Vets in Bicester and Aylesbury caring for your pets

Worming your dog

What worms can dogs get?

Mostly dogs get roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms and hookworms. These live in the intestines.

Tapeworms are long, flat and segmented; whereas roundworms are 8-15 cm long and have a round body (like a piece of spaghetti). Infected dogs can have microscopic eggs in their faeces. Tapeworm segments containing eggs resemble grains of rice and can sometimes be seen moving around in the hair around your dog’s anal area.

How does my dog catch worms?

Roundworms

Can be caught by eating the faeces of another infected animal, by eating an 'intermediate host' i.e.a mouse or rat, or through the placenta and milk of the mother to her puppies. Previous infections leave some dormant immature larvae in the body tissues of the bitch which, when pregnant, migrate to the placenta and mammary glands. This means that nearly all puppies are born infected.

Tapeworms

Often caught via fleas. Flea larvae eat the tapeworm eggs in an infected dog’s faeces. When other dogs pick up the fleas and eat them during grooming they also become infected. Another tapeworm species is transmitted via rodents and is less common.

What are the signs of having worms?

Most dogs show no obvious signs. Heavy infections can partially block the intestines and cause weight loss, vomiting, anaemia and failure to thrive. Puppies may appear bloated and might have diarrhoea and/or blood in the faeces.

Human health implications

Humans can be infected with roundworm (Toxocara canis) and tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum). Toxocara is potentially dangerous in children, where ingestion of the worm eggs may result in migration of the larvae through the body. If they go to the back of the eye they can cause blindness. Although this is rare, we advise you to be particularly vigilant about worming your dog if you have young children. Even if you don't have children your dog may still go where children play.

How frequently should I worm my dog?

Frequent treatment of puppies for roundworms is very important because they are nearly always infected at birth. If a breeder has wormed the bitch daily from day 40 of pregnancy up to the birth this will reduce the worm burden on the puppies. We advise breeders to worm the puppies at two and five weeks and then again before going to a new home. It is a good idea to ask the breeder if this has been done.

We advise worming your puppy every three weeks until three months of age and then every three months thereafter. It is important to understand that all worming products kill only the worms living in the intestines on the day the treatment is given. They cannot protect the puppy from re-infection afterwards. This is why repeated regular treatment is the only way to ensure your puppy is free of worms. Always wash your hands after handling your puppy and make sure that children do too.

When your puppy first comes for a health check or a vaccination we will discuss a suitable worming timetable and product tailored to the puppy’s requirements. It is helpful to know which wormer was used previously and when.

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The Hart Veterinary Centre, Browning Drive, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 2XL