The Characteristics Of Worms In Dogs

For canine owners, worms in dogs can be a persistent nuisance. Worms can cause serious health issues for adult dogs, whilst an infestation in a puppy has the potential to be fatal.

Although worms in dogs pose a health threat for both animals and humans, their lifecycle happens to be extremely interesting. Learning about them isn’t necessarily for the faint-hearted, but understanding how to identify them can be beneficial to your pet’s health, as well as extremely fascinating.

Worm Length

The most common worms in dogs usually grow to being about seven inches and these are known as roundworms. The other type of worm that you will commonly see in dogs is the hookworm. These tend to be a lot smaller than their roundworm siblings. Complications of tissue migration are less frequent as a result of this.

Shape and Colouring

Worms in dogs share similarities in their colouring. Expect them to be tan to white in colour, as well as a spaghetti shape. The exception to this is tapes worms, which tend to be short, flat and red in colouring. They are usually found in a dog’s faeces and can be serious. Consult a vet immediately if you find what you think are tapeworms.

Knowing Where To Look

Once you know what worms in dogs look like, you will be ready to start keeping an eye out for them in your pet and to identify what sort of worm infestation they have. It is important to know where to look.

Worm infestations in dogs can be spotted in their vomit and their faeces. Dogs pass worms in their stool, so check it regularly. Part of a worms lifecycles involves infesting near the throat. They may then be vomited by the host. Always give your dog’s vomit a quick once over for worms.

The risks posed by worms to a dog’s health can be minimised once you know how to look for them.