In addition to medication, a thorough cleansing of kennel areas and runs, when possible, and eliminating moist areas can help destroy whipworm eggs in the environment. There are several common anti-worm medications that are effective in treating whipworms, including febantel, fenbendazole, milbemycin, moxidectin, and oxantel. Your veterinarian may prescribe an anti-worm medication to kill the parasites in your dog’s system and help alleviate his symptoms. Thanks to the hardiness of their eggs, which can last for up to five years in the right environment, whipworms have a high level of reinfection, making them hard to get rid of. If your dog has a whipworm infestation, you will need the intervention of your veterinarian to clear it up. Adult whipworms pass eggs irregularly, which means that it might take several stool samples for an accurate diagnosis, so be prepared to be patient while your vet rules out other possible causes of your dog’s symptoms. Veterinarians diagnose whipworms in dogs by taking a stool sample and examining it under a microscope. If you notice any of these symptoms, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately, as it could be a sign of a potentially fatal infection. Weight loss, anemia, diarrhea, and bloody stools are also symptoms of other serious diseases and parasites. This causes a decrease in quality of life and body condition score and can be dangerous in puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with compromised immune systems. The more whipworms, the greater the irritation, which can lead to weight loss, diarrhea, bloody stools, and anemia. When whipworms attach to the cecum and colon, they cause irritation. Regular testing for internal parasites can help your veterinarian protect your dog from parasites like whipworms, even if your dog is asymptomatic, but every dog owner should know the symptoms of whipworms in dogs. Not all dogs show signs of whipworm infections, especially in the early stages. Once ingested, they hatch and mature in the lower intestinal tract, where they attach to feed and lay more eggs, continuing the cycle. The eggs mature to an infective state, or embryonate, in the environment, and are ready to re-infect the host or infect a new host in 10-to-60 days. There are three stages of the whipworm life cycle:Īdult whipworms lay their eggs in the large intestine, where they are then passed into the dog’s stool to infect the environment. While not exactly pleasant to think about, understanding the life cycle of a parasite helps us break up the life cycle to better treat infestations and also helps us choose the appropriate preventatives. Owners can help prevent and treat intestinal parasites like whipworms by learning about the whipworm life cycle. The thicker end embeds itself in the intestinal wall as the worms mature, causing irritation and discomfort. They have a thick anterior end and a long, thin, posterior end that resembles a whip. Whipworms get their name from their shape. In large numbers, whipworms can cause serious complications, despite their small size. These one-quarter-inch-long organisms live in the cecum and colon (large intestine), where they attach to the mucosal lining. Whipworms, scientifically known as Trichuris vulpis, are one of the