Pet owners will be all too aware of worms in dogs and the problems they cause. In the UK there are two types which are most common and they are roundworms and tapeworms. Roundworms are more of a problem for puppies and tapeworms for adult dogs. Here is an introduction to both.

Roundworms will normally have infested a puppy before it is even born and almost certainly shortly after birth. They are tiny and resemble short lengths of spaghetti. When they have reached maturity, which happens quickly, they live in the intestines of the dog and feed off the contents. Of course, the fact that some of the dog’s food is being consumed by a parasite, he isn’t receiving adequate nutrition. When it is possible for there to be dozens of worms present at once, it is easy to understand why undernourishment is a likely consequence of the infestation. Other possible symptoms include a dull coat, lethargy or vomiting and diarrhoea. Equally though, some infestations have no symptoms. Puppies often manifest their infestation with a distended abdomen. Serious infestations can cause a puppy’s death by intestinal blockage, so it is fair to assume that every puppy is infested and to treat them accordingly.

In the UK, tapeworms are the second common type of worms in dogs. They are long and flat and ribbon like. On reaching maturity, a segment is released and passed via the dog’s anus: it is filled with eggs. Tapeworms rely on another host animal so that they may complete their life cycle. Most commonly the intermediate animal is a flea, which ingests a worm egg and is subsequently accidentally swallowed by the dog. When it reaches maturity, the tapeworm attaches itself to the intestine wall and feeds off the dog’s blood, beginning the cycle again. This type of worms in dogs can therefore cause anaemia. Because of how a tapeworm’s life cycle works, it is just as important to treat them for fleas as it is to worm them.