Regular worming is essential to protect your dog against internal parasites. This involves giving it preparations in liquid or tablet form. Adult dogs should be wormed at least once a year, and at least once every six months if in contact with children. Dogs showing any signs of infection should be wormed immediately and all breeding bitches should be wormed prior to mating.
Roundworms.
Several of these parasites affect dogs but the most important are the ones that belong to the Ascarid family and live in the small intestine. Other roundworms infest the large intestine, blood vessels, and respiratory tract. Ascarids feed on digesting food in the dog’s gut and are particularly harmful to puppies. They penetrate a puppy’s gut wall and pass via the blood to the liver and then to the lungs. From there they crawl up the trachea to be coughed up and swallowed, again ending up in the gut. Infected puppies may develop:
Hepatitis, pneumonia, fits, and obstruction to the gut, so regular treatment is vital.
As the puppy gets older most of the worms travel to the muscles, where they form cysts. These lie dormant until the puppy becomes pregnant. They then migrate to the puppy’s lungs, and this is why virtually every puppy is born with roundworms and must be wormed regularly.
How Roundworms Affect Humans.
These worms can infect humans, and in a very low number of cases, cause disease. Good hygiene and common sense concerning children and puppies should control the problem.
Tapeworms.
The tapeworm tickles the dog’s anus and makes the dog drag its rear end along the floor. If you see any worm segments in your dog’s feces, treat them as soon as possible.
As a dog lover myself, I treat my own pets at least twice a year. Worming tablets can be bought cheaply at your local supermarket or pet shop, so there’s no excuse for not treating your own pet on a regular basis.