It is possible for worms to cause other health complications in a dog. In this article there are different types of worms with a little information described.
Roundworms
These types of worms can be spread in exposure to a dog’s feces. The most dangerous type of infection is during a dog’s pregnancy or nursing. More than likely if puppies are infected it could be fatal. These worms are dangerous for dogs of all ages. These worms will eat the dog’s food which causes malnutrition or lack of nutrients. These worms also cause other symptoms such as diarrhea. There are treatment medications available for consumers over the counter which work very well. Roundworms can spread to humans and become more dangerous than that of infected dogs.
Hookworms
These worms feed off of a dog’s blood and will set up camp in the dog’s small intestine. Mother dogs can and most likely will pass hookworms on to their puppies if infected. Infections can be passed through a dog’s skin and when dogs clean themselves because of exposure to the skin. These types of worms can cause puppies to pass away. Symptoms also may cause malnutrition and weakness. For adult dogs treatment usually just consists of two rounds of medication that will deworm the dog and cure symptoms. For puppies, they will usually need more treatment than adult dogs without having a complete guarantee of a cure. Humans can become infected by walking barefoot on sand and soil there is also the possibility of being infected if unwashed vegetables are consumed by a human.
Heartworms
These types of worms are passed through a dog’s blood when the dog is bitten by a mosquito. The worms can be up to fourteen inches long and they dwell in the heart and the heart’s arteries. They feed off of the blood in this area. If heartworms go untreated they may lead to death. Heartworms can cause problems with the way a dog’s heart functions because of the impact they have on the heart. Symptoms may sometimes include coughing and trouble breathing. They may also cause blood clots and complications in the condition of the blood. There are monthly preventative treatments that more than likely work to prevent infection all together. Treatment includes two to three injections that contain some arsenic ingredients. After all the dog’s treatment, it is important for the dog to get plenty of rest.
Whipworms
This type of worms live in the area where the large and small intestines meet. These worms feed off of the dog’s blood in the area that it lives in. Infection may be caused by exposure to them during grooming. They are also found in dirty soil. Fortunately, these worms do not cause an extreme amount of blood loss unless there is an enormous amount living within the dog. Not much damage will be done to the dog in small numbers of the worms. There are some treatments that are effective against these Whipworms.
Tapeworms
Fleas carry Tapeworms so when a dog licks themselves they may swallow the infected fleas and it will cause the dog to become infected. Each tapeworm is just the size of a grain of rice. The tapeworms tend to steal a dog’s nutrients out of the intestines. The worms may be passed through a dog’s feces and be seen to the human eye as well. There are tablets or injections that kill the tapeworms. Although humans can get tapeworms, they do not get infected by dogs that carry tapeworms.
Ringworm
This type is not a worm at all despite the name. Ringworm is actually a fungal infection in the skin. Most of the time ringworm does not have any obvious symptoms. The appearance of ringworm however, is a dry, grey, scaly patch and is the only indicated symptom. For humans, the appearance is simply a red lesion in the form of a ring like the name. A dog becomes infected when their skin touches fungal spores. These can be found in contaminated soil or infected cats. A cat does not necessarily have to have any symptoms to be infected and carry the fungus they can still spread the ringworm infection. Humans normally get infected by touching an infected cat. Ointments, shampoos, and even medicated dips are how the treatment is conducted. Treatment usually takes up to two months. Being that ringworms are so contagious, the environment must be cleaned up and sanitized to prevent further infection. It is best to be sure yards and indoor environments are sanitized.
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