By Naomi O Connell RVN, Henry Street Vets 
10 things you need to know about worms and your pets
- Your pet may not show any signs of worms
Some people may be surprised to know that often there may be no discernible signs of worms in their pets. Dogs can be host to a large number of intestinal or lung worms without showing any direct signs of poor health. Regardless of this deceptive good health, the worms can be the cause of acute issues. The lack of obvious signs of worms in dogs is the key reason why your veterinary team will recommend regular de-worming, even when your pets appear to be in good health.
- Symptoms of worms in dogs can be varied and life threatening
A wide variety of symptoms of worms can be observed in dogs, including weight loss, voracious appetite, gastro-intestinal disturbances (for example diarrhoea or vomiting), a poor coat, or a pot-bellied appearance. Worms are generally linked to minor signs of poor health in dogs, but unfortunately there are few instances where life threatening sickness can be caused by a heavy burden of worms.
Types of worms in your pets
- Scooting is not always an sign that your dog has worms
Many people believe that when a dog scoots its rear end along the ground that the cause of this behaviour is worms. This is in fact may not be the case. Often your dog may be suffering from impacted anal glands or allergies. Worming treatments may be advised yet worms are seldom the major source of this problem.
- Puppies need to be wormed more often than adult dogs
Your veterinary team will recommend that puppies be wormed routinely as part of their care. Puppies require worming every two weeks between four weeks and twelve weeks of age, due to the fact that their undeveloped immune system can mean that a single worm dose is not enough to eliminate the worms that they have picked up directly from their mothers milk. In comparison, the average adult dog may only need to be wormed once every three months (though some dogs may require more – or less- recurrent worm treatments). If feeding ‘Raw diets’, or your cat is a hunter, then monthly worming through adulthood is recommended.
- Worming regimes can be tailored to your specific pet
As puppies require more frequent worming than adult dogs, it must be said that dogs that eat snails and slugs require more regular worming treatments than dogs that rarely venture outside. Some dog worms are more widespread in specific areas of the country, relating to weather conditions and environmental factors. An example of this is Lungworm, we have a very high lungworm prevalence in the Mid West Region.
- The dog’s surroundings should be protected against worms
In order to effectively prevent worm infestations, steps should be taken to reduce the risk of children ingesting worm eggs from the dog or cat’s environment. This is the main reason faeces should be removed from any environment that is visited by children, and why cleanliness is crucial with the purpose of reducing the possibility of worm infection. Scoop the poop!
- Use over-the-counter wormers with caution
Tapeworms in dogs can be treated with one specific product, while roundworms in dogs may need a separate tablet. Therefore the low-cost worming treatment from the pet shop or supermarket can often end up failing to effectively treat your pet’s worms. To ensure that you are getting the most effective worm treatment, it’s recommended you speak to your veterinary team who will be able to offer the right treatment for your pet’s needs.
8. If you are travelling overseas, a specific worming treatment may be required
Heartworm is common in numerous overseas locations, and particular preventive heartworm medication is vital if you are travelling to these places with your animal. Speak to your veterinary team prior to travelling to guarantee that you safeguard your dog against any exotic worms they may come across.
- Dog worms can be dangerous to humans
Toxocara canis, the dog worm can be transferred to humans. The immune system of a healthy adult can effectively handle this occurrence, however if a child were to consume worm eggs, the larvae can travel through the child’s tissues. This zoonotic (any disease of animals transmissible to people) possibility is why regular worming of family dogs is so essential.
- Fresh dog faeces does not contain harmful worm eggs
Canine worm eggs only become harmful to people when they have been incubated in the environment for a number of weeks. This time period gives the eggs time to reach the infective stage. Therefore the risk lies with dog faeces that have been left in the environment, so again you need to Scoop the Poop.
The lifecycle of the roundworm