Parasites- Roundworm and tapeworms
Internal roundworms affect dogs of all ages and it is certainly a wise precaution to maintain a regular worming regime throughout the whole kennel. We worm our dogs every 3 months, for intestinal worms and once monthly to prevent heart worm. Bitches which have not been kept sufficiently wormed during pregnancy will often pass roundworm on to the newborn puppies, through the females blood supply, and the damage that this can cause to the newborn puppies, can be quite devastating, to the extent that in some cases
the puppies will develop the condition known as ‘fading’ puppy syndrome, which actually is a term to cover many conditions.
We take the worming of breeding stock seriously and our “in whelp” bitches are wormed with a preparation available from the vet, which is administered daily, from the fourtieth day of gestation until two days after the litter is born. This regime has provided the best protection against a worm problem in puppies that we have found.
Roundworms look like small earthworms and can be very small or up to five or six inches in length. The tapeworm on the other hand tends to break off in small segments, whilst staying attached to the lining in the dog’s stomach, and they show as rice grain like deposits in the faeces or around the dogs anus. The tapeworm is not seen as commonly as the roundworm and a vet will prescribe a suitable vermifuge.
Worm all your pets regularly to prevent the spread of worms, humans can get these too!
Roundworm identification
Tapeworm identification
