Dog AreaDog Lovers Resources & Pet Care Tips

In the UK our dogs are very commonly affected by one particular type of worms in dogs: roundworms. This is owing to their lifecycle which is incredibly hard to break. Effectively, their lifecycle guarantees that puppies will have worms when they are born or shortly after. Treatment for this type of worms in dogs cannot be neglected because it is so prevalent and potentially harmful to humans.

Roundworms can be caught by unborn puppies in the womb or passed from mother to puppy via milk. Also, dogs can pick up this sort of worms from contaminated faeces. The larvae of this type of worms in dogs have the ability to migrate through the body’s internal organs, are coughed up and swallowed, allowing them access to the digestive system which becomes their home as they mature. The mature worms will then feed on the part digested contents of the intestines, later releasing further eggs, passed with the dog’s waste. Other larvae migrate into various tissues of the body where they lie dormant but still viable. Later, when the dog becomes pregnant they will become active and infect her puppies. In this state, worming treatment cannot eliminate them. This makes it almost impossible to prevent round worms in dogs.

Puppies suffer the worst symptoms of this infestation: vomiting and diarrhoea are common, as is lethargy and stunted growth. A classic symptom in puppies is a swollen stomach. In serious cases roundworms will kill a puppy by entirely blocking its intestine.

There is no available treatment which can kill worm larvae and so puppies need frequent treatment to remove any infection. In the environment, worm eggs can remain viable for up to two years so even adult dogs could pick up this parasite at any time.

This type of worms in dogs is even more concerning because of the risk it poses to human health. In humans, worm larvae can cause irreparable damage to internal organs and may even cause a loss of sight. It is children who are most at risk of picking up worm eggs from contaminated soil or sand because of their propensity to put dirty fingers in their mouth.