Worms in a puppy: symptoms, early diagnosis, treatment methods, prevention

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

When you decide to get a dog, you need to prepare not only for joy, but also for the constant care of your pet. Upon arrival of a puppy in a new home, it is necessary to conduct a course of vaccinations, accustom the baby to the toilet on the street, and also remove parasites from him.

Even if the breeder claims that the puppy does not have worms, these unconfirmed arguments cannot be trusted. In the presence of parasites in the mother, they are always transmitted to her offspring. Therefore, you should not take the word of the breeder.

If the dog walks outside, it should be dewormed every 4 months. But having noticed the symptoms of worms in a puppy, treatment should be carried out immediately. Therefore, every responsible owner should be able to identify signs of the presence of parasites in the body of an animal. Only in this way will he be able to preserve his he alth and save him from a possible fatal outcome.

Infection with helminths

The pet industry has long reached a new level in the modern market of sales and services. And yet, not all owners of dogs and other pets take all the necessary preventive measures for the he alth of their pets. itconcerns mandatory vaccinations, protection against fleas, ticks and helminths. Almost every person will poison a puppy with fleas, because the way they torture an animal is visible to the naked eye.

Not all owners remember about the possible infection with parasites. But the symptoms and consequences of worms in dogs can harm the animal's body much more than fleas. An attentive owner can easily see changes in the behavior of his pet if he looks closely. If you do not start treatment in time, internal organs may suffer. To prevent this from happening, you must be able to identify the symptoms of worms in a puppy.

Localization of parasite infestation

The clinical picture of infection symptoms varies greatly. Much depends on the type of parasites, as well as on the period of their stay in the dog's body. Some mistakenly believe that worms always live only in the intestines of the animal. However, there are also parasites that are located in the area of the lungs, brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and also in the muscles of the pet. The real state of affairs can be terrifying, but the fact remains - helminths harm all the internal organs of the animal and lead to death. Symptoms of worms in a puppy can increase every day, and within a month after infection, he may die.

Of course, most parasites are intestinal worms. Therefore, puppies are most often infected with them. The main site of localization is the small intestine. When the worms multiply rapidly and no longer fit in it, the spread continuesalready in the large intestine. Worms also release harmful toxins that destroy the intestinal microflora.

Symptoms of helminth infection

A caring owner should know how to determine that a puppy has worms. Symptoms of infection may be severe or mild. But behavioral changes are present anyway. They appear in the following signs:

• Severe weakness, apathy, fatigue.
• The appearance of chills, tremors of the limbs, regardless of the air temperature outdoors or indoors.
• Vomiting, sick puppy. Other manifestations of an upset gastrointestinal tract are also quite possible: diarrhea, constipation, etc.
• Infection with parasites can be identified by feces with blood clots or mucus.
• It is easy to see parts of helminths in the feces.
• Itching appears in the genital area. The puppy will try to scratch everything in the house and the ground.
• Sometimes body temperature may rise or fall.
• Muscous discharge may appear from the eyes or nose.
• Wool stops shining, becomes dull, falls out. In some cases, the dog may even show gray hair.
• The puppy's breathing will be sharp and putrid.
• Coughing or sneezing occurs, with no other signs of a cold or infection.
• The animal's appetite is distorted. Symptoms of worms in a puppy of 2 months will be more noticeable. He may start eating too much or too little. Its weight will steadily decrease.
• A dog's belly,infested with worms will be hard and inflated like a balloon.

The manifestation of the above symptoms will depend on the intensity of the infection of the animal, as well as the type of parasites.

Also, do not forget that intestinal and many other types of worms are transmitted to humans. Being engaged in the treatment of pets, we must not forget about all family members. Otherwise, a he althy puppy can easily be infected with worms again, but from a person.

Who is at risk

Some owners believe that small indoor dog breeds cannot become infected with such parasites as in the photo above. We will talk about the names of worms in dogs and the variety of pests a little later. Such an opinion is an extremely erroneous point of view. In fact, any animal that walks on city roads can become infected with parasites. Moreover, worm larvae can enter the house even on a person’s shoes. This is how they infect domestic cats. Therefore, after purchasing a decorative dog, which spends most of its walks in a carrying bag, you do not need to think that it is protected from parasites.

