Preventing Canine Worms
Posted on | January 29, 2009 | No Comments
Undoubtedly the best way to treat worms in dogs is to prevent them before they can infest the animal. Prevention is doubly important because so many worms that attack dogs can pass to other pets such as cats and to humans, especially children.
Treatment and eradication of worms in the dog‘s environment is key to prevent worms. As with caring for cats’ litter boxes, it’s essential to remove dog feces from wherever the dog defecates, whether it’s in a backyard or somewhere around the neighborhood. “Scoop the poop” isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s the way to reduce worm infestations in both the family pet and the dog population in general.
Keep the family dog away from both strays and wild animals that often carry parasites and fleas. Even a dog park, if it’s not well maintained to remove feces, can be a breeding ground for the worms that infect dogs.
Likewise, keep pet dogs from eating animal carcasses such as rabbits, rodents and birds. These carcasses may be infested with worm larvae that will grow into adult worms after a dog eats them.
Dogs also have been known to eat feces, either their own or that of other animals, including other pets such as cats. Keep dogs away from feces and make sure the family cat’s litter box is protected from the family dog.
Many experts recommend worming a dog every three months. However, it’s crucial not to mix worm medications, since mixing can cause adverse reactions in dogs. The best way is to ask a veterinarian for a recommended worm medication and then stick to that brand. A dog shouldn’t be wormed at all if it’s taking any medication, including heartworm preventative, without first consulting with the dog’s veterinarian.
Prevention is most critical for heartworm. That’s because heartworms can infest a dog for months without producing any symptoms until the dog is seriously ill. What’s more, heartworm infestation is one of the most deadly conditions a dog can contract. If left untreated, heartworm is invariably fatal to a dog.
Dogs have been found to have heartworm in all 50 U.S. states, and the disease has been identified worldwide. It’s especially prevalent in regions where wet or marshy conditions are conducive to mosquito breeding because the mosquitoes transmit heartworms through their bites. Heartworm-prone areas include tropical and subtropical regions around the world. In the United States, heartworm can be found particularly throughout the Ohio and Mississippi river basins and along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Since heartworm can be prevented through medication, there’s really no excuse for a pet owner in these regions allowing his or her dog to come down with heartworms.
Keeping dogs away from potentially contaminated water sources can prevent hookworms. A low-lying area where water collects, a pond or even water that gathers in planters or old tires in playgrounds can harbor hookworms. Keep dogs away from these areas and hookworm infestation will be much less like. If the dog drinks from or swims in one of these sources despite the owner’s best efforts, it’s probably a good idea to have the dog’s feces tested for hookworms by a veterinarian at the earliest opportunity.
Broad-spectrum preventive medications such as Interceptor are an excellent way to protect a dog against deadly heartworm disease along with roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. A veterinarian can prescribe this and other types of preventives during the dog’s annual health exam. Some of the newest prevention medications even protect dogs against fleas, which how dogs contract tapeworms.
Finally, take a fresh stool specimen along when it’s time for the dog’s annual exam. A microscopic check of the specimen can quickly find whether the dog has worms. Prompt diagnosis leads to prompt treatment to restore a dog’s health and protect its family.
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