Help! My Dog Has Worms in His Stools

By Le Doc

In might seem a bit counter intuitive, but if you can see worms in your dog's stools, then you have a major strategic advantage over the worms. How?

Well the fact that you can see them means you can have a pretty good shot at identifying the type of worm that is causing the problem. Once you have the culprit identified, it makes treatment and prevention that much easier.

The best way to identify the worm type would be to take the stool sample down to your local veterinary clinic and let them do the dirty work!

However, that might not always be a viable option, so here are a few pointers to consider that will allow you to make an educated guess as to the type of worm that is causing the problem. Remember, these are general observations only and are not guaranteed to be 100% accurate - but in general they are adequate.

1) If the dog is a puppy less than 3 months old and the worms look like cooked spaghetti, then one of the roundworms is the cause.

2) In any age dog, if the worms are flat and segmented, then you are dealing with a tapeworm.

3) A tapeworm may also present as rice like grains in the stool or around the anus, and might even be mobile if only recently emerged from the rectum!

Of course, different types of worms require different treatment and control strategies and perhaps the number one reason for the failure to overcome a worm problem is the use of inappropriate treatment and control methods - and that all stems from not properly identifying the worm species causing the problem.

So, while finding worms in your dog's stools might not be cause for wild celebration, it certainly isn't the end of the world and it gives you a headstart in identifying and then eliminating the worm problem.

Le Doc is a veterinarian. Get Le Doc's Free Report on Dog Worms and find out more about these pesky little parasites and how you can beat them!