How To Know If A Dog Has Worms - Learn To Tell The Signs Of A Worm Infection

Worms can make your Dog sick, and in worse cases, such as for heartworm, are fatal. All Dogs should be on preventive medication for at least heartworms. However, there are many varieties of worms that can infect your dog. You need to learn how to know if your dog has worms as early as possible so that you can obtain proper treatment for your dog.

Some commons worms and their eggs or larvae are visible to the naked eye. For example, mature roundworms can be six or seven inches long. Tapeworm segments are about the size of a grain of rice. Thus, visible worms or eggs in fecal matter are a clear warning sign that your dog has worms. In general, a decline in health, such as weight loss or dry fur, are all possible signs that your dog has worms, since they steal your dog's nutrition and make your dog sick. Very sick dogs have also been known to vomit worms.

Because not all worms, or their eggs, are visible to the naked eye, if you cannot see any worms, you should still get confirmation by a veterinarian. Even for visible worms and eggs, if the infection is mild and the density or eggs is low, you might not find the evidence by yourself. Visiting a veterinarian will ensure that you know if your dog has worms or not.

You will need to bring a fresh sample of fecal matter to your veterinarian, who will use a microscope to search for worms and eggs. For some kinds of worms, you may require other kinds of diagnostics. For example, heartworms are often diagnosed with blood tests.

The good news is that worms are treatable. However, to keep your dog healthy and happy, you need to learn how to tell if your dog has worms. If there are any warning signs, check the fecal matter and visit a veterinarian. There are standard worm preventive medications, as well, and every dog should at least be on a heartworm preventive.

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To learn additional tips on how to tell if your dog has worms, what dogs are at risk for worms, how to treat worms, as well as how to prevent worms, visit http://www.squidoo.com/doghasworms

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