Roundworms in Dogs - symptoms and treatment
The most frequent roundworm parasite that are most often found in cats and dogs are Ascarids. There are 2 kinds of species that mainly infect the dogs. They are Toxascaris Leonina and Toxocara Canis. They exist in the intestine and stomach of the dog and grow up to 7 inches. A female one might lay up to two lakh eggs a day. The eggs are covered by a hard shell. And these are very hardy and could exist for several months or years in the soil.
Causes of Roundworms in Dogs
There are four ways that a dog could get infected with these roundworms. The roundworms in dogs usually appear in the pre-natal infection while the larvae move from the placenta in uterus. Nearly all puppies are infected in this way prior to birth. The dog’s milk might as well transmit the disease. Besides this, the dogs and puppies get infected by swallowing the eggs in the soil. And lastly, dogs get infected by swallowing an intermediate host like the rodent or mouse. The series of Toxocara Canis in small puppies are as follows, eggs that enter through the mouth of the puppy hatch in the stomach. The worms are transmitted to the lungs by circulatory system. Here they break open through the capillaries into the sacs of air, most often resulting in gagging, coughing and bouts. Once they pass trough the lungs, the roundworms in dogs slowly move up to the windpipe and are ingested and are sent back to the intestines, the larvae or worm develops into adult worms. The adult worms pass the eggs that turn out to be very infective in soil in 3 to 4 weeks. Dogs over six months increase an acquired resistance to the roundworms. Most of these worms are found in different body tissues, where they are encysted.
Symptoms of Roundworms in Dogs
The roundworms hardly cause any symptoms in grown-up dogs; however in puppies over 2 months, they typically create only intermittent diarrhea and vomiting. Roundworms in dogs perhaps are fond in the stools passed or found in the vomits. Usually they look like strands of spaghetti or white earthworms that are moving about. In puppies a heavy infestation might result in death or severe illness. These puppies would have a pot belled appearance and have a dull coat and are stunted in growth and are anemic.
Treatment of Roundworms in Dogs
Strongoid or Nemex are best de-wormer for young puppies since it is active and safe against both hookworms and roundworms. Puppies must be de-wormed every two weeks before they begin to pass the roundworms and infect the surrounding. This treatment must be repeated every four, six and eight weeks of age. The main reason of de-worming the pups very often is to kill the larvae that are in the larval phase in the first de-worming. Successive treatments are prescribed if worms or eggs are found in the stool.
Prevention of Roundworms in Dogs
Advocate for dogs prevent and control heartworms, hookworms, ascarids whipworms as wells as hookworms. And it is very important to keep the surrounding also very clean. You must clean the gravel runs every alternate day.