Even taking pills does not give a 100% guarantee that helminths will not enter the puppy's body in the near future. Veterinarians recommend deworming pets every 3-4 months. In this way, the possible appearance of worms can be prevented, as well as killing those who already live inside the dog. This period is explained by the life cycle of worms, consisting of 3-5 months.

However, there are also such types of parasites that cannot be removed from the body of an animal with the help of drugs. In such cases, the dog is saved through surgery.

Why are worms dangerous

Infection with them does not pose a threat to the life of a young puppy if their reproduction is stopped in time. When their number becomes impressive, it somehow affects the condition of the pet. The more parasites in the body, the worse the he alth of the dog. This is due to the fact that the worms feed on all the useful elements from the gastrointestinal tract, blood, as well as vital tissues and muscles of the animal.

Above is a photo of parasites in a dog. Symptoms of the disease can appear at any time. Even if infected with the most harmless roundworms, the puppy will show vitamin deficiency, weight loss and severe poisoning.

Another danger to the life of a small pet is the inevitable intoxication. The helminths inside the animal secrete decay products, and they multiply very quickly during the entire life cycle. By the time most of the worms die, the intoxication of the puppy's body can reach a critical point. The decaying waste of worms is a huge amount of toxins that kill the vital activity of internal organs. Photos of parasites in the dog's intestines or in any other organ are not attached due to their unaesthetic quality.

Adult dog can keep an acceptable state for quite a long time and not succumb to the destructive effects of helminths. Howevera puppy is unlikely to last even one month of constant torment. This is explained by the thinnest intestinal walls in young animals. They are not as strong and thick as in adult dogs. Therefore, when infected with parasites that multiply too quickly, the puppy's intestines may not be able to withstand and break through.

Symptoms and treatment of worms in a puppy should be determined by the owner as soon as possible. After all, a young pet will refuse to eat, rapidly lose weight and lag behind in development, which will also increase its risks for a fatal outcome of events. That is why owners should carefully and attentively treat their four-legged friends. If an animal is dewormed according to all the rules from puppyhood, it will not have worms.

Routes of infection

These parasites have a strong vitality. They are not killed by temperature fluctuations, so they continue to breed even in severe winter conditions. One, before getting into the body of a living being, they have to go through a difficult path. First, their eggs mature, and then they can wait a long time for their future carrier in grass, soil or water. Helminths are quickly transmitted from one infected animal to another. Their intermediate hosts, before they enter the body of a domestic dog, are cattle, fleas, and some types of fish. That is why a puppy can become infected with worms through:

• Meat. This is the most common route of infection for both humans and animals. Eating raw or poorly processed meat is strictly prohibited.
• Intrauterine development. If the male is not anthelmintic before mating, his parasites will be transmitted to the mother of the offspring. During lactation, helminths pass very quickly to small puppies. That is why it is so important to rid the puppy of them immediately after his arrival in a new home.
• Water. Worms do not live exclusively in water, because they need something to eat. Their intermediate hosts in the underwater world are fish, crustaceans, snails. If a puppy has access to a local pond, he will definitely swallow water in it and become infected with parasite eggs.
• Insects. Flies, mosquitoes or fleas also have the ability to transmit parasitic larvae through their bite.
• Dirty. All dogs love to play and frolic in nature. Especially young puppies. Once wallowing in the mud, playing with the owner in bad weather, the animal will be smeared with a potential habitat for helminths.

For most parasites, the dog becomes the ultimate host. However, some types of helminths can be transmitted to humans. The most common of them are roundworms. From your own puppy, a person can become infected through saliva or wool.

Infection of a puppy with roundworms

This type of worm is considered the most numerous in its group among those parasitizing on animals and humans. The appearance of these worms is round, thin and with sharp ends. The survival of parasites is due to rapid reproduction and the simplest life cycle. Worms hatch inside the animal, as there is a suitable environment for this. Quantityascaris can grow to incredible sizes.

During a severe infestation, the main symptom of worms in a puppy will be a hard peritoneum. The abdomen literally becomes a round, hard ball. Other signs of intoxication are also observed: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation. Feces may contain elements of blood, white mucus, parasite residues.

