These include certain species of tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and some other, less common types of parasites. The same larvae infecting your pet can migrate into a person and cause either a skin infection or in some cases an internal infection to the liver. This disease is called visceral larval migrans. This is why we recommend deworming all puppies, even if the fecal analysis is negative, and request regular stool examinations. While the three-inch adult roundworms are usually a minor problem for adult dogs, a serious infection of roundworms or hookworms can be life threatening to a puppy because of blood and protein loss, or dehydration.
Hookworms present a far more serious threat to both the mother and puppies.
These are blood sucking parasites and will cause a severe anemia and if not promptly treated death. We recommend stool examinations on all puppies at 6-8 weeks of age. In many cases, a dog owner will note the signs of worm infection, or it will be detected during a regular checkup when your veterinarian does a microscopic exam of your dog's stool sample. Heartworm detection requires a blood test. Your veterinarian can easily make a specific diagnosis and begin effective worm treatments that usually cause little discomfort to your dog.