Worms in Dogs: How to Treat at Home

Worms in Dogs: How to Treat at Home

The causative agents of worm disease in dogs are parasitic worms – helminths. The adaptation of these intestinal parasites to living at the expense of others is impressive throughout their existence. Even in the 21st century, their presence in an animal's body often goes unnoticed.

The slow poisoning of a dog by the waste products of helminths causes irreparable harm to the animal's health. In addition to injuring the intestinal mucosa, the gastrointestinal tract, liver, lungs, and even the heart are affected. By piercing the vascular walls and mucous membranes, the activity of worms leads to the formation of microscopic wounds, which can cause anemia in the animal. Small injuries create a breeding ground for infectious processes, as tiny wounds become gateways for the unhindered penetration of microorganisms.

The signs and symptoms of worm infestation are initially not so pronounced that owners risk missing the moment when successful treatment of worms at home is still possible.

How to Determine if Your Dog Has Worms

You can first learn about the presence of worms in your dog's body by observing its appearance. The fact is that due to helminths, the pet does not receive enough vitamins, as parasitic worms take away part of the beneficial substances from the dog's body. This is how they survive. As a result, your four-legged friend, having an acute deficiency of vitamins and nutrients in the body, ends up with a disrupted metabolism.

Even a seemingly healthy dog may have helminths in its body. Therefore, do not postpone a preventive visit to the veterinarian for tests to check for worms.

You can understand if your pet has worms by certain symptoms characteristic of parasitic infections:

• General exhaustion of the dog, although this sign may not be pronounced. However, you should be alerted by the animal's depression, lethargy, drowsiness, and unwillingness to play.
• The dog's coat becomes dull and disheveled. It no longer feels smooth to the touch. Dandruff may appear.
• Skin diseases develop, various dermatitis, which can easily be confused with manifestations of allergic reactions.
• The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted. The dog stops eating or starts eating a lot, yet does not gain weight, but rather loses it.
• Both constipation and diarrhea are possible. Moreover, in the feces, you can find worm larvae or even adult parasites.
• The mucous membranes become pale.
• The pet scoots on its bottom (drags itself), as the anal area causes incredible itching.

What Do the Parasites Look Like?

If you find helminths in your dog's feces, you can visually determine the type of worms:

• Thin strings or hairs in the feces of animals are hookworms or whipworms. They are quite difficult to see, but if there are many, you will see a bundle of thin hairs, each ranging from half to two centimeters.
• A parasite that looks like boiled noodles is a roundworm. The length of this type of helminth ranges from 8 to 10 cm.

However, there are cases when a round parasite reaches 20 cm. The cross-section of the worm is round, and the surface of its body is smooth.

• A helminth whose body seems to be divided into segments is a tapeworm. Most often, you can see only a few segments of the parasite in the feces or vomit, as the total length of the worm averages from 50 cm to 2.5 m.

Types of Worms

Parasites that live at the expense of others are divided into the following types:

• Nematodes (roundworms PHOTO);

• Cestodes (tapeworms, flatworms PHOTO);

• Trematodes (flukes).

The habitat of helminths determines the symptoms and diseases in dogs. If we rely on this more convenient classification of helminths, then parasites can be:

• Intestinal. The most common are intestinal worms. A dog can become infected with them anywhere outdoors. Eggs enter the gastrointestinal tract of the animal when the dog picks something up during a walk. Larvae develop from the eggs, then adult parasites, which block the dog's intestines. This can lead to intestinal rupture.
• Hepatic. Infection with liver worms mainly occurs when raw fish is included in the dog's diet. However, it is also possible for liver fluke eggs to enter the dog's body while swimming in water bodies. In addition to changes in the normal functioning of the liver, infection with liver flukes disrupts the functioning of the pancreas and gallbladder.
• Pulmonary. The pulmonary group of helminths continues its life cycle in the dog's body only if the dog has swallowed a snail. The fact is that these small parasites (metastrongyles) have chosen terrestrial mollusks for their habitation. Therefore, this type of parasite is quite rare in dogs.
• Cardiac. Parasites in the heart cause dogs a dangerous disease – dirofilariasis. The disease leads to the death of the animal if the worms in the heart block the blood vessels. Cardiac worms enter the dog's heart through blood that is infected with helminths. They end up in the blood due to mosquito vectors that inject parasite larvae into the dog's bloodstream.

Signs of Worms in Puppies

The symptoms of worm infection in puppies are similar to those in adult animals. Additionally, in small dogs:

• There is a delay in growth and development.
• The belly produces constant rumbling, and the abdomen looks bloated.
• The gait becomes unsteady and wobbly.

Treating worms in puppies often requires a comprehensive approach to the dog's health, as the risk of contracting other infectious diseases increases with helminth infection.

How to Quickly Get Rid of Worms at Home

You can remove parasites from your dog's body both at a veterinary clinic and at home. For this, it is necessary to carry out deworming, which is a special procedure that destroys not only adult parasites but also their larvae and eggs.

