Keeping your dog safe and healthy is every pet parent’s #1 priority. But occasionally, your dog can get sick. And things like worms are widespread across the globe. If you think that your dog has worms, don’t worry. With the proper diagnosis and treatments, your Doodle will have a full recovery. Let’s explore the 5 different types of worms in Doodle dogs, their symptoms, and treatments. Think of this article as an internal parasite guide.
1. Roundworms
These worms in dogs can sometimes show up in long thin white strings. They also resemble spaghetti in some cases. Roundworms in dogs are transmitted mostly by smelling or eating feces. It is also possible for your dog to get these worms by eating small animals that are also infected. Many puppies are prone to having roundworms because they are transmitted from the mother in utero and through the milk. That is why every puppy will need full deworming starting at two weeks old.
Symptoms:
- Stunted growth in puppies
- Weak muscles or loss of muscle mass
- Long white to yellow worms in feces
- Bloated stomach
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Most dogs don’t show symptoms until the infestation is severe.
Treatment:
- The vet can confirm with a stool sample by looking at it under a microscope.
- These worms are treated with medications like fenbendazole, piperazine, moxidectin, milbemycin, and pyrantel. You can get a prescription for these or buy an over the counter deworming medication.
Prevention:
- Regular check-ups
- Deworm your pet regularly
- Keep the yard clean of feces
- Heartworm preventatives also prevent roundworms.
Is It Contagious?
Roundworms are highly contagious to both people and other animals. If you suspect your dog has roundworms, take them to potty in a designated area away from other dogs. Be sure to clean up after them and wash your hands afterward. And to be extra cautious, we advise treating the potty areas with a worm yard spray.
2. Whipworms
Whipworms are harder to detect in most dogs. These whipworms show no signs of worms in dogs poop. You can’t see the worm or egg with the naked eye. If your dog has whipworms, she most likely got it from the soil or feces of an infected animal. Places like dog parks are incredibly susceptible to having whipworms.
Symptoms:
- Diarrhea is the first sign of whipworms
- Dehydration and weight loss come shortly after if not treated
- In severe cases, your Doodle will start experiencing symptoms that mimic Addison’s disease.
Treatment:
- A vet checks feces for whipworm eggs under a microscope.
- Treated with medications like febantel, fenbendazole, oxantel, moxidectin, and milbemycin.
- Treating the yard for different types of worms in dogs poop
Prevention:
- Yearly check-ups always check for worms in dogs
- Keeping your yard clean of all feces
- And be careful of community parks
- Always use heartworm preventatives as they can prevent a whipworm infestation.
Is It Contagious?
The type of whipworms that dogs get are species-specific. So you don’t have to worry about you or your children getting them. But if you have other animals, whipworms are highly contagious. You might want to treat your other dogs for worms to be safe. And to add more precautions, you will then need to treat your yard for whipworms since they can live in the soil for five years.
3. Heartworms
Heartworms are the most common of the 5 different types of worms in Doodle dogs. These heartworms are transmitted through mosquito bites. Mosquitos who have bitten an infected animal then transfer the worms to any animal it bites afterward. You can’t see heartworms, and you don’t even know that your dog has them until they have multiplied. Heartworms are all over the USA, so everyone should take preventative measures.
Symptoms:
- Coughing is the first sign of heartworms
- Heavy breathing and wheezing with light activity
- Rib bloating and expansion
- Lethargy from lack of oxygen
- Weight loss
Treatment:
- Vets check for heartworms through a blood sample.
- After heartworms are confirmed, a vet will administer a treatment plan, usually given through a series of shots.
Prevention:
- There are heartworm preventatives that you give to your dog monthly.
- Using flea drops that also repel mosquitos is another barrier.
- Spraying your yard for mosquitos can also reduce the chances of heartworms.
Is It Contagious?
The only way to get heartworms is by being bit by an infected mosquito. You can not transfer mosquitos to people or other dogs.
