What is the Dog Worms Treatment?

A sick dog is never himself, especially if he has worms. You will find that he will be restless and generally unhappy. Look for the dog behavior and signs of change in appetite or diarrhea in your pet dog and you'll find that it might be the case of worms that is causing all these symptoms. And therefore it becomes essential to know how to get rid of dog worms! If you care for your pet and really want to see that dog being his frisky, lively self again, then you should read this article on 'How to treat dog worms', and take some pointers on this dog illness treatment. 

Symptoms of Dog Worms

Before we get into the aspect of how to treat dog worms, let us first understand how you will be able to identify that your dog has worms. These are some of the symptoms, identifying which will help you to carry out the treatment for dog worms.

• Weight loss
• Bloated stomach
• Lethargy
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss or sudden gain in appetite.
• Coughing accompanied by hiccups
• Dull coat
• Blood in feces
• Avoiding exercising and running about.

There are several worms like tapeworm, roundworm, whipworms, hookworms and others which can affect a dog. Of these, the tapeworm and roundworm are the most common worms in dogs.

How to Treat Dog Worms

Here are some steps on how to treat dog worms. When you find any of the dog worms symptoms in your pet, make sure that you contact a vet. Collect a sample of the stools of the dog and take it along to the vet so that he can decide how far along the infection has spread and what kind of a worm has infected the dog. If the infection is really severe then his stools will have worms in it. After the vet determines what the cause is, you can then go about administering the proper treatment. The doctor will then start a medication course that needs to be followed till the dog is completely rid of the canine worms infestation.

Here are some home remedies that you can start off with for your pet.

• Grind pumpkin seeds and add about 10-15 lbs of it in the dog food for two weeks everyday. Now replace that with wheat bran which has been soaked in water.
• Grind parsley in ¼ cup of water and cook for 3 minutes. Strain this and freeze. Add 1 tsp everyday.
• Use a capsule of cayenne pepper in the food everyday. This will take effective care of the dog's health problems.
• Grind seeds of any citrus fruit like grapefruit, oranges, limes etc. and add to the food.
• Give one capsule of walnut hull to your dog everyday.
• Give your dog 1-2 garlic cloves everyday. This will help to naturally clear out all the worms and help to increase the immunity of your dog.
• Clove pods will help to get rid of all the worms because of its anti-parasitic qualities.
• Feed your dog fennel and wormwood for quick relief and to easily expunge the work infestation.

How to Prevent Dog Worms

Even though it has become fairly easy to treat worm infestation in dogs, it is always better to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some steps that you should keep in mind for preventing an infestation of worms in dogs.

• If it's a new puppy that you've brought home, make sure that it is de-wormed as soon as possible.
• Make sure that whichever other dogs are in the house are all de-wormed at the same time. It is not effective when one dog is de-wormed and the others are not.
• De-worm the pup once every 15 days before the symptoms of dog worms set in. For an adult dog the twice every year norm should be followed.
• Check for their stools from time to time.
• Get rid of any rodent infestation as these are carriers of the worms.
• Pick up your dog's stools when he defecates at a public place.
• Try to avoid places like parks where other dogs have defecated. This is the fastest way a dog can catch worms.
• Make sure to maintain your dog's health by keeping him clean and hygienic.

Even though you know how to treat dog worms, make sure that you don't have to go there. Try and make sure that you can prevent that condition from affecting your dog. All the best and take good care of your pet.

By Rujuta Borkar
Published: 7/27/2010