Roundworms in Dogs

Roundworms in dogs are the most common parasite of the digestive tract in dogs. Roundworms can affect not only dogs but people, especially young children. Therefore, it is essential that we learn more about this intestinal parasite. This page looks at how a dog can be infected by roundworms; the symptoms and conventional treatment; as well as some natural remedies that are effective in getting rid of canine roundworms.

Roundworms, often called "ascarids", or "spool worms", are thick-bodied, whitish-to-cream-colored worms that can live in the intestines of dogs (and cats).

Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasite that affect dogs and puppies (and cats and kittens). In fact, it has been found that about 95% of newborn puppies are born with roundworms! Roundworms may be contracted in different ways, making them easy to spread and hard to control.

Roundworms can cause health problems not only to puppies and dogs, but also to humans, especially to young children who tend to put their hands in their mouth, thus having a higher chance of ingesting the larvae of roundworms after picking them up off the ground or off the puppy's body. Once inside the child's body, the larvae can migrate to different organs. In most cases, they will be killed in the tracts and do not cause any damage to the child. However, rarely they migrate or die in nerve tissues or sensitive tissues such as the back of the retina or the cornea, causing catastrophic damage. For example, if they migrate to the retina or cornea, they may create a blind spot in the eye.

In view of the potential damage caused to our children (both two- and four-legged), It is therefore important to learn more about this parasite.

Roundworms in Dogs - How Do Dogs Get Infected?

Dogs can get infected with roundworms in a number of ways:

Ingestion of Roundworm Eggs
After the eggs are ingested by a dog, they hatch and the larvae enter the wall of the small intestine. They then migrate through the circulatory system and either go to the respiratory system or other organs or tissues in the dog's body. If they enter body tissues, they can encyst and can remain encysted happily for years. Usually, they encyst in the dog's liver. This is the migration most commonly seen in older dogs.
In very young puppies, the larvae move to the respiratory system. They are coughed up and are then swallowed back into the digestive system. The larvae then mature into adults. The adult worms lay eggs which pass out of the dog in the feces.

In-utero Transmission
The encysted larvae of roundworms can migrate to and live in a pregnant dog's uterus and infect the unborn puppy through the placenta. The larvae then enter the lungs of the fetal pup. When the puppy is born, it will cough up the larvae which are re-swallowed back into the puppy's digestive system and they will mature in the puppy's intestine.

Transmission while Nursing
The larvae of roundworms can also migrate to the mammary gland of a mother dog and puppies can be infected by drinking the mother's milk. The swallowed larvae mature in the pup's intestine. If the larvae are passed out in the pup's feces before they can mature, they can re-infect the mother when she licks her pup!

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Symptoms of Roundworms in Dogs

The symptoms of roundworms in dogs depend on the age of the dog affected, the stage of maturity that the worms are in, and their location in the dog's body.

Usually, the younger the puppy, the more serious symptoms it will show. Some adult older dogs can develop a resistance to the worms and may not show any symptoms.

If adult worms are in a dog's intestines, the dog will show the following symptoms:

Stomach pain
A bloated stomach
Weight loss
Dull hair coat
Diarrhea
Vomiting (Sometimes the worms might be seen within the vomitus or stool)

In more serious cases, roundworms in dogs can cause anemia, ruptured bowels or intestinal obstructions.

Due to the migration of the larvae of roundworms through a dog's respiratory system, the infected dog will show the following symptoms:

Coughing
Breathing difficulties
Pneumonia (in serious cases)

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Diagnosis of Roundworms in Dogs

Source: http://www.bhvet.com.au/petcare/dogworm.php

Roundworms in dogs are diagnosed by using a microscope to look for eggs in a stool sample.

Sometimes adult worms may be seen in the feces or vomitus. The worms are round on cross-section and look a bit like spaghetti.

Since many puppies are infected with roundworms, fecal testing for worm eggs is a must for puppies, and it is also a good idea for adult dogs having their annual check up.

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Conventional Treatment for Roundworms in Dogs

Conventional treatment involves the use of deworming products to kill adult roundworms. These deworming products, however, only kill the adult worms - they do not affect the migrating or encysted larvae. Therefore, repeated deworming is necessary.

However, these deworming products contain toxic chemicals that can cause adverse effects on the growing puppies, such as poor growth, diarrhea, and appetite loss.

Therefore, before using these products, consult with a vet and get a thorough examination to see if the affected puppy actually has a serious worm problem. If your puppy has a very serious infestation, then by all means use the conventional deworming treatment under the supervision of a veterinarian.

However, if a puppy's worm problem is not particularly serious, a healthy diet enriched with Vitamin A and other natural remedies as described below may be sufficient to get rid of the roundworms.

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Natural Remedies for Roundworms in Dogs

If your puppy is not serious infested with roundworms, you may want to first try the following natural remedies because they are safer and more gentle on the pup's body. Try the following remedies for at least 3 weeks. If the worms are still there, then consider the conventional deworming treatment.

Homeopathy for Roundworms in Dogs

The homeopathic remedy Cina is effective in preventing and getting rid of roundworms.

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This homeopathic formula contains Cina which is indicated for treating roundworms and Granatum Vermifuge which is effective for removal of tapeworms. Included in this formula are also other ingredients such as Nux Vomica and Arsenicum Album which are great for alleviating dog worm symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.

Garlic

Garlic, preferably together with fennel, can be fed to your dog to encourage expulsion of intestinal parasites. Depending on the size of your pup, mix half to 2 cloves of fresh chopped or grated garlic to her food.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

DE is actually the fossilized remains of some prehistoric planktons. The fine particles in the earth cut through the exoskeletons of insects (such as worms, fleas, mites, etc.) resulting in dehydration and the insects will usually die in a few hours. DE is natural and is totally safe for internal use for pets. Make sure, however, that you use the natural unrefined type (available at herbal suppliers, natural food stores and sometimes pet stores) and add up to 1 teaspoon of diatomaceous earth to each meal.

Oat Bran

Add up to 2 teaspoons of oat bran to each meal. The idea is to let the roughage carry out the worms. Grated raw carrots or turnips can also be fed in the same manner.

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Health Care for Dogs with Worms

A dog with worm infestations is very often weak due to malnutrition (the worms rob the dog of a lot of essential nutrients) and/or anemia.

It is therefore important to replenish the supply of essential nutrients to strengthen up the dog's immunity.

Diet

While your dog is being treated for worms, it is essential to feed him foods that are nutritious. A diet high in protein and fat is desirable (e.g. 40% of the diet should come from meat or eggs). Add fish oil to the dog's food for fat supply.

Improve Digestion

Even if you feed your dog nutritious foods, he cannot get all the nutrients he needs if the foods are not fully digested. To ensure that he can properly digest the foods and absorb the nutrients, feed him supplements of digestive enzymes and probiotics.

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