Canine Intestinal Worms

By Le Doc

Canine intestinal worms are parasites that inhabit the gastro-intestinal system of dogs and cause damage to a greater or lesser extent. This damage might be as a direct result of the intestinal worms grabbing onto the lining of the gut and intestines, or it may indirect when the worms deprive the dog of blood and nutrients.

There are a variety of canine intestinal worms that are commonly found in dogs, although this will vary with the age of the dog and the geographic location. The common ones include the roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and pinworm and they all, unfortunately, are quite different from each other.

I say unfortunately because these differences mean that we cannot lump them all together in one broad category of "canine intestinal worms" when it comes to treatment and prevention - the differences ensure that no single approach is suitable for all dog worms.

While canine intestinal worms are a threat to canine health, it is as well to remember that some of them also have zoonotic potential. That is they can also cause disease in humans, with young children being the most vulnerable simply because they tend to spend a lot of time getting dirty while playing on the ground and have not yet mastered the niceties of simple personal hygiene.

As dog's mature, their immune systems can start playing an active role in preventing a worm infection. It is therefore important that dog owners should ensure that, to the best of their ability, the dog's immune system is fully functional. This is best done by ensuring the dog eats good quality food, drinks clean water, has adequate shelter from the elements, is fully vaccinated, and gets regular exercise.

Le Doc is a Veterinarian. He has written a Free Report on some aspects of canine intestinal worms as well as a more comprehensive guide entitled The Quick(ish) Guide to Dog Worms