Parasites that live inside the small intestine of a dog, canine roundworms are feeding on tissue and bodily fluids. Their size can get up to 6 inches in length, which makes them look like long strings of spaghetti. If a puppy gets them, they can threaten his life. This parasite can also be given to people. In most cases, dogs will have one of two species of roundworms: hookworms or ascarids. These two types of roundworms are responsible for 80% of all infections. Transmission In most cases, dogs will get a roundworm infection from their own mother. Puppies can get the worms even before they are born if their mother has them. The larvae of the roundworms can get to the mammary glands so that’s another way to get a puppy infected with the mother’s milk. Symptoms When they’re in big numbers, roundworms can become fatal to a puppy. If the dog is mature, the problems are not as difficult in most cases. If there are too many worms, the mature dog can still experience weight loss, lethargy or a pot belly. In other cases, a dog can vomit or experience diarrhea. Problems with the respiratory system and the lungs are also possible if the worms get there. Coughing, difficulty breathing and nasal discharge are other symptoms of the worms getting to the lungs. The end result can even be pneumonia. If the situation is very bad, an intestinal blockage is possible and that would could mean the death of the dog. Diagnosis Every dog gets roundworms at some point during their life. A lot of people make the mistake and think that they will permanently solve this issue with a simple deworming pill. They will leave eggs behind, so a vet will try to find out if their stool is infected. In order to get to a conclusion, they might have to look at a large number of stools. In some cases, you will see mature worms in the stool or vomit of the dog. Treatment The canine roundworms have a complet lifecycle, but that’s what helps them to survive, even though there are so many efforts to make them extinct. If canine roundworms infect your dog, you should place them on a medication. In some cases, the medicine will allow the worms to be passed out by anesthetizing them. In other cases, the roundworms will be killed by the medicine.
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