Left alone, or undetected, parasites can lead to complications requiring expensive veterinary treatment.

Dogs tend to be prey to many parasites, both internal and external. Parasites are creatures that survive by gaining most or all of their nourishment by living on or within another animal (the host). Intestinal worms often affect puppies soon after their birth. The other types of parasites in dogs are external, such as fleas and ticks.

Parasites can lead to many canine illnesses such as secondary skin infections and Lyme disease. Canine Leishminiasis is also caused by the sandfly, and some parasitic disease in dogs may even be contagious to humans.

External parasites include fleas, Ear mites, Cheyletiella (most commonly found on puppies), and Ticks.

There are many internal (intestinal) parasites in dogs, commonly known as worms, and they may affect your dog at any time during his life. Wormers given regularly can prevent all forms of worms.

Roundworm is fairly common in puppies, a tell tale sign of this parasite is the pot bellied puppy and puppies that are about 14 days old and pregnant bitches should be wormed routinely.

The tapeworm is a common type of worm in dogs, and is transmitted when the dog eats an infected flea. Other tapeworms may be contracted from uncooked meat, especially from sheep. Symptoms of tapeworms are very rare in dogs, and the most common symptom is dried tapeworm segments around the anus that appear like grains of rice in the hair.

Heartworm is amongst the most dangerous parasites and as early detection is difficult, the disease may be advanced by the time a dog shows signs of infection. Dogs have been found to have as many as 40 to 250 heartworms, and the severity of the disease depends on the number of worms, their location, the duration of infection, and the dogs immune response. There may be no symptoms at all, or they may have a cough, shortness of breath, fainting after exercise, tiring easily, weight loss and loss of appetite and listlessness and nervouseness. There may be anemia, jaundice, poor coat condition, swelling of the abdomen and bloody sputum and stools. Labored breathing at rest, prominent ribs, and chest bulging are signs of progressive disease, and you should always seek veterinary advice for heartworm.

Hookworms are a species found in cold climates. A dog gets infected with a hook worm by licking material that is contaminated by worm eggs. Anclystoma hookworm is found in warmer climates and contracted through mother's milk. The larvae of Anclyostoma can burrow through the skin of the dog and cause infection. Symptoms of hookworm parasites are weight loss, diarrhoea, and blood in the stools. You may also observe skin inflammation around the paws or belly. Treatment includes mother and puppies to be wormed and keeping the dogs surroundings clean to prevent infection.

Whipworm eggs can survive for years in shaded areas. Dogs are infected with whipworms by unknowingly eating the eggs. The eggs mature into tiny adult worms that can cause severe intestinal damage. Symptoms of whipworm infection include diarrhoea, stools are smelly and tarry with dark blood. The coat becomes dull, the dog loses weight, and may appear to suffer from abdominal pain, and you need to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.

More information on Lungworm

Internal Parasite Control

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