4. Hookworms
Hookworms are long thin white string-like worms that you can see in dogs poop. These hookworms are very common all across America. Hookworms can live in the soil and feces for a while before needing a new host. Your dog can get hookworms from either eating contaminated feces or licking their paws with the worms on them. It is also possible for a mother dog to pass on the hookworms to her pups through her milk.
Symptoms:
- Pale gums
- Lethargy
- Weight loss
- Bloody diarrhea
- Itchy paws that they lick a lot
Treatment:
- A vet can examine feces for a diagnosis.
- Medications such as albendazole and mebendazole can kill hookworms if appropriately dosed.
Prevention:
- Yearly vet check-ups to check for any worms
- Keeping the yard clean
- And some studies show that heartworm medications kill hookworms as well.
Is It Contagious?
The Hookworm is highly contagious to other pets and people. You need to take every precaution to prevent the hookworms from spreading. This may include letting that dog go potty in a different area, cleaning up, and spraying your yard.
5. Tapeworms
Tapeworms leave prominent signs of worms in dogs poop. These tapeworms are segmented long worms that live in the digestive tract. While it isn’t common to see a whole tapeworm in dog poop, you can see their segments. Each segment of the tapeworm carries all of the reproductive organs to lay eggs. These segments are dropped and end up in feces, which look like small grains of rice. Your dog gets tapeworms from eating fleas that carry the parasite.
Symptoms:
- Scooting across the floor
- Rice looking segments around the anus
- Same segments found in bedding
- Weight loss
- Increased hunger
- Loose stools
Treatment:
- Fecal exams can diagnose tapeworms
- Prescription medications with the active ingredient praziquantel will kill the parasites.
Prevention:
- Using year-round flea treatments to lower the chances of contracting fleas
- And treating the yard and around the house for fleas.
Is It Contagious?
Humans have a low chance of getting tapeworms from their dogs. But if you have other pets, you might want to get them tested for tapeworms as well. There is a high chance that the other animals have fleas as well and might have contracted the worms.
How To Treat Worms In Dogs
Since there are 5 different types of worms in Doodle dogs, it is crucial to get the correct diagnosis. If you are ever unsure what type of worms your dog may have, it is best to have them examined by a trusted vet. A vet can only treat some of these types of dog parasites. For the rest, we have a short review on the best medications to treat worms.
Excel Safe-Guard 4
The most common over the counter worm medication is Excel Safe-Guard 4. This medication kills hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and one strain of tapeworms. Safe-Guard is safe enough to be used twice a year for routine deworming. And it comes in perfect portion packets for easy dosing. And since it comes in a powdered form, it makes it easy to add to a savory wet food treat.
Sentry HC 7 Way De-Wormer
If your Doodle prefers to take a tasty pill, the Sentry HC 7 Way De-Wormer is perfect for you. It can treat tapeworms, hookworms, and roundworms quickly and effectively. Your dog will be worm-free in no time with this fantastic product. And it can be used as a preventative measure in dogs that might come in contact with worms more frequently.
Bayer Quad Chewable Dewormer
We love the Bayer Quad Chewable Dewormer because it has three powerful deworming medications that kill roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms. And the chewable tablets are easy to give to even the pickiest of dogs. You can use this medicine to treat existing worms and to treat them once a year as a preventative measure.
K9 Advantix
While K9 Advantix is a flea preventative, it is also a mosquito repellant. Keeping mosquitos under control will significantly reduce the chances of your dog getting heartworms. And preventing fleas will reduce the chances of tapeworms, but it doesn’t end there. K9 Advantix also repels ticks, which are known to carry lots of other diseases. This topical treatment does it all.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth has so many great uses. We love that it is all-natural and kills most parasites. If you have any of these 5 different types of worms in Doodle dogs, you should also have diatomaceous earth on hand. You can use this around the house for any parasite or outside. It is especially useful for getting hookworms and whipworms out of your lawn.
Conclusion
These different types of worms in dogs can be nerve-wracking to deal with. But once you know what you are dealing with, it makes it easier to treat. And with these deworming treatments, your dog will feel better in no time.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Doodle Board!
