Having decided to get a dog, you need to prepare not only for joy, but also for constant care of the pet. Upon arrival of the puppy to a new home, it is necessary to conduct a course of vaccinations, to accustom the baby to the toilet on the street, and also remove parasites from him.
Even if the breeder claims that the puppy has no worms, one cannot believe these unconfirmed arguments. In the presence of parasites in the mother, they are always transmitted to her offspring. Therefore, do not take the breeder's word.
If the dog walks on the street, it should be anthelmintic every 4 months. But having noticed the symptoms of worms in a puppy, treatment should be carried out immediately. Therefore, each responsible owner should be able to determine the signs of the presence of parasites in the body of the animal. Only in this way can he save his health and save him from a possible fatal outcome.
Helminth infection
The pet industry has long reached a new level in the modern market for sales and services. And yet, not all owners of dogs and other pets take all the necessary preventive measures for the health of their pets. This applies to mandatory vaccinations, protection against fleas, ticks and helminths. Almost every person will poison a flea puppy, because the way they torment the animal is visible to the naked eye.
Not all hosts remember about a possible infection with parasites. But the symptoms and consequences of worms in dogs can harm the animal’s body much more than fleas. An attentive owner will be able to easily discern changes in the behavior of his pet, if you look at him. If treatment is not started in time, internal organs may suffer. To avoid this, it is necessary to be able to determine the symptoms of worms in a puppy.
Localization of parasite infection
The clinical picture of the symptoms of infection varies greatly. Much depends on the type of parasites, as well as on the duration of their presence in the dog's body. Some mistakenly believe that worms always live only in the intestines of an animal. However, there are parasites that are in the area of the lungs, brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and also in the muscles of the pet. The real state of things can be horrifying, but the fact remains - helminths harm all the internal organs of the animal and lead to death. Symptoms of worms in a puppy can grow every day, and within a month after infection, it can die.
Of course, most parasites are intestinal worms. Therefore, puppies become infected with them most often. The main place of localization is the small intestine. When the worms multiply rapidly and cease to fit in it, the spread continues in the large intestine. Worms also emit harmful toxins that destroy the intestinal microflora.
Symptoms of helminth infection
A caring owner should know how to determine if a puppy has worms. Symptoms of infection can be strong or weak. But changes in behavior are present one way or another. They appear in the following signs:
- Severe weakness, apathy, fatigue.
- The appearance of chills, tremors of the limbs, regardless of the temperature in the street or indoors.
- Vomiting, nausea of a puppy. Other manifestations of an upset gastrointestinal tract are also quite possible: diarrhea, constipation, etc.
- Infection with parasites can be determined by feces with blood clots or mucus.
- In feces it is easy to notice parts of helminths.
- Itching appears in the genital area. The puppy will try to itch on all objects in the house and the ground.
- Sometimes body temperature may rise or fall.
- Mucous discharge may appear from the eyes or nose.
- Wool ceases to shine, becomes dull, falls out. In some cases, the dog may even show gray hair.
- The puppy's breath will be sharp and putrid.
- A cough or sneeze appears, with no other signs of a cold or infection.
- The appetite of the animal is distorted. Symptoms of worms in a puppy of 2 months will be more noticeable. He can start eating too much or eating too little. At the same time, its weight will constantly decrease.
- The belly of a dog infected with worms will be hard and inflated like a ball.
The manifestation of the above symptoms will depend on the intensity of infection of the animal, as well as on the type of parasites.
Also, do not forget that intestinal and many other types of worms are transmitted to humans. When treating pets, one should not forget about all family members. Otherwise, a healthy puppy can easily be infected with worms again, but from a person.
Who is at risk
Some owners believe that small house breeds of dogs can not be infected with such parasites, as in the photo above. We will talk about the names of worms in dogs and varieties of pests a little later. Such an opinion is an extremely erroneous point of view. In fact, any animal that walks on city roads can become infected with parasites. Moreover, worm larvae can enter the house even on human shoes. This is how domestic cats become infected with them. Therefore, after acquiring a decorative dog, which spends most of its walks in a carrying bag, one does not need to think that it is protected from parasites.
