There were times when it was believed that the only way worms in dogs passed on to puppies, was through the mother’s system while they were still in the uterus. Whereas this contention still holds good for some types of worms, it has now been established that worms can infest puppies through other means also.

Worms like dog tapeworm, and dog roundworms and even some feline parasites have a typical lifecycle and can enter a pet’s body through various means.

Worms are intestinal parasites that reside mostly in the small intestines. Worms like tapeworms and roundworms are extremely migratory within a dog’s body and they are expelled and ingested during different stages of their lifecycle. Infestation can be through ingestion of larvae or eggs of worms or through ingestion of infected intermediate hosts like rodents and mice. Worms are passed through feces and puppies ingest worms directly from the environment as well. Sometimes the infection can be passed on by contact with the coat of the infected mother.

Out of the numerous intestinal parasites, roundworms and tapeworms are the most common feline parasites that infest cats. The connection between these two intestinal parasites ends here. Roundworms are round and slimy creatures whereas tapeworms are flat and segmented.

Both the worms shed eggs that are passed out in the feces of the cat. But roundworms and tapeworms look different. Roundworm eggs excreted in feces are microscopic, whereas tapeworm eggs are released as packets from the end segments that detach from the worm. These segments can be seen in the cat’s feces or clinging to the hair near the anus of the cat.

Roundworms

The two common species of roundworms found in cats are:

* Toxocara cati
* Toxascaris leonina

Eggs from both the species are generally eaten by a cat when they are still in their non-infectious stage. They may also be ingested by an intermediate host, say, a mouse or a rat.

Toxocara cati differs from the other roundworm in one feature. It has the capacity to remain dormant in female cats. A queen may harbor larvae from previous infections that remain encysted in various tissues in the body. At the time of pregnancy these larvae migrate to the mammary glands. Larvae transmit through milk too. That the litter of an infected mother will be infected as well is a foregone conclusion.

Hookworms are considered to be the most pathogenic of all canine and feline parasites including roundworms and dog tapeworm.

Hookworms are excessively greedy blood suckers and cause extensive loss of blood. They ‘hook’ on to the walls of the intestines and draw out blood and ingest it directly. Some can bite and cause lacerations which result in blood leaking. To add to the miseries, the esophageal glands of the hookworm secrete an enzyme that inhibits blood coagulation.

Hookworms can penetrate skin and infect humans as well. Barefoot humans and children who play in areas where dogs defecate are at a high risk of infection. A study of the lifecycle of hookworms can go along way in achieving the goal of treating hookworm infection and eradication of hookworms from the environment.

Depending upon the species, an adult hookworm can lay up to thirty thousand eggs in a day. A moist loamy soil and warm temperatures are most conducive to hookworm survival. But these hardy parasites have been known to survive in tougher climatic conditions also. Unlike other worms in dogs hookworms develop in feces only when the feces are broken up naturally by earthworms or rain. Larvae in their infective stage move out from the feces and wait in the soil or vegetation for a host to pass by.

Being aware of the possibility of worms in dogs is an essential part of owning a dog. You need to be aware of the symptoms of worm infestation right from the day you bring a dog into your home.

Tapeworms are one of the intestinal parasites that require keen observation for diagnosis. For dog owners to know whether their pet is infested with tapeworms it is important for them to know about their appearance, lifecycle and symptoms.

APPEARANCE

Dog tapeworm gets its name from the tape-like appearance that it has. A tapeworm is flat and has segments. It has a head and a neck and the remaining part of the tapeworm is broken into segments. The tapeworm uses muscular grooves present in the head to attach itself to the intestines of the host. New segments are continually formed in the neck region. The ones at the end mature and are shed periodically.

Each segment has its own reproductive organs and contains a large number of eggs that are grouped in packets. Once mature, these segments are detached from the main body and are excreted. Mobile segments can be seen near the anus of the dog or on top of fresh feces. Once the tapeworm segments dry up they look like uncooked rice or cucumber seeds.

Hookworm is a parasite that lives in the small intestines of mammals. It is also the most common of the intestinal parasites that infest dogs. There are different types of hookworms that can infest dogs and cats.

* A.caninum can infect a dog.
* Uncinaria stenocephala can infect both dogs and cats.
* A.braziliense and A. tubaeforme species of the hookworm infect only cats.

Hookworms are smaller than other intestinal parasites like dog tapeworms and roundworms. Their affect on the host’s body is also different from other parasitical worms. Worms in dogs are usually excreted and are visible in stools but hookworms are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. In most cases even a microscopic examination is unable to reveal their presence.

Hookworms are also different from other worms in the manner in which they cause diseases. The other kinds of worms mechanically obstruct the intestinal passage and migrate through tissues but hookworms cling to the intestinal walls and suck the host’s blood.

