Roundworms in a Puppy

Puppies often get roundworms from their mothers through pregnancy or nursing.

Although roundworms can infect dogs of any age, puppies are more susceptible, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council. Knowing how to recognize the symptoms of roundworm infestation and how to treat a puppy with roundworms are necessities for any owner. Roundworms are very treatable, but they can have devastating consequences if left untreated.

Types

Two species of roundworm are able to infect dogs and puppies, according to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center in Los Angeles. These are toxocara canis and toxascaris leonina. Both species require the same treatment in dogs, so it's not always necessary to know the type that a puppy or dog has. However, the type of roundworm is determinable through a fecal flotation test.

Spread

There are four main ways a puppy or dog could contract roundworms, according to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center. Toxocara canis infects most puppies during embryonic development when the mother dog is infected. Puppies also can get roundworms by nursing from an infected mother. Both puppies and older dogs can pick up either type of roundworm from eating infected animals or infected soil.

Identification

Roundworms are long, spaghettilike parasites that can reach up to 8 inches long, according to the Dog Breed Info Center. They live in the puppy's intestine and shed eggs constantly. Symptoms to watch for in infected puppies include bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite or extreme appetite, and coughing.

Prevention/Solution

Monthly heartworm preventative medications prescribed by vets often also protect against roundworms, according to veterinarian Holly Nash at PetEducation.com. Because roundworm larvae can live in soil for months or even years, discouraging puppies from eating soil helps reduce the risk of infection. Keeping the puppy's living area clean also helps, as does picking up feces regularly, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council.

Treatment

Roundworm treatment for puppies consists of regular deworming, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council. Treatments at the ages of 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks help rid puppies of roundworms. If the puppies caught the parasites from their mother, she should receive treatment at the same time as the puppies. After eight weeks the puppies can have monthly preventative treatments.

Warning

Toxocara canis roundworms can be dangerous to humans, and especially children, according to Nash. Because the worms exist to infect dogs, they cannot complete their life cycles inside a human host. The worms often try to migrate out of the body, and they die on the way. Toxicara canis roundworms tend to migrate through the human eye, dying while there. This can lead to blindness.

References

• Companion Animal Parasite Council: Roundworms in Dogs
• Dog Breed Info Center: Worms
• Holly Nash, DVM, MS: Roundworms
• Mar Vista Animal Medical Center: Roundworms in Dogs and Puppies