Even taking pills does not give a 100% guarantee that helminths will not get into the puppy's body in the near future. Veterinarians recommend anthelmintic pets every 3-4 months. This way you can prevent the possible appearance of worms, as well as kill those who already live inside the dog. This period is explained by the life cycle of worms, consisting of 3-5 months.
However, there are also types of parasites that cannot be removed from the body of an animal with the help of drugs. In such cases, the dog is saved by surgery.
Why are worms dangerous?
Infection with them does not pose a threat to the life of a young puppy if their breeding is stopped in time. When their number becomes impressive, it somehow affects the condition of the pet. The more parasites in the body, the worse the dog’s health. This is due to the fact that the worms feed on all the beneficial elements from the gastrointestinal tract, blood, as well as vital tissues and muscles of the animal.
Above is a photo of parasites in a dog. Symptoms of the disease can occur at any time. Even after contracting the most harmless roundworms, the puppy will show vitamin deficiency, weight loss and severe poisoning.
Another danger to the life of a small pet is considered inevitable intoxication. The helminths inside the animal secrete decay products, and they multiply very quickly during the entire life cycle. By the time most worms die, intoxication of the puppy's body can reach a critical point. Decaying waste of worms is a huge amount of toxins that kill the vital activity of internal organs. Photos of parasites in a dog in the intestine or in any other organ are not attached due to their unaesthetic.
An adult dog can hold an acceptable condition for quite a long time and not succumb to the destructive effects of helminths. However, the puppy is unlikely to last even one month of constant torment. This is explained by the thinnest intestinal walls in young animals. They are not as strong and thick as in adult dogs. Therefore, when infected with parasites that multiply too quickly, the puppy's intestines may not survive and break through.
Symptoms and treatment of worms in a puppy should be determined by the owner as quickly as possible. After all, a young pet will refuse to eat, rapidly lose weight and lag behind in development, which will also increase its risks of a lethal outcome. That is why owners should be careful and attentive to their four-legged friends. If an anthelmintic animal is by all rules from puppyhood, it will not have worms.
Infection pathways
These parasites have strong viability. Differences in temperature conditions do not kill them, so they continue to multiply even in the conditions of a fierce winter. One thing before they get into the body of a living creature, they have to go a difficult way. First, their eggs ripen, and then they can wait a long time for their future carrier in grass, soil or water. Helminths are quickly transmitted from one infected animal to another. Their intermediate owners, before they enter the body of a domestic dog, are considered cattle, fleas, as well as some species of fish. That is why the puppy can become infected with worms through:
- Meat. This is the most common route of infection for both humans and animals. Eating raw or poorly processed meat is strictly prohibited.
- Intrauterine development. If the male is not anthelminthic before mating, its parasites will be transmitted to the mother of the offspring. During lactation, helminths quickly pass to small puppies. That is why it is so important to rid the puppy of them immediately after his arrival in a new home.
- Water. Worms do not live exclusively in water, because they need to eat something. Their intermediate owners in the underwater world are fish, crustaceans, snails. If the puppy has access to the local pond, he will surely swallow water in it and become infected with parasite eggs.
- Insects. Flies, mosquitoes or fleas also have the ability to transmit parasite larvae through a bite.
- Mud. All dogs love to play and frolic in nature. Especially young puppies. Once falling out of the mud, playing with the owner in bad weather, the animal is smeared with the potential habitat of helminths.
For most parasites, the dog becomes the ultimate host. However, some types of helminths can be transmitted to humans. The most common of them are roundworms. From one's own puppy, a person can become infected through saliva or hair.
Puppy infection with roundworms
This type of worm is considered the most numerous in its group among parasitic animals and humans. The appearance of these worms is round, thin and with sharp ends. The survival of parasites is due to rapid reproduction and the simplest life cycle. The worms hatch inside the animal, since there is a suitable environment for this. The number of roundworms can increase to incredible sizes.
During a severe infestation, the main symptom of the worms in the puppy will be a hard peritoneum. The stomach literally becomes a round, hard ball. Other signs of intoxication are also observed: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation. Fecal masses may contain elements of blood, white mucus, parasite residues.
