Collecting a worm is far more helpful to your vet than describing it, since most worms have similar physical appearances to the naked eye.
Scoop a sample of feces with a popsicle stick or a disposable spoon and place it in a clean, screw-top container that has a tight-fitting lid (your vet can provide you with a container specific for this purpose if you don’t have anything appropriate). Store the sample below 30 °C (86 °F) and drop it off at the vet clinic when you can (the sample does not have to be especially fresh to have evidence of worms. If your vet asks for a pooled sample, you will take samples from the dog’s stool once daily for 3 days in a row, placing them in the same collection container. This may be necessary for a suspected “false negative” result. The pooled sample reduces the risk of unreliable results. The vet may run the fecal analysis, which involves examining a smear of feces under the microscope to look for worm eggs or larvae, or she may send it to an outside lab for assessment.
A variety of tests are available but in practice an ELISA test is most common. The test looks for the presence of antibodies to the heartworm and causes a color change if positive. Most veterinarians in high-risk areas for heartworm require a yearly test as part of the dog’s physical checkup before renewing or prescribing a monthly preventative treatment.
Worms or feces infected with worms should be removed from children’s play areas. Infected feces should be handled or collected with gloves. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling animal feces.
Roundworms are often passed to puppies from a roundworm-infested mother because the eggs and larvae cross the placenta to infect the puppy in the womb, and eggs are also excreted in the mother’s milk. Puppies should be wormed as a matter of routine. Tapeworms are caused by a dog’s eating vermin already infected with tapeworm, or from fleas that contain tapeworm eggs. Thus, hunting dogs or dogs with a flea infestation are likely to pick up tapeworms. Hookworms and Whipworms thrive in damp soil and the dogs most at risk are those kept on grass runs, especially in warm, humid conditions. These infections are more common in kenneled dogs that have access to communal grassy runs. Heartworm is spread by insects such as mosquitoes and is therefore endemic in certain areas where insects are more common. High risk areas include the Southeastern and Midwestern United States and along the Atlantic coast. Lungworm is becoming more prevalent and is spread via fox feces, slugs, and snails. Contact with any of these is considered a risk factor.
Roundworms look a lot like cooked spaghetti noodles. They average 8–10 centimeter (3. 1–3. 9 in) long, but can reach 18 centimeter (7. 1 in) in length. They have a round profile and smooth bodies. Tapeworms are distinctive with flattened bodies made up of segments. The length varies with the species but averages from 50 centimeter (19. 7 in) to 250 centimeter (98. 4 in) long. If you see tapeworms in the feces or vomit, it is likely to be individual segments, not the entire tapeworm. Hookworms and whipworms are much smaller than roundworms or tapeworms. They are usually between 0. 5–2 centimeter (0. 2–0. 8 in) long and extremely thin, like a strand of thread or hair. Their small size tends to make them appear translucent, and they can be more difficult to see without close examination.
Lungworm and heartworm can interfere with blood clotting and so some dogs show the alarming symptom of uncontrolled bleeding after a minor injury. Any of these signs should prompt an immediate visit to your vet. Though treatments can be costly, prompt treatment is more likely to result in a favorable outcome.
These egg packets look like sesame seeds or small rice grains stuck to the hair near the dog’s bottom. If you look carefully you can sometimes see these small, cream-colored seed-like objects wriggling.
With worm eggs the differences can be subtle, such as the shape being oval instead of round, of having a plug at one or both ends.
Some canine worm infections can cause gastrointestinal illnesses such as diarrhea. Some worm infections can ultimately lead to a dog’s death, particularly with heart or lungworms.
Most vets require a negative heartworm test to write a heartworm preventative prescription. Many heartworm preventatives are meat-flavored and chewable, making them easier to administer.
Some companies make a combination heartworm and flea treatment in one chewable pill. It is also possible to administer a monthly topical flea treatment. This is usually squeezed onto the dog’s scruff, at the back of his neck.
Keep your dog away from warm, grassy areas shared with other dogs who have not been de-wormed. Do not let your dog come into contact with wild or prey animals. Avoid warm, humid climates that have high populations of bugs such as fleas or mosquitoes. Do not let your dog eat or rub themselves in the feces of other dogs or wild animals.
Most de-wormer is a powdery substance that can be mixed into the dog’s food or another vehicle such as plain yogurt (consult your vet before feeding your dog food made for humans). Most de-wormers need to be administered only once, but if your veterinarian prescribes fenbendazole, you’ll need to administer it repeatedly over the course of several days. Fenbendazole is a very gentle de-wormer frequently used for young puppies. Be sure to read the directions on the package of de-wormer and consult your vet before giving your dog any kind of medication.
