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Worms in dogs are a frequent problem for UK pets and their owners. They can cause distressing, ill-health to our dogs and may come back at any time, even after treatment. Across the entire world there are many types of parasites which are grouped under the term ‘worms in dogs’ but in the UK we deal primarily with just two. These are the tapeworm and the roundworm.

Roundworms are most problematic worms in dogs because they are passed from animal to animal and most puppies are even born with an infestation. Roundworms look rather like short lengths of spaghetti. Fully mature worms live in the dog’s intestines and feed off its contents. This results in your dog’s dinner being shared as worms feed on its partially digested food. The amount of worms present depends on whether the infestation is very severe or not, but it is possible that dozens of worms could be present at any one time. Of course, it follows that a dogs which is being forced to share its food with large numbers of parasites will become malnourished. Where infestations are particularly severe, the dog will have a dull coat and appear to be lacking in energy. The dog may also suffer with diarrhoea and vomiting. Puppies with roundworms typically have a swollen abdomen and delayed growth. If a puppy with roundworm is left without treatment he or she could die from intestinal blockage. It is also important to bear in mind that sometimes there will be no symptoms of worms in dogs. Regular worming treatment is therefore very important.

In adult dogs, some worm larvae can migrate around the body, settling in muscles and forming cysts. Even worming treatment cannot eliminate the larvae when it has formed a cyst in a muscle. The larvae can remain inactive in the dog’s body until they reawaken during a time of stress. Typically, they will become active in pregnancy and infect the foetuses. This means it is very important to worm all puppies.

Not only are dogs affected, but worms in dogs can cause problems for people too. Children are particularly vulnerable because they are more likely to come into contact with worm eggs in contaminated soil or sand whilst playing. The worm larvae can migrate though the human body and can lead to permanent damage to the eye sight if they settle at the back of the retina. Regular worms in dogs treatment therefore protects the whole family and not just our pets.

The term ‘worms in dogs’ is used to describe many different internal parasites which can infect our pets. Owners can buy treatments for worms in dogs from pet shops and veterinary practices and should use them regularly. Worming is a vital part of responsible dog care.
There are two common types of worms in dogs in the UK. These are roundworms and tapeworms. Unfortunately, roundworms are very hard to avoid as many puppies are infected at birth. It is therefore important to worm pets, especially puppies, regularly.

Whilst roundworms will not show symptoms in some dogs, they can have much more serious consequences than other worms in dogs. The adult roundworm lives in the intestines of the dog, feeding on the intestines’ contents. This effectively means that the roundworms eat your dog’s food! In severe cases, there can be several roundworms inside one dog. This explains why dogs with severe infestations are malnourished, have dull coats and lack energy.

Inside adult dogs, roundworms may remain dormant in cysts inside the muscles. They then awaken in times of stress. Often, pregnancy reawakens the larvae and they migrate around the body and infect the unborn puppies. Treatment for worms in dogs administered to the pregnant bitch cannot rid the unborn puppies of their worms. This is why worms in dogs are such a big problem to new born puppies.

Soil becomes contaminated with eggs when they are released with a dog’s faeces. Then toehr dogs pick up the eggs from the soil. However, the most common roundworm in the UK, the Toxocara Canis can also infect children when they touch contaminated soil or sand pits. The larvae can migrate through the child’s body, potentially causing permanent eye damage if they end up behind the retina. Regular treatment for worms in dogs is therefore vital for responsible dog ownership.

Although they do not usually pose serious problems, worms in dogs always seem to be an issue, especially for puppies. This is because of the way their lifecycle works. The threat of worms in dogs to canine and human health means that owners have a responsibility to intervene in the worm cycle and try to stop infestation.

The roundworm is the most common type of dog worm we see in the UK because most puppies are born infected. In puppies this infestation causes swollen bellies and may delay growth whilst in humans it may rarely cause blindness.

Like all types of worms in dogs, the life cycle of the dog roundworm (the Toxocara Canis) is not complex and can be controlled with care and patience. At the beginning of the cycle, a female puppy is infected by her mother, either before birth via the placenta or afterwards via her milk. In the infected puppy, some of the worm larvae will move out of the intestine and into the blood before forming indestructible cysts in the muscles. In the event of pregnancy in later life, the larvae will be reactivated and will move through the blood to infect the puppies.

In young puppies, not all the worm larvae will form the cysts mentioned above. Rather, some will stay in the intestine and become adults. Once mature, after feeding on the partly digested food in the intestine, the adult worm releases eggs which are passed from the dog with the faeces. In the open air, the eggs are infectious to other dogs and even people. For people it is the touching of contaminated soil rather than the handling of puppies which poses an infection risk.

That is the cycle and in order to interrupt it, dog owners should give worming treatment to adult dogs every three months. Puppies, being much more likely to be infested should be wormed every fortnight from the age of two weeks to twelve months, then monthly until the age of six months. Worms in dogs do pose a danger to public health, so even though the risk is relatively small, picking up after dogs and promoting hand hygiene in the whole family is vital to break the cycle and reduce risk.