Worms in dogs is undoubtedly a topic that pet owners don't want to think about. Still, most dogs will suffer from intestinal worms at some point in their lives. According to a study by the Veterinary Health Center of Kansas State University, 34% of all dogs and 54% of dogs sampled from southeastern states harbored at least one major intestinal worm parasite during their lifetime.
Types of Intestinal Worms
Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms are the most frequent type of wiggly parasite your dog can encounter. Also, there is heartworm as well, a possibly serious condition triggered by being bitten by an infected mosquito.
The above mentioned intestinal worms in dogs are usually easily visible in your pet's stool, appearing as rice-like bodies or in squiggly spaghetti-like forms. In case your pet is infested with dog worms regularly, they might begin to lose weight, and their hair coat may suffer as well. Further symptoms may include gastric distress in the form of diarrhea, vomiting, anemia, lethargy, and an itchy rectum.
This common dog condition doesn't mean that a dog with worms is dirty or uncared for. And in case your dog has contracted these nasty pests, it certainly doesn't mean that you're a bad pet parent. Most likely, your dog has either picked up the infection at the dog park, on a walk through the nearby forest, or through the simple act of eating infected soil.
Diagnosing the dog's type of worms is usually achieved by taking a sample of the pet's fresh stool to the veterinarian for further analysis. Once this condition is diagnosed and verified, the veterinarian usually prescribes medication to eradicate the pests securely. Going to see a professional who practices veterinary medicine is a mandatory step because failing to treat your dog for worm infestation might prove detrimental to your pet's health and wellbeing.
Upon your vet has treated your furry buddy with conventional therapy, you should also take significant measures to help prevent another case of worms. The following and highly-effective natural worm treatment for dogs may also be used simultaneously with the prescribed medicine but discuss the possibility of doing so with your vet to ensure that there are no contraindications whatsoever.
Effective Home Remedies For Worms In Dogs
Taking all the necessary steps to liberate your dog of worms is vital to keeping your pet healthy. Consequently, following your vet’s guidance and prescribed care package is much recommended. The use, dosage, and follow-up procedures of the prescribed medications depend on your dog’s health condition and age.
The same goes for the potent home remedies for worms in dogs treatment, which focus on preventing worm infestation, a healthy immune system, and a balanced intestinal environment. When speaking of natural home remedies for worms in dogs, we generally think of a healthy diet to ensure good immune system functioning, accompanied by the adequate dose of first-rate dog supplements and beneficial products that include:
- Evading antibiotics by keeping your dog as free from infections and diseases as possible;
- Providing a high protein and low carbohydrate diet without chemical additives and preservatives;
- Give probiotics that maintain the gut ecosystem;
- Making sure that plenty of clean water is available to your pet to discourage it from drinking unclean water;
- Providing your dog with first-rate herbal remedy formula to assist the body in naturally expelling intestinal worms and parasites.
Furthermore, particularly dietary supplements can help reduce and prevent unwanted worm populations. Such natural home remedies for worms in dogs include:
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Pumpkin Seeds
Recent studies have shown that the cucurbitacin compound in the pumpkin seeds can affect the mobility of the worms and help remove them from the intestines. Ground a couple of pumpkin seeds in your coffee grinder and add them up to your dog's food.
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Papaya Seeds
Papain is a cysteine protease enzyme present in the seeds that is proven to deworm properties. Grind the seeds in the same manner as you do the pumpkin ones, and add them to your four-legged companion’s food.
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Vegetables
Vegetables like grated carrots can also make your pet's intestine less hospitable to undesirable worms. Since dogs usually can't efficiently digest carrots, the carrot's undigested part travels throughout the intestines, potentially carrying worms along with it.
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Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is also part of the most valuable and useful home remedies for worms in dogs. Its enzymes are proven to have a beneficial impact against worms as the worm's coating becomes frail, and the worm loses its grip on the intestinal wall. Try spraying the apple cider vinegar straight away on your dog's food. If your pet doesn't like the taste or smell, try mixing it up in a bowl of wet food.
Other natural dewormers you can try on your pet include black seed, wormwood, garlic, cloves, dried coconut and coconut oil, and others.
What Are The Next Steps After Deworming Your Dog
As we previously stated, it’s highly recommended that your veterinarian prescribes an approved medication for your dog as soon as the worms are discovered.
Once the dog worms are eradicated and your veterinarian has done a stool sample to confirm that your beloved pet is worm-free, it’s for the best to continue using the profound home remedies for worms in dogs to render the gut and intestines as unfavorable to worms and keep it that way. By disturbing the environment in which your dog likes to live, you are going to protect your dog against a new invasion of worms.
Don’t forget to ask your vet to check and analyze a stool sample on your pet’s further annual vet checkups to make sure that there are no worms present in your dog’s digestive system.
Also, since worm infestations can be transmitted to humans, make sure to take precautions to avoid worm transmission to yourself, your family members, and other pets in the same household.
The Recovery Period And Cost Of Treatments
While your vet is treating your dog for worms, your pet may be tired and feeling a little under the weather, having a poor appetite, and occasionally could vomit.
After the worms are gone, and you continue using the natural home remedies mentioned above, you should perceive a betterment in your pet’s coat (from dull to shiny). Besides, their energy levels should enhance, and their digestive system should start to function normally.
Conventional worm medicines can be quite costly but are certainly worth the price if they help your furry bud eliminate the problem and prevent extra veterinarian expenses down the road, which may occur if worms are left to progress any further.
Adding the above suggested natural home remedies for worms in dogs to the equation as a supplemental way to provide the much-needed nutrients and keep your pet’s digestive system healthy is also worth it. Expenses will significantly depend on your dog’s age, size, and health condition and may range between $50 and $200, with Prana Pets products and supplements included.
Additional Prevention Measures To Take Against Worm Infestation
There are additional prevention measures that are proven to work in the fight against worm infestations in dogs. These prevention measures include:
- Remove the standing water around your home so that your pet is not tempted to drink from it. Also, don’t keep any stagnant water in the yard, as this will help against mosquitos.
- Cover your kids’ sandbox when they don’t use it.
- Pick up your pet’s feces from the backyard without delay after going to the bathroom and throw them away.
- Keep your dog away from wildlife and wildlife feces.
- Observe your dog when in the park to ensure that they aren’t getting into things they shouldn’t like dead rodents or vomit.
- Monitor your pet for early signs of contamination and treat them early before worms overwhelm their system.
- Don’t give fish or raw meat to your dog.
- Frequently sanitize and clean the areas of your house where your dog spends a lot of time, like their bed.
- Visit your vet on regular occasions to check if your dog is suffering from intestinal worms.
Conclusion
Using home remedies for worms in dogs is a fantastic way to prevent giving them toxic chemical additives and preservatives. In case you’re not 100% sure if your four-legged companion has worms in its body, don’t hesitate to take a stool sample to your veterinarian and know for certain.
In addition or as a preventive measure, add some of the natural remedies listed above to your dog’s everyday diet to expel any worms that are present and hinder future infestations.
