One of the most common health problems our dogs have is worms. Worms can make your dog very unwell for a variety of reasons depending on the type of worms. Pet owners need to start realizing the seriousness of worms and start worming their dogs on a more regular basis. By doing this, you can prevent worms and pain for your dog. I find that the best way to ensure your dog eats their worming tablet is to put it in with their dog food at feeding time.
+ Pups less than 12 weeks should be wormed every 2 weeks
+ Pups 12 weeks to 6 months wormed every month
+ Dogs older than 6 months should be wormed every 1 to 3 months depending on the climate and location of where you live.
5 Main Types Of Worms (Who got the cool job of naming them?)
#1 Roundworms
This is the number one most common type of worm and they live in the stomach and intestines of the dog. Puppies can get roundworms from their mother before and after birth through their mother’s milk. Dogs can easily digest the worm by eating something contaminated.
#2 Heartworms
These worms travel through the bloodstream into the heart and lungs and can cause serious discomfort and make the dog very unhealthy.
#3 Tapeworms
This worm attaches itself to the wall of the small intestine. These are most common spread through fleas. (Fleas are just bad news all around)
#4 Hookworms
These small thin worms use their hook-like mouth to latch onto the dog’s small intestine and live off the dog’s tissue and blood. (kind of like that 30-something kid in a parent’s basement)
#5 Whipworms
Just like a tapeworm, this worm attaches itself to the wall of the small and large intestines.
#1 Coughing – Roundworms, Hookworms and Heartworms
#2 Diarrhea – All worms & Blood may be visable in stool
#3 Weight Loss – Tapeworm & Whipworm
#4 Pot Belly – Puppies who get worms from mother
#5 Gain/Loss of Appetite – All worms
#6 Vomiting – All worms & blood may be visable in vomit
#7 Lethargy – All worms can affect energy levels
#8 Scooting – Cause dog to scoot on rear end to relieve an itch (aka Carpet Surfing)
#9 Scratching – Visible skin irritations
#10 Poor Coat – Dog’s coat becomes dull
Every dog owner needs to worm your dog within the recommended guidelines. At least this way your dog can be 100% healthy and live a great life. The last thing you want is for your dog to be suffering and you not be able to help. Worming tablets are readily available from your local vet or any online pet shop. Help combat worms today by worming your dog regularly.
Thank you, David, for this valuable information!
And to lighten things up, after seeing the words vomit, stool, diarrhea, blood, and intestines all in one blog post, why not try your hand at learning to draw a cartoon worm?
source: https://www.petbloglady.com/
