Parasites These are the internal worms you are likely to see in your dog's poop. Round Worms, Hook Worms ,Whipworms,and Tape Worms Many puppies are born with one or several different worms,the exception to that is Tape Worms. Tape worms are picked up when the dog has a flea, is biting at himself, ingests the flea and the Tape worm cycle begins. Tape worms are segmented so the whole worm hardly ever comes out at one time. Pieces or the segments, may be seen on your dogs anus,or in the fecal matter. Most times, Tape worms will not be seen when your Vet checks a stool sample.If your dog has fleas it is safe to assume he has Tape worms. The Vet can give you meds to take care of the elimination of the worms but if you don't treat the flea problem it is money down the drain. Round Worms can cross the placental barrier from the mother to the puppies,so many times puppies are born with Round Worms.Sometimes you will see the puppy deficate and all it is is a pile of squiggly, white, spaghetti looking,worms. ( Whipworms look much the same way.) Your Vet can give you meds to eliminate them ,the dog can reinfect itself with Round Worms if he comes in contact with the fecal matter of an infected dog at the dog park or just in your neighborhood. Whipworms are a bit more persistant they can live in your yard and keep reinfecting your dog for years.If your dog has had Whipworms all you can do is keep your yard cleaned up from fecal matter and put your dog on an all round Heartworm Preventative. If your dog is a compulsive stool eater keep on the Heartworm meds all year long. Hook Worms can make puppies and small dogs anemic so it is important to be sure your puppy does not have Hook Worms. This worm can also live in the soil for an indeterminate amount of time and is picked up by coming in contact with infected fecal matter. All owner's of new puppies and new dogs of any age need to have a fecal check done,once, when they come to your home and at your Vets yearly, would be recommended.The meds given to eliminate the parasites may have to be given in cycles.First when you get home then in two weeks, your Vet will instruct you how to give them. Let me just say, a good breeder never lets a puppy go to his/her new home with worms.Should the new puppy have worms the breeder should offer to pay for the worming.

Heartworms Heartworms are transfered to a dog from the bite of a female mosquito. Microfiliaria is the undeveloped babies ,so to speak, that the Vetech will see under a microscope to determine if your dog has heartworms. A blood sample is required, if a dog is positive for Heartworms the Microfiliaria will be in the blood. If a dog is diagnosed with Heartworms the treatment is pretty expensive.The dog must be given injections of an Arsenic laden drug to kill the microfiliaria and adult Heartworms. Problems can occur if the dog's heart is so weakened by the worms that when the drug does it's job and the worms flow out of the heart they can lodge in the heart and can kill the dog. If the dog is too week to withstand the injections the drug itself could kill the dog. Prevention is the best way to go.A once a month Preventive in the form of a beef chew or tablet is given to the dog and you are good to go.They are not inexpensive but not near like trying to pay for treatments if infected. There are some reasons your dog needs to be on a Preventitive all year long. If you have a problem with internal parasites as stated above, if you live in a constantly warm climate,Florida,Texas,all the southern states as well as some midwest states and Alaska. It use to be if you lived where there was a long,cold winter,you could get by just giving the Preventitive in the summer, but winter in some areas are milder than in the past so to be safe, all year long is the best way. I hope you find this useful.