Symptoms of nematode infestation

These worms are very similar to roundworms, but have more rounded ends. Adults can grow up to 5 cm. Photos of parasites in a dog can be very frightening. Therefore, it is better for the faint of heart not to look at how nematodes look. Their main difference is that they multiply not only in the intestines, but also in any other organ of the animal. Infection of the whole organism occurs due to the introduction of larvae into the blood circulation. The symptoms of the presence of worms are very clear, as the process of intoxication spreads throughout the dog's life support system. The first signs of infection will be changes in behavior such as weakness, apathy, drowsiness and rapid weight loss. When parasites begin to develop in the internal organs, the following symptoms appear:

• Severe cough and nausea. This means that the worms settled not only in the gastrointestinal tract, but also in the respiratory organs and lungs.
• Yellowness. Denotes malfunctions in the liver, gallbladder and ducts.
• Weight loss. This sign is due to a metabolic failure in the puppy.
• Difficulty with coordination. Such a symptom indicates an infection with helminths in the brain area.
• Decreased vision. Mucousthe eye may swell and release fluid.

There are many signs of nematode infection. Each affected organ will show the characteristic symptoms of dog worms. A photo of painful puppies confirms the fact that parasites bring them a lot of torment. That is why you need to know everything about how to treat a pet.

Medicated treatment

Noticing signs of worms in a puppy, you must immediately take the pet to the veterinarian for examination. The doctor must do a blood test, feces and urine, and then prescribe the appropriate treatment. It is impossible to give a puppy medication without confirming the diagnosis. Therefore, if the veterinarian talks about the infection with worms, without doing the necessary research, you need to find another specialist.

Anthelmintics should only be used to treat animals. It is recommended to purchase them only in veterinary pharmacies with a license. They can be issued in the following forms:

• Suspensions. Medicine in the form of syrup is the best therapy option for a small puppy. Suspensions made from natural ingredients are well suited. A herbal medicine called Celandine is in good demand. The syrup is given to the puppy using a special syringe bottle.
• Pills. If the local veterinary pharmacy has a small selection of anthelmintic drugs, the medicine in the form of tablets can be found there anyway. Therefore, in the absence of syrup, you do not need to get upset and go looking elsewhere. Tablets have the sameeffective action. Just in order to give them to a puppy, you have to contrive. For example, disguise a pill in a piece of his favorite treat. Of all the drugs offered, veterinarians recommend choosing Praziquantel.
• Drops. This type of anthelmintic drug is easier to use than others. It should be applied exclusively to dry skin of a puppy. You need to drip the medicine in those places that the dog cannot lick. With the help of them, you can cure your pet not only from worms, but also from fleas and even ticks.

Symptoms and treatment of worms in a puppy depends on the stage of infection. Most often, worms can be eliminated in 3-4 days. If the puppy becomes ill after taking the medicine, you need to give him Smecta, and then immediately take him to the veterinarian.

Treatment with folk methods

If it is not possible to provide medical assistance to the animal as soon as possible, it is necessary to use the treatment of folk remedies. Symptoms of worms in a puppy and his condition should not be critical. Folk recipes cannot completely get rid of all parasites. The most popular are:

• Pumpkin seeds. A safe and he althy product will saturate the puppy's body with useful elements. You need to give pumpkin seeds in a ground form, mixing them into the puppy's food.
• Parsley. To get rid of the toxins that helminths secrete, you can chop some of this greens into porridge with meat.
• Apple cider vinegar. You need to give it 1 teaspoon on an empty stomach.
• Garlic. The product has antibacterial, antimicrobial action. It is enough to chop one small clove of garlic and mix with wet food. Symptoms and treatment of worms in dogs with folk remedies are invariably associated. Home remedies can only help with mild symptoms.

Despite the effectiveness of folk methods, they are better to carry out preventive measures than thorough treatment. If worms multiply intensively in the puppy's body, it will be impossible to stop them with the treatment of folk remedies. Symptoms of worms in a puppy and his well-being should not be brought to a serious condition of the animal.

Prevention of helminth infection

First of all, you should remember that it is impossible to protect your pet from infection by 100%. But you can reduce the likelihood of infection with dangerous parasites. To do this, you must adhere to the following security measures:

• Deworm the animal every 3-4 months.
• Don't give your puppy raw meat or fish.
• If the dog is covered in mud, it needs to be bathed with shampoo.
• Reduce contact with other animals.

Don't give your puppy the same deworming medicine every time. This can cause addiction and resistance of parasites to certain substances.