Dogs & Parasites
Once a parasite lands on your dog's fur or makes its way into their body, it can put your pup's health at risk by feeding on the body's blood and nutrients. Some parasites cause serious, irreversible damage to your dog's organs.
Even healthy dogs can contract various types of parasites, like heartworms, hookworms, tapeworms, fleas, ticks, and lice. Below, we'll talk about common parasites and explain how essential parasite control is to protecting your dog's health. We'll also explain how your vet can help you prevent parasitic infections.
How Your Dog May Become Infected
It's not necessary for your dog to interact with other animals to contract a parasitic infection, since parasites can be passed from mother to child in utero. Insect bites are another potential method of transmission.
Types of Parasites Found in Dogs
Here are a few common parasites our vets see in dogs:
Heartworms
Mosquitoes spread heartworms, which take their name from their unfortunate tendency to live in the heart muscle. Heartworms can then grow, reproduce, and spread throughout a dog's body.
Often found in an infected dog's heart, lungs, and blood vessels, heartworm infections can be difficult to diagnose since signs often do not appear until the infection has advanced significantly. These worms can cause severe damage to your dog's internal organs. However, people are unlikely to become infected.
Hookworms
Hookworms can invade a puppy's body by entering the system when the puppy drinks its mother's infected milk. It can also burrow into the skin and lay eggs. These creatures sustain themselves by entering the gastrointestinal tract, tearing holes in the lining, and feeding on a dog's blood, causing ulcers.
Young puppies can easily die of hookworm infections, while adult dogs may suffer from anemia. Additionally, these vile parasites can live on humans' skin. Sandboxes are notorious for harboring hookworms and roundworms, so be very careful if you allow your dogs or children to play in them.
Roundworms
Frequently transmitted by eggs that are excreted by infected animals and subsequently swallowed by dogs and other animals, roundworms are capable of surviving for weeks without a host. A mother dog may also transmit roundworms to her young before giving birth.
Roundworms can stunt your dog's growth and leave infected dogs with a pot-bellied appearance. Additionally, roundworms can exit the body from both the mouth and anus.
Fleas
The classic pest that infests your dog's fur. They are normally an annoyance, constantly biting and causing skin irritation. They can be a disease vector for tapeworms.
Ticks
These little bugs bury their heads into the flesh of their victim. They can spread Lyme disease and can attack humans.
How to Prevent Parasites in Dogs
After realizing the numerous parasites that can affect our four-legged friends and understanding their potential impact on health, dog owners naturally ask how they can prevent their pup from becoming infected with parasites in the first place. Incorporating parasite control into your dog's routine healthcare is essential.
To protect your dog against parasites, ask your vet which parasite prevention products they recommend for your pup. When you bring your pup to our Wisconsin Dells animal hospital for their annual wellness exam, your veterinarian can give your dog any shots they may need, examine your dog for signs of parasites, and run any necessary diagnostic tests to identify parasitic infections. Our veterinarians can recommend suitable parasite control measures or products based on your location, your dog's risk factors, health status, and more.
Feel free to ask any questions or concerns about parasite prevention and control; we're here to help.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.