You can treat worms in dogs with both antihelminthic medications and folk remedies. But the main thing is to choose the right method to eliminate helminths. This depends on the type of parasites living in your pet's body.

If you can visually determine the type of helminths, it will not be difficult for you to choose a medication. However, if identifying the type of parasites is challenging for you, it is better to consult a veterinarian. The specialist will select medications based on laboratory tests to determine the type of worm.

Getting Rid of Worms with Folk Remedies

Removing helminths from a dog independently at home can be quite successful if you turn to alternative medicine, specifically using folk methods. However, we must note that these methods are effective only for eliminating helminths residing in the pet's intestines.

So, to get rid of worms, you can use:

• Wormwood. For three days (but no more, as wormwood contains essential oils that can harm the animal's body in large quantities), you need to give the dog ¼ teaspoon of dried wormwood. Dog owners who have used wormwood to treat dogs for worms recommend adding the herb to the pet's food.
• Garlic is not suitable. It is often recommended as a folk remedy for roundworms, but garlic, like onion, is toxic to dogs: it destroys red blood cells, and a toy weighing 2–3 kg can be poisoned even by a small amount. The dewormer and its dose should be chosen by a vet.
• Carrots. This root vegetable acts as a sort of "expeller" for worms from the dog's intestines. Finely chopped or coarsely grated carrots, when entering the intestines, literally scrape all parasites off its walls. Then they are expelled along with the feces.
• Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds effectively expel not only roundworms but also tapeworms from the dog's body. And if you add the high content of beneficial substances (fiber, iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, potassium, calcium, folic acid, and amino acids) to the advantages of pumpkin seeds, you will understand that this remedy should be included in the dog's diet daily.
• Apple cider vinegar. Natural apple cider vinegar is given to the dog by the teaspoon daily in between main feedings.
• Parsley. Chopped greens are boiled for about three minutes, strained, and frozen in ice cube trays. One parsley root is added to each feeding. You can, of course, try adding fresh chopped greens to your pet's food, and if your pet eats it, that's great. However, most dogs turn up their noses at the strong smell of parsley, so we suggest the freezing option.
• Cloves. The spice is given to the dog either in ground form or as whole buds. See how your pet reacts; if it eats food seasoned with ground cloves, that's excellent. If not, give a whole bud. The spice is given to the animal for a week, then a week-long break is taken, and this alternation continues for two months.
• Tansy. A decoction is prepared from the herb – twenty grams of tansy (flowers and leaves) are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 8-10 hours. Give the dog the infusion before each meal by the tablespoon.

Antihelminthic Medications

Carrying out deworming with antihelminthic medications is effective when following clear instructions and choosing the appropriate remedy.

The best remedy for worms is considered to be a medication that contains several active components that affect several forms of helminthiasis at once. Thus, additional prevention of helminths is also carried out.

Among good antihelminthic medications, dog owners and veterinarians can find them in the form of drops, suspensions, and tablets.

We offer you a list of the best antihelminthic medications in the form of:

• Worm tablets. Drontal Plus, Azinox, Milbemax. The tablet form of the medication is convenient to add to the dog's food, and the dog won't even notice the presence of the medication. These medications are good in that, with rare exceptions, they do not cause side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, or weakness. Helminths are expelled along with the feces literally by the second day of using these medications.
• Drops on the withers. Effective drops like Advocate deal with nematodes. However, they are powerless against other types of helminths.
• Sugar cubes, such as Poliverkan. The dog eats them both in their pure form and dissolved in water. They are not suitable for getting rid of tapeworms and often cause side effects such as diarrhea.
• Suspensions. Suspensions should be given to dogs very cautiously, as they are contraindicated for animals with impaired liver and kidney functions. For healthy animals, buy the suspension Procox or others that contain pyrantel.

It is worth separately mentioning the medications that should be given to puppies and toy breeds, such as the Russian Toy Terrier. For small breeds and puppies, use Drontal Junior, Praziquantel, or Gelmintal.

Antihelminthic medications should be given to dogs not only when they are infected but also for prevention once a quarter. It is also essential to give deworming medications to dogs before vaccination two weeks before the start of vaccination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my dog has worms?

Pay attention to symptoms: lethargy, weight loss, dull coat, and digestive problems may indicate the presence of helminths.

Can I treat worms in my dog at home?

Yes, there are medications for treating worms that can be used at home, but be sure to consult a veterinarian before starting treatment.

How often should I check my dog for worms?

It is recommended to conduct preventive checks and tests at least once a year, especially if your dog spends time outdoors or interacts with other animals.

What should I do if I find worms in my dog's feces?

Immediately consult a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment, as the presence of helminths can negatively affect your pet's health.

What symptoms may indicate a worm infection?

Symptoms may include lethargy, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, as well as itching in the anal area.