As a new dog owner, finding worms in your dogs poop is one of the most frightening and worrisome things you can go through. Horrible thoughts and possibilities start racing through your mind about what must be going on inside of your dog. While worms in dog poop isn’t something you want to see, things aren’t always as bad as they seem.
Dogs are curious creatures who have a tendency of getting into things that they’re not supposed to. It’s possible that your dog found something on the street or in your backyard, ate it, and is now paying the consequences. If you’ve just taken your dog out to use the bathroom and notice worms in their stool, this article will explain everything you need to know.
- What do Worms in Dog Poop Mean?
- Symptoms of Dogs With Worms
- What Kind of Worms are Found in Dog Poop?
- Should I be Worried About Worms in Dog Poop?
- How to Get Rid of Worms in Dog Poop
What do Worms in Dog Poop Mean?
If you discover worms in your dogs poop, it means that they have some form of intestinal worms inside of them. Worms find their way into your dogs stomach in a variety of ways. It’s possible that your dogs mother had worms when your dog was born and passed it on to them. It’s also possible that your dog ate a flea or insect that had worms, ate contaminated food, or drank bad water that had parasitic worms.
Regardless of why your dog has worms, it’s important to take action that will get rid of them and have your dog feeling like themselves once more.
Symptoms of Dogs With Worms
Certain types of worms in dog poop are harder to see than others and they may go unnoticed. However, if you suspect that your dog might have worms but want to know for sure, here are some of the symptoms that typically accompany worms in dog poop.
- Your dog will seem drowsy or tired for no reason
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Your dogs stomach will hurt, causing them to lie around all day
- Dehydration
- They’ll appear disheveled and potbellied
- Weight loss
- Coughing and respiratory problems
- They won’t eat or drink like normal
Essentially, if your dog starts looking or acting in unusual ways, there’s a good chance that something’s wrong with them, and worms are a definite possibility.
What Kind of Worms are Found in Dog Poop?
There are five basic types of worms that your dog is prone to.
Hookworms
Hookworms are microscopic in size and hard to detect with the naked eye. They typically affect newborn and young puppies the most and can be deadly if they’re left untreated. Your pup can pick up hookworms from their mother’s milk, from licking dirt or something that has hookworm larvae on it. Hookworms attach to the intestines and drink a dog’s blood which can lead to anemia and blood deficiencies.
Roundworms
Roundworms are one of the most common types of worms that can affect dogs and humans. In fact, all puppies are born with roundworms in their system, which is why it’s essential to have them de-wormed soon after they’re born.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are another common type of worm that dogs and humans alike can get. Tapeworms are ingested when your dog eats a flea, insect, or something that’s infected with a tapeworm. It gets into their systems and attaches to their intestinal wall until they manage to pass it in their stool. Tapeworms are large enough to visibly see in your dogs poop.
Whipworms
Whipworms are typically found in dogs that have eaten or drank something that had whipworm eggs or larvae on them. The whipworms can live inside your dogs colon and cecum and lay eggs that survive for up to five years. The eggs are passed out of the dog in their poop, which means that if another dog eats it, they’re now infected as well.
Whipworms usually aren’t life-threatening and sometimes cause no symptoms at all. However, whipworms can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, anemia, and other uncomfortable symptoms and conditions.
Heartworms
Heartworms are the most tragic, deadly, and preventable of all the different types of worms. As the name indicates, these worms attack the heart rather than the intestines or colon. The big problem with heartworms is that they’re transferred through mosquito bites which means that all dogs are susceptible to them.
When heartworms get into your dogs bloodstream and make their way to the heart, the hunker down and start to lay eggs. Eventually, the heartworms will attack the heart and surrounding organs, leading to organ failure and death. Therefore, it’s absolutely vital that you give your dog a heartworm preventative medication to protect them. Keep in mind that heartworms won’t show up in dog poop, so it’s important that your dog gets regular vet checkups.
Should I be Worried About Worms in Dog Poop?
Regardless of what types of worms you see in your dogs poop or how normal they might be acting, you should consult a vet immediately. All types of worms that afflict dogs are treatable if you catch them early enough. If you don’t want to take them to the vet right away, at the very least you should call the vet and ask for advice.
How to Get Rid of Worms in Dog Poop
The best and most surefire way of getting rid of worms in dog poop is to take your dog to the vet. Worms are extremely common in dogs and your vet will be able to diagnose the type of worm and how to get rid of it. However, if you don’t want to go to the vet and would rather try natural remedies, here are some ideas.
- Fermented vegetables are a great natural way of killing worms in dogs and keeping your dog healthy in the process
- Pumpkin seeds or black cumin seeds have also been proven to help
- Vegetable juice mixed with garlic is good for humans and dogs
- A mixture of parsley, apple cider vinegar, and bone broth will get rid of worms when you incorporate these ingredients into your dogs food
While natural remedies are great, they often take time to work. The best and fastest way to get rid of worms in your dog is to take them to the vet and allow them to diagnose and treat the problem.
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