingest them while grooming. Infected mother dogs can also pass roundworms to their puppies through nursing. Symptoms of roundworm infestation in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, pot-bellied appearance, dehydration, weight loss and loss of condition. Some cases may show no symptom but severe infestation may lead to lung damage causing breathing problems.

Hookworms

Hookworm, just like in roundworm, is named based on its characteristic. They feed by hooking onto the wall of the intestine. These parasites can cause the dog's intestines to bleed because of their sharp teeth. Hookworms can be picked up by your dog from the ground or from an infected nursing mother. Severe infestation of hookworms can be life-threatening to puppies. Symptoms of hookworm infestation include dermatitis, pneumonia, enteritis, bloody diarrhea, blood loss, weight loss and anemia.

Whipworms

Whipworms are about ¼ of an inch long, smaller compared to other intestinal parasites. Whipworms, as the name implies, are whip-shaped with skinny head and enlarged tail. The head is its digestive end and the enlarged one is its reproductive end. Large number of whipworms in a dog can inflame the intestine tissue and may result to bloody diarrhea. Whipworms can be picked up from the ground or from feces of other dogs. Symptoms of whipworm infestation include watery and bloody diarrhea, weight loss and general debilitation.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms have long, ribbon tape appearance, that's why they are called tapeworms. They live and lay eggs in your Labrador's guts and these eggs are then released with the fogs feces. Adult tapeworms are about eight inches long and are made up of small segments of about 1/8 of an inch long. Itchy anus and crawling segments in the surrounding area may indicate tapeworm infestation. Severe infestation of this intestinal parasite may cause debilitation and weight loss.

Infestation of these intestinal parasites can be very much treated. Ask your veterinarian for suggestions on the proper deworming of your puppy.