Deworming Your Puppy

27 Jan | Posted by San Rocco Cane Corso | 4 comments | deworming your puppy, dog worms, hookworms, organic puppy worming, roundworms

Deworming Your Puppy

 

Deworming your puppy is an important element in keeping your puppy healthy. When I first became a Cane Corso owner I was searching everywhere to find healthy puppy tips, I enjoy contributing when I can. I often get many questions regarding this topic, so I decided to write an article to easily direct those emails and calls regarding this topic.   I often find that many people do not understand the concept of preventive deworming and think that this should only be done if a puppy is infected. The fact of the matter is prevention is very important. I would like to discuss the different types of worms that can effect your puppy and how to be equipped to treat them appropriately. As with all Puppy health matters, I strongly suggest finding a good Vet to treat your puppy or dog.

Deworming your puppy can become a serious ailment when left unattended. Hookworms and roundworms are by far the most common worms found in puppies. Roundworms compete with your pet for food and can cause malnutrition and intestinal obstruction. Hookworms live on intestinal blood and can cause anemia.

Strategic deworming is a practice recommended by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP).

 

Prevention is Best Method

Having your dog infected with worms in most cases can be prevented, however even the best cared for canine will come down with worms. Prevention in the treatment of this problem  will help to greatly reduce worms. Using flea medication will help reduce roundworms, home remedies I find work very well for fleas. Using a prescribed heart worm treatment plan from the vet will help assure that the dog in your life doesn’t contract heart worms. Many factors lead to can lead to worms, this is a topic for another article. Types of treatment methods vary in intensity according to the extent of the infection.

 

Roundworms

 

 

There are basically five types of common dog worms. The most common type of worm infestation, especially in young puppies, is roundworms. Roundworms can be passed from a mother dog to her newborn pups via her blood and/or milk. Dogs can also acquire roundworms by licking the ground where roundworm larvae are, or by eating animals that carry worms. Puppies born with roundworms may appear weak and thin at birth. Their stomachs may look quite distended. They may also have a cough, have a dry coat and may begin to vomit. Often times the owner can see the worms in the dogs stool. Roundworms have an appearance similar to spaghetti. They are normally from one to three inches long and often appear bunched up. Roundworms can be passed to children, so it is important to have the dog treated by a vet for the infestation. Preventing roundworm infestations in puppies can begin as early as two weeks of age. Heart Worms

 

 

Heart worms

 

Often caused by an infected mosquito. Mosquito larvae is injected into a dog as the mosquito bites the dog. As the grow in the dog, they can become the size of between five and twelve inches long. A dog that has heart worms will usually have a cough and become fatigued. Dogs that live in warmer climates are especially prone to being infected with heartworm’s, so its important that these dogs be placed on a heartworm prevention programs for prevention.

 

 

Whipworms

are  shaped like a whip. They are less than an inch long and very difficult to see. Whipworms live in the dogs lower intestines, and often go undetected. Most dogs with whipworms will have symptoms that include weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting and weakness.

 

 

Hookworms

are commonly found in puppies, but can also affect older dogs too. Dogs can contract hookworms by ingesting the parasites larvae, or from their mothers before birth. Hookworms cannot be seen by the naked eye and must be looked at under a microscope. They are tiny, white and slender, with a hooked mouth. Keeping the area clean where the dog sleeps and plays is a good way to avoid a hookworm infestation. Tapeworms

 

 

Tapeworms

can be caused by a dog eating an infected animal or by fleas. Tapeworms are some of the most visible worms and appear as off white grains of rice in the dogs stool or on the coat or skin. Commonly, whole tapeworms appear also, and will look like flat, long strings of spaghetti. A flea treatment program can help defend the dog against tapeworms.

 

While there may be different varieties of dog worms, types include roundworms, heart worms, hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms. All types of dog worms are treatable, but prevention is always the best way to go.

 

Organic Natural Method 

There are many organic methods to treat worms. If you think about it, these drugs we use are less than 50 years old, so how were worms eliminated prior to these drugs being developed? The use of Diatomaceous Earth is one remedy in particular that I think works very well. I will do an article in the future just talking about the great results I had using this natural organic and very effective remedy with NO side effects.

 

If you are interested in getting notified when I write new articles, then please join my twitter or my youtube.