Pets Information

How to Protect Your Dog and Family from Roundworms


Nearly every puppy in the world is born with roundworms. This is because the roundworm's larvae are transmitted from the mother to the puppy while it is still in the womb. A female dog can harbor roundworms in her tissue, often making them immune to dewormings. The roundworms then have the opportunity to emerge during pregnancy through the mother's bloodstream and infect the unborn puppies. Roundworms can also be transmitted to newborn puppies through the mother's milk during nursing.

Roundworms are also easily transmitted to humans. Young children are most susceptible because they are always sticking their fingers in their mouths! Roundworms are transmitted to humans and dogs through eggs that are in a dog or puppy's stool. They can either be ingested through direct eating of the stool or by eating something else that has eaten the stool (the dog eats a bird, mouse, etc. that has eaten the dog's stool).

Everyone should wash their hands frequently after handling the puppy or dog and make sure that all feces is removed from the yard and disposed of on a daily basis. Most infections in people are mild and cause no symptoms at all. However there have been cases of worms migrating to the liver, brain, and eyes.

Symptoms of roundworms in humans include:

? Anemia
? Appetite Loss
? Difficulty Breathing
? Constipation
? Cough
? Cramping
? Diarrhea
? Fever
? Hives
? Itching
? Nausea
? Chest Pain
? Muscle Pain
? Passing of Worms
? Rash
? Skin Lesions
? Swelling
? Vision Disturbances
? Vomiting
? Weight Loss

Infected puppies can become quite ill and heavy infestations may lead to convulsions and even death. Most puppies that die are around the age of two to three weeks old. Puppies should be wormed at ages 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age. Adult dogs should receive yearly stool samples from their veterinarian to check for worms. Roundworms will look like spaghetti in the puppy's feces.

Symptoms of roundworms in dogs include:

? Potbelly
? Diarrhea
? Gas
? Vomiting
? Lack of Energy
? Slow Growth Rate
? Dull Coat
? Coughing (if immature roundworms have migrated to the puppy's lungs)

Some dogs may show some or all of these symptoms while others may show no symptoms at all. When adult roundworms are seen in the dog's stool this is often because of ongoing disease in the bowel or sometimes because the worm burden had become so great that the worms are crowding each other out.

Treatment of roundworms is not dangerous and is highly effective. Buy your wormers from the vet and give them regularly as instructed. The tablets are not difficult to give if you train your dog to take them in tiny bits of cheese or put them into sweets. The best way to protect your family and dogs from roundworms is through a regular program of both medication and prevention (keeping the yard clean of feces).

About the Author:
Jennifer Bryant is a life-long lover of dogs. Jennifer loves and breeds American Pit Bull Terriers in her North Georgia home with her 2 young children. Her love of dogs has inspired her to create a website for herself (as well as other dog breeders) to advertise their occasional litter of puppies and to educate others with dog breed information and useful articles.

Bryant's Red Devils
Red Nose American Pit Bull Terriers


Puppies and Dogs for Sale .com

This article may be reprinted on your website, but the content and signature of the author must remain intact.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

CBS Local

Protect Pets As Temps Soar
CBS Local
That's why the Michigan Humane Society is urging pet owners to take precautions to protect their pets from heat-related dangers that can result in heatstroke, or worse. Rule No. 1 says that while dogs are great companions and, as we all know, ...
VIDEO: Humane Society's Pet Of The WeekPatch.com
Keep your pet safeEdmonton Sun
Humane Society launches sticker campaign to keep pets safeGlobal Edmonton
MetroNews Canada -St. Albert Gazette
all 17 news articles »


Prepare for a Pet Emergency
Patch.com
We've all heard them before—horror stories about other people's pet emergencies. And yet, if you're anything like me, you probably hear these stories and still manage to find comfort in the idea that such catastrophes probably won't happen to you and ...



Pet Tales: Hospice may help an ailing, aging animal
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
But Ms. Spadafori is not your average pet owner. She has been writing about pet care and veterinary medicine for 30 years, and she had just written an article for www.vetstreet.com about a new and growing trend -- hospice care for animals.



CBS Local

Pet sitting gets boost from the web
Fall River Herald News
Instead of putting pets in kennels, Dog Vacay brings together dog lovers with casual and professional dog sitters to provide an affordable experience for pets. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) By Sue Manning The Associated Press When you travel and have to ...
Website has lodging for dogsWorcester Telegram
Doggy couch surfing? Website has lodging for dogsAtlanta Journal Constitution
Website Linking Pet Owners With Pet SittersCBS Local

all 38 news articles »


Giant to Fill Pet Prescriptions
Patch.com
Giant Food Stores have partnered with PetCareRx to fill pet medications at your local Giant pharmacy. With more than 60 percent of its grocery shoppers having at least one dog or cat in their household, Giant Food Stores announced the partnership with ...

and more »


LAist

Pets of the Week: Manny & Holly
LAist
Come check me out at the spcaLA South Bay Pet Adoption Center and see what a great girl I am. spcaLA is Los Angeles' oldest animal welfare organization. Their services include animal cruelty investigations, humane education, animal behavior & training, ...



Kansas.com

Safety tips to keep pets cool this summer
Kansas.com
By Jennifer VanderSmith Don't apply sunscreen or insect repellent not labeled specifically for use on animals to your pet. As summer approaches, consider some tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on how to keep your ...



Adopt this Pet: Callie is a Calico Cutie Looking for a Calm Home
Patch.com
Callie is one of the adoptable pets at the Seattle Humane Society featured this week on Bellevue Patch. Check this column soon to meet another featured adoptable pet. By Patch Staff Callie is a 4-year-old calico cutie who wants a person of her very own ...



Plan for pets
Palm Beach Daily News
The Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League or your veterinarian can provide information including action plans and seminars on preparing your pets for an emergency. The league's website also has a list of animal shelters and guidelines under its “Disaster ...



PetProductNews.com

How to provide for pets in case of owner's death or an emergency
Fort Worth Star Telegram
And for many local pet owners, that can mean leaving their furry loved ones behind as they head out of town for a week or maybe even a month. Try as pet owners might to plan accordingly for impending time away from their pets, they might not always ...
Pet Expo Efforts Raise $12000 for Pet Care TrustPetProductNews.com

all 2 news articles »

Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.