Dog owners should be familiar with the risks of worms in dogs; not only to themselves but to other people too. A type of internal parasite, worms in dogs can cause ill health in both humans and dogs.

Often, there are no outward signs of ill health until the worms in dogs have already caused damage. Worms in dogs are difficult to spot, but be alert for general loss of condition, sickness and diarrhoea.There are two types of worms in dogs: roundworms and tapeworms.

Roundworms

Pale white or beige in colour, roundworms look as though they are coiled like a spring and may grow up to 100mm long. They might be visible in your pet’s faeces or vomit. Roundworm larvae find their way into the dog’s body when they are ingested and adult worms then develop inside the dog’s body. When further eggs are later passed out of the dogs in faeces, the life cycle is completed.Unfortunately, the most common roundworm to affect dogs is known as the Toxocara Canis and it can affect people, particularly children. When children ingest eggs as a result of contact with contaminated soil, larvae can grow in their bodies and migrate around the body. If they reach the eyes, the larvae can potentially damage the eyesight. For this reason, dog owners must always pick up after their dog.

Tapeworms

You may be able to see evidence of tapeworms in your dog’s faeces or around his anus: they look like flat segments filled with what look like moving grains of rice but are actually eggs. Dogs become infected with tapeworms when they swallow fleas whilst grooming because fleas carry tapeworm larvae. An adult worm inside the dog can be as long as 5 metres.

With worms in dogs, as with many conditions, it is true that prevention is better than cure. It is therefore important to ensure your dog is wormed every three months. Young puppies require worming even more regularly than that.Many effective wormers are available from pet shops and veterinary surgeries at affordable prices: ask your vet for the most appropriate one.