Remember, there are many different types of parasites: hookworms, ascarids, tapeworms, whipworms, coccidia – all of which are most commonly identified. Since some of the parasites are quite difficult to kill, while others are relatively simple, many of these over-the-counter preparations must be quite toxic to fulfill their claims of being all-purpose anthelmintics. Therefore, you may be medicating your puppy with a very potent worm medicine which could be eradicated more easily with something less dangerous to your dog’s health.

photo credit: alohateam

These medications are poisons after all, designed to kill living creatures that are inhabiting your puppy’s body, And they have the potential to kill your pet along with these parasites. Proper worming also takes into account the life cycle of the specific parasite involved and this life cycle varies for each individual pest.

In order to assure prompt, efficient eradication of internal parasites without repeated need for re-worming, anthelmintics must be administered on a schedule that coincides with their life cycles and kills, in turn, the adult worm, the larval form, and the worm eggs.

Having The Correct Tests Done

Since animals may harbor any number of different parasites simultaneously, it is important to determine exactly which of the internal parasites are present in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract. This is done by submitting a fecal sample (sample of your puppy’s bowel movement) to the veterinarian for laboratory analysis.

By microscopic examination, he can identify the eggs produced by the offending parasite and will then be able to administer specific medications, in proper amounts and at proper intervals, to rid your dog of internal pests.

Intestinal parasites are often responsible for more serious problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, severe anemia, malnutrition, central nervous system signs (ataxia, convulsions), and verminous pneumonia. Since patent medications cannot deal with these problems at all, it is vitally important to worm only under veterinary supervision.

And of course, do not make the mistake of assuming that a parasitic condition that your puppy has will magically disappear without treatment. If you see worms in and around your dog’s fecal matter, you must take him to the veterinarian as soon as possible before severe internal damage, and possibly death, may occur.

This isn’t all that surprising. Dogs have always been scavengers. They’ll eat roadkill as readily as their suppers. Old trash, pond muck, and dead sparrows on the lawn are no less appetizing. Dogs start getting hungry whenever they sniff something with a pungent smell, and dung certainly does smell.

photo credit: Vato Bob

Not all dung tastes the same, of course. Dogs seem to have different preferences. Some are attracted to the stools of deer, cows, or horses. Others will eat the stools of other dogs. And a great many dogs are attracted to cat droppings, possibly because cat foods are very high in protein and the dogs are going after undigested nutrients.

The Attention Factor

Dogs, no less than children, crave attention. And they do whatever it takes to get it, including things they know you hate. This probably explains why some dogs only eat dung when their owners are around to watch. It’s probably the equivalent of a 6-year-old saying a dirty word and then watching for his parents’ reaction. “Look at me,” the dog is saying.

Boredom has something to do with it too. Dogs entertain themselves by putting things in their mouths. When not much is happening, they often nose around the yard, picking up sticks and putting them down, even mouthing rocks on occasion. Since they aren’t offended by the smell or taste of dung, it’s just another thing for them to pick up, play with, and explore.

Dogs occasionally eat so much dung that they get sick to their stomachs. For the most part,
however, it’s not likely to make them sick – although they may get worms from eating the stools of an infected animal. Their digestive tracts are very forgiving.

The people who live with dogs, however, are less forgiving. For one thing, it’s an ugly sight that no one wants to watch. There’s also the fact that dogs who eat dung have heart-stopping bad breath. It takes some serious devotion to get past that!

Dung-Eating Tip: Veterinarians sometimes recommend adding garlic, canned pumpkin, or Accent meat tenderizer to a dung-eating dog’s food. Assuming that it’s his own dung that he’s attracted do, these ingredients may give it a taste he dislikes – although it’s hard to imagine that anything could make it taste worse than it already does. This isn’t a perfect solution, but it does work for some dogs.

Dogs can contract worms so easily, all they need to actually do is inhale the eggs and they can be infested with worms. So keeping a dog from eating poop is important for hygiene and health reasons. The short answer is yes: dogs can get worms from eating poop.

Vet Dane Walker from Streatham Hill veterinary surgery in south-west London says: “Most dog owners are unaware of the condition because it is new. Most vets including myself have not been taught about it.” So to rectify this Bayer animal health, makers of the flea treatment Advocate has launched a nationwide campaign to promote lungworm awareness. A Bayer animal health spokesman explains: “The campaign is to raise public awareness of the parasite’s existence. We are running advertisements in the national press, and we have a broadcast campaign featuring celebrity vet Emma Milne from Vets in Practice.”

And the campaign is being backed by Vets from across the UK who are also trying to make owners more aware of the condition. Dane explains: “We are making clients more aware of the condition through leaflets at the surgery and articles on our website.”

Caroline Reay Chief veterinary surgeon at the Blue Cross hospital in Merton adds that the Blue Cross are also trying to raise awareness through displays in the waiting rooms of all Blue Cross hospitals.

So clearly it’s an important issue, but what is a Lungworm? And how does your dog catch it?

There are several variations of the Lungworm parasite, and the majority are found in warmer climates, and are not found in dogs. Different types of the parasite have often been found in farm animals like cattle, and some strains can affect our cats, although this is not common, and those parasites cannot be passed to dogs.

But one parasite does affect our dogs, and it’s this one that’s causing all the concern.

The parasite cannot be passed to humans or to other pets in the house, but the spokesman for Bayer Animal health explains: “The lungworm Angiostrongylus Vasorum is a potentially lethal parasite that can infect dogs. It’s sometimes referred to as the French Heartworm, and left untreated this parasite represents a very serious risk to a dog’s health and can kill.”

He continues: “Dogs become infected with the lungworm through eating slugs and snails which carry the larvae of the parasite Angiostrongylus Vasorum. Most dogs do not habitually eat these garden intruders, they may do so by accident – e.g. when a slug or snail is sitting on a bone or a favourite toy, or when drinking from a puddle or outdoor water bowl. But some dogs do take great pleasure in eating these miniature ‘treats’, and should be considered at risk from infection.”

Animal care manager at the Mayhew animal home, a London based charity and re-homing centre, Gillian Scott adds: “Lungworm is caught via contact with animals that host the parasite. It can also typically be caught from fox faeces as well as from snail or slug slime.”

But Caroline Reay from the Blue cross adds that while it is suspected that the parasite can be caught from the molluscs’ slime this theory is, as yet unproven.

Kids are affectionate and love to cuddle and play with the family pet. This close contact could be all it takes for a parasite to move from your dog to your son or daughter.

So it’s important to make sure that your dog isn’t carrying anything that can be picked up by your children. Parasites are more common in dogs than humans due to the fact that we live fairly clean lives and cook our meat. Dogs will happily eat something from the floor or bin given half a chance. Normally this isn’t a problem, but when they come into contact with spoiled meat or the faeces of other dogs (which always causes curiosity in dogs) – the risks of parasitic infestation becomes higher.

However, by preventing parasitic infestation in your dog you are not only protecting him, but you are protecting your family too, especially your children.

How do I protect against parasites?

• By giving your dog a worming treatment, especially if he’s a puppy
• By keeping worming treatments up to date
• By being vigilant and knowing the signs of infestation
• By keeping your pet and your home clean
• By giving your dog an anti flea treatment

Protecting against parasites is a part of any responsible pet owners routine. It doesn’t cost a lot and takes hardly any time at all. Most treatments can be mixed in with a dog’s food so he’ll never know that he’s taken his medicine – and the peace of mind from preventing parasites from invading your family is invaluable.

–Buy Dog Worming Medicine & Dog Wormer –

Drontal Puppy Worming Suspension:100ml Susp

£20.14

Drontal Plus XL Dog Worming Tablet

£5.81