Diagnosis of Canine Worms
Posted on | January 28, 2010 | No Comments
Diagnosing what kind of worm has infected a dog is crucial to ridding a pet of the parasites because not all worms respond to the same kind of treatments.
If a pet owner suspects the family dog may have worms, it’s best to take a fresh stool sample to the veterinarian for examination. Wear gloves when collecting the sample or pick up the sample with a small plastic bag to avoid exposure to any parasite. (One way to help prevent worms in dogs is always to “scoop the poop” after a dog relieves itself, to properly dispose of the feces and to avoid contaminating the environment).
Often a veterinarian will include a stool check as part of the dog’s annual health exam. Diagnosing whipworm or hookworm requires examining the stool by microscope, while diagnosing heartworm needs a blood test.
Here are some signs that your dog may have a specific type of worm.
Diagnosis of Roundworms
Signs of roundworms sometimes can be seen without a microscope. Roundworms may be likely if the pet owner sees round, yellowish-white worms that are two to three inches long and pointed on the ends in the dog’s vomit or stool.
Diagnosis of Tapeworms
Tapeworm signs will be found in the dog’s feces or around the anal sac. Wearing plastic gloves, the owner can check the hair and skin around the anus for evidence of tapeworm segments. These will be white or tan, flat and about a quarter-inch long. These pieces of tapeworm may when first passed in the dog’s stool. Drier pieces will look like small grains of rice.
Diagnosis of Hookworms
Hookworms are tough to diagnose because they can’t be seen by the naked eye. The only way to tell if a dog has hookworms is for a veterinarian to examine a stool sample microscopically.
Diagnosis of Whipworms
Whipworms produce relatively few eggs, so it’s possible to check several stool samples without finding evidence of them. Sometimes when the dog already exhibits lethargy or weight loss, adult whipworms can be found in the stool.
Diagnosis of Heartworms
Heartworms can only be diagnosed by a blood test given by a veterinarian. Because heartworms take so long to manifest in a dog’s body, a dog can be severely infected and possibly even killed by heartworms without a regular blood test. Prevention of heartworm infestation is by far the preferred method of dealing with this terrible parasite.
Diagnosis of Ringworms
Ringworms aren’t really parasites; it’s actually a fungus on the dog’s skin. Ringworms got their name because the pustules look as though there’s a worm coiled in a ring inside them. The signs of ringworm are bald or stubbly patches on the dog’s skin, along with the ring-shaped pustules and scaly skin. Dogs usually get the ringworm fungus from their surroundings, such as kennels, wild animal burrows or other infected dogs. That’s why it’s crucial to prevent this fungus by keeping the dog’s environment as clean as possible.
Medication to treat any of these types of worms should be administered only on the advice of a veterinarian. It’s also best to use medications recommended by a veterinarian rather than generic, over-the-counter treatments that may not be specific for the type of worms the dog has, or may actually harm the dog internally.
Related Canine Worm Sites
- Men’s Health Blog » Blog Archive » Funniest Prostate exam you will ever see
- Worms – Signs, Symptoms and Prevention – Part 1 « Gordon Lusby
- Hookworm: Helpful or Harmful? » End the Neglect
- Tiny white worms in dog stool?
- Fishing report for May 14 : sports-news-now.com
Related Canine Worm Sites
- Men’s Health Blog » Blog Archive » Funniest Prostate exam you will ever see
- Worms – Signs, Symptoms and Prevention – Part 1 « Gordon Lusby
- Hookworm: Helpful or Harmful? » End the Neglect
- Tiny white worms in dog stool?
- Fishing report for May 14 : sports-news-now.com
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