Symptoms of Nematode Infection
These worms are very similar to roundworms, but have more rounded ends. Adults can grow up to 5 cm. Photos of parasites in a dog can be very frightening. Therefore, it is better for the faint of heart not to watch what the nematodes look like. Their main difference is that they multiply not only in the intestines, but also in any other organ of the animal. Infection of the whole organism occurs due to the introduction of larvae into the blood circulation. Symptoms of the presence of worms are very clear, as the process of intoxication spreads throughout the dog’s life support system. The first signs of infection will be changes in behavior such as weakness, apathy, drowsiness, and rapid weight loss. When parasites begin to develop in the internal organs, the following symptoms appear:
- Severe cough and nausea. So the worms settled not only in the gastrointestinal tract, but also in the respiratory organs and lungs.
- Yellowness Indicates a malfunction in the liver, gall bladder and ducts.
- Weight loss. This symptom is due to a metabolic failure in the puppy.
- Difficulties with coordination of movements. This symptom indicates a helminth infection of the brain area.
- Decreased vision. The mucous eye may swell and release fluid.
There are many signs of infection with nematodes. Each affected organ will exhibit characteristic symptoms of worms in the dog. A photo of painful puppies confirms the fact that parasites bring them a lot of torment. That is why you need to know everything about how to treat a pet.
Drug treatment
Noticing the puppy's signs of worms, you must immediately take the pet for examination to the veterinarian. The doctor should do a blood test, feces and urine, and then prescribe the appropriate treatment. It is impossible to give medication to a puppy without confirming the diagnosis. Therefore, if the veterinarian talks about infection with worms, without having done the necessary research, you need to find another specialist.
Anthelmintic preparations should be intended only for the treatment of animals. It is recommended to purchase them exclusively in veterinary pharmacies with a license. They can be issued in the following forms:
- Suspensions A syrup medicine is the best treatment option for a little puppy. Suspensions made from natural ingredients are good. Herbal medicine called Celandine is in good demand. Syrup is given to the puppy using a special syringe bottle.
- Tablets. If the local veterinary pharmacy has a small selection of anthelmintic drugs, a pill medicine can be found there anyway. Therefore, in the absence of syrup, you do not need to be upset and go in search of another place. Tablets have the same effective effect. Just to give their puppy will have to contrive. For example, mask a pill in a piece of his favorite treat. Of all the drugs offered, veterinarians recommend choosing Praziquantel.
- Drops. This type of anthelmintic drug is easier to use than others. It should be applied exclusively to dry puppy skin. It is necessary to drip the medicine in those places that the dog can not lick. Using them, you can cure your pet not only from worms, but also from fleas and even ticks.
Symptoms and treatment of worms in a puppy depends on the stage of infection. Most often, worms can be eliminated in 3-4 days. If the puppy became ill after taking the medicine, you need to give him a "Smect", and then immediately take it to the veterinarian.
Traditional treatment
If it is not possible to provide medical assistance to the animal as soon as possible, it is necessary to use treatment with folk remedies. Symptoms of worms in a puppy and its condition should not be critical. Folk recipes can not completely get rid of all parasites. The most popular are the following:
- Pumpkin seeds. A safe and healthy product will saturate the puppy's body with useful elements. It is necessary to give pumpkin seeds in the grinded form, mixing them in the puppy's food.
- Parsley. To get rid of the toxins that secrete helminths, you can chop a little of this greens into porridge with meat.
- Apple vinegar. You need to give it 1 teaspoon on an empty stomach.
- Garlic. The product has an antibacterial, antimicrobial effect. It is enough to crumble one small clove of garlic and mix with wet food. Symptoms and treatment of worms in dogs with folk remedies are invariably related. Home methods can only help with mild symptoms.
Despite the effectiveness of alternative methods, it is better to carry out preventive measures than a thorough treatment. If worms multiply intensely in the puppy's body, it will be impossible to stop them with folk remedies. Symptoms of worms in a puppy and his well-being should not be reduced to a serious condition of the animal.
Helminth infection prevention
First of all, you should remember that it is impossible to protect your pet from infection by 100%. But you can reduce the likelihood of infection with dangerous parasites. To do this, you must adhere to the following security measures:
- Anthelmintic animal every 3-4 months.
- Do not give the puppy raw meat or fish.
- If the dog is smeared with mud, it should be bathed with shampoo.
- Reduce contact with other animals.
You do not need to give the puppy the same medicine for worms each time. This can cause addiction and resistance of parasites to certain substances.