My dog has worms. How did she get them and what are the causes?

There are many different types of worms, or intestinal parasites, that can infect dogs. Common worms include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms. Other intestinal parasites, such as Giardia and coccidia, can also infect dogs. These parasites are acquired by dogs in a variety of different manners, such as ingesting another animal’s infected feces, through their paw pads, ingesting tapeworm-infested fleas or rodents, or through their mother’s placenta or milk. While some worms may be visible in a dog’s stool, most worms are only identified through their eggs on a microscopic fecal flotation test. If you are concerned that your dog has worms, it would be best to have a fecal sample evaluated by your veterinarian so that proper treatment can be started. Not every deworming medication treats every intestinal parasite, so it is important to follow your veterinarian’s directions. Heartworm disease, however, is best prevented with prescription preventive medications. Despite being a “worm,” the disease process, prevention and treatment of heartworms is very different from intestinal parasites.

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