Internal Parasites That Affect Dogs

There are five common internal parasites that affect dogs. They are hookworms, round worms, whip worms, tape worms, and heart worms.

Hookworms are most often found in puppies, but dogs of any age can be infected. Puppies can get hookworms from their mom's milk. It is important to keep a clean environment for your puppies and dogs. Your veterinarian can detect this parasite with a stool sample.

Round worms are also common in puppies, but dogs and children can also be infected. Round worms resemble strips of spaghetti. They can be detected in stool samples by your veterinarian.

Whip worms occur by puppies or dogs licking or sniffing ground infected with the parasite.
Whipworms live in your puppies/dogs intestine. Your veterinarian can detect this parasite with a stool sample.

Tape worms can cause your puppies/dogs to lose weight or have diarrhea. You can see tape worms in your puppies/dog's stool; they look like pieces of rice. Tape worms occur many times when your puppies/dogs are badly infected with fleas.

Heart worms infect your puppies/dogs when they are bitten by a infected mosquito (the infection is entered into their bloodstream). The heart worm matures in your dog's heart and can grow to twelve inches long. The heart worm actually clogs the heart. Your veterinarian can take a blood sample to determine if your dog is infected.