Parasites, often appearing as worms, are commonly encountered by dogs. Hence, understanding how they spread and finding measures to protect your furry companion from these harmful creatures is absolutely vital!
Worms are typically transferred through the ingestion of eggs or larvae that have been deposited on soil or another animal host. The worms then enter the dog’s body through the mouth, oesophagus, stomach lining, anus, genitals (in females), rectum (in males), or eye.
Once inside a canine’s body, they will start developing and maturing until they reach sexual maturity, at which point they release eggs for new generations to hatch. If left untreated, these parasites can cause serious illness in some cases, even leading to death!
When looking at how long it takes for worms to leave a dog, it’s essential to understand the life cycle of the parasites.
Worm Life Cycle
Eggs hatch into larvae while inside the body of an animal host (dog). These larvae mature while migrating through different parts of their host’s internal organs. After developing, the larvae release eggs. The eggs are then ingested by a new animal host or through contact with contaminated soil. After ingestion, the cycle repeats itself!
Here’s a quick breakdown of how long it takes for worms to leave a dog:
Roundworms: Depending on the severity of infection and length of exposure, these can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months to leave the body.
Hookworms: These can take approximately one month to fully develop and leave an infected dog’s system.
Whipworms: This parasite needs about 2-3 months to develop and exit a canine’s body.
The best way to prevent worms is by ensuring your dog is on a monthly heartworm preventative and regularly deworming them to keep your pup safe.
Related read: How to Switch to Natural Worming Products
What are the benefits of worming a pet?
Given that pets can get worms from different sources keeping up with regular preventative treatment for a healthy pet is crucial. Most treatments only require one dose a year to be given, and although it may not sound like an enjoyable process, it is essential to do what you can to keep your pet safe from these parasites!
Read also: Be Aware if Your Dog Has Lungworm
The benefit of getting rid of parasites such as worms is that they can cause several health problems for your pet. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, ” demonstrating how effective worming your dog can be. For example, tapeworms attach themselves to the intestinal wall and feed off of your dog’s food.
Eventually, they look to leave the body and use your pet’s faeces as a way out of their system. A single tapeworm can contain up to 100,000 eggs, which hatch into microscopic larvae that contaminate soil and sandboxes.
It is essential to see that by giving your dog preventative treatment, you are protecting them from worms and other pets and people who may come into contact with the environment your pet has access to.
Health problems that can occur when an animal has worms can include:
- Reduced appetite
- Weight loss
- Anaemia due to blood loss from parasites feeding off of your dog’s blood
- Nausea and vomiting
- Digestive problems such as diarrhoea or constipation
- Intestinal obstruction due to worms blocking food from being able to pass through the intestines
There are many benefits of worming your pet, but it is essential to not forget about prevention. A single dose of treatment is easier to administer than a whole host of medical treatments. In addition, dogs do not have to be given treatment every day or week, but instead, once a year will keep them worm free for the rest of the 12 months.
Having your pets regularly wormed can help reduce these health risks and ensure that your dog is happy and healthy.
You may also try: Neem: A Natural Pest Killer
Conclusion
The benefits of worming a pet are many, but it’s important to remember that prevention is the best cure. The best way to prevent worms is by ensuring your dog is on a monthly heartworm preventative and regularly deworming them to keep your pup safe.