Dogs can get infested with hookworms in many ways. Hookworms lay eggs in the intestines of an infested animal. These are then excreted through stools. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae can migrate through water and vegetation and enter a dog’s body through various routes.

It is extremely essential to control canine and feline parasites since they inhabit the intestines and can cause problems if not eliminated in time. Roundworms can block the intestinal passage by the sheer numbers that they exist in. Hookworm infection causes severe anemia followed by loss of iron and protein in the stomach.

A proper understanding of symptoms of worms in dogs is necessary for proper treatment of worms in dogs . However, it is imperative that a thorough understanding of the worm’s life cycle be understood to be able to control it better.

ROUNDWORMS

One female roundworm can lay up to two hundred thousand eggs in a single day. Most of the eggs pass out of the body through feces but some eggs stay inside the body. A larva develops inside the egg shell and cannot infect the dog till it reaches the second stage. This takes about a week.

A dog can get infected by consuming roundworm eggs that stick to the fur or feet. Once inside the stomach the shell is digested. Roundworms have a complex migratory life that involves expulsion once again through vomiting. Dogs consume the discharged larva along with the vomit during the third stage.

Roundworms have evolved in a manner that they can thrive in almost any environment. They can be found in freshwater, sea water and even in terrestrial environs. There are nearly 20,000 species of roundworms out which 15,000 are parasitic. They are also the most prevalent of the worms as compared to all other types of worms in dogs.

Many dogs are born with roundworms. These are generally passed to them by their mothers through the uterus or through the mammary glands. A mother can transmit larvae that are lying dormant in her tissues or organs to the fetus of her puppy. She can also transmit the larvae while nursing since the larvae can enter the mammary glands and pass on to the young one.

There are, however, other ways in which roundworms can enter the body of a dog. The most common among them is by ingestion. Dogs can consume roundworm egg or larvae infected feces since many dogs do have a tendency towards coprophagy (eating feces). They can also ingest larvae by eating other infected animals like rodents.

Never give your puppy any parasite-killing medications unless they have been authorized by your veterinarian. It is important to keep in mind that these preparations, although can be purchased over-the-counter and without a prescription, can have side effects just like all other drugs.

Remember, there are many different types of parasites: hookworms, ascarids, tapeworms, whipworms, coccidia – all of which are most commonly identified. Since some of the parasites are quite difficult to kill, while others are relatively simple, many of these over-the-counter preparations must be quite toxic to fulfill their claims of being all-purpose anthelmintics. Therefore, you may be medicating your puppy with a very potent worm medicine which could be eradicated more easily with something less dangerous to your dog’s health.

These medications are poisons after all, designed to kill living creatures that are inhabiting your puppy’s body, And they have the potential to kill your pet along with these parasites. Proper worming also takes into account the life cycle of the specific parasite involved and this life cycle varies for each individual pest.

There are five types of intestinal worms in dogs that infect dogs of all ages.

* Roundworm.
* Dog Tapeworm.
* Hookworms.
* Whipworm.
* Heartworm.

Roundworms mainly affect puppies. Out of the two species of roundworms, Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine, the former is more prevalent in dogs than the latter. They are about 2cm long when they enter the intestines of a dog. But within a matter of ten days they grow to a length of 6cm. The adult roundworm lives in the small intestines of a dog. There are different paths that the roundworm can take to finally reach there. In the case of puppies, the infection is passed to the young puppy while he is still in the uterus.

A typical phenomenon goes on in the female dogs when they are pregnant. During their lifecycle within the body of a dog, all roundworms do not get to reach the small intestines. Some larvae get embedded in the tissue and remain dormant for long periods that can extend up to many years. When a female dog becomes pregnant, the roundworm larvae spring back to life from their dormant state, find their way to the uterus through some inexplicable process and burrow their way into the fetus. This leads to infection in the fetus and within two weeks of birth, the puppies are fully infected with adult roundworms in their intestines.

Do Different Parasites Prefer Certain Host Animals?

Yes, there are fleas that prefer cats and those that would rather have their meal on dogs. However, while some fleas do exhibit certain preferences, they are not usually host-specific. That is, in the absence of the preferred host, the flea will attack a less desirable host such as birds, rats, and even humans.

Ticks are more commonly associated with dogs but in areas of extremely heavy infestation, cats can be infested also. Ticks too, are not reluctant to dining out of humans when other hosts are not readily available or are already in great demand by other parasites.

Where Can My Pet Pick Up These Parasites?

There are several common ways for your pet to become infested with fleas and ticks. Animals living in wooded areas, or walked-in fields of tall grass, or near shrubbery, are likely targets for parasites lying, waiting to leap on the appropriate host.

Frequently, a new pet brought into the household introduces the parasite problem to other animals in that home. A visit to a grooming parlor, medical center, boarding kennel, dog or cat show, or even a simple visit to a neighbors home can spread infestation from animal to animal if rigid preventive hygiene is not practiced.