Dog Parasite Symptoms

How do you know if your dog has parasite? Several researches have identified five kinds of dog worms – heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. As a dog owner, it is important that you educate yourself of dog parasite symptoms to ensure the continued health of your beloved pet. Early worm detection is important because every type of parasite has a different form of treatment.

Two of the dog parasite mentioned above – roundworms and hookworms – is zoonic, meaning these can be transferred to humans. This risk makes it even more important for a dog owner to determine if your dog has a parasite. In most cases, parasite infestation may not have any evident symptoms but there are also times that your dog can get really sick. Sometimes your dog may experience vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and in severe cases, you will need to seek medical attention for your dog. The easiest way you can determine if you dog has a parasite is by asking your vet to perform a stool test every year. Other tell tale signs that your dog has parasite includes the following: dull coat, weight loss, appetite loss, pot bellied appearance, coughing, low energy level, diarrhea, and vomiting.



If your dog has tapeworms, sometimes broken pieces of the worm can already be seen around your dog’s anus and even in his bed. Aside from the symptoms mentioned above, your dog might also experience abdominal pain, nervousness, and severe itching around the anus.

Whipworms live in the intestinal walls and can cause intestinal bleeding. Its symptoms include anemia, weight loss, flatulence, lack of energy, and diarrhea with blood or mucus in the stool. Typical signs of heartworms are coughing, lack of energy, dull coat and a pot belly. Unfortunately, heartworms usually have no symptoms until it has progressed to an advanced stage.

Now that you have basic knowledge about dog parasite, it is best to observe your dog for the symptoms mentioned above. If you detect any problem, contact a medical professional immediately before your pet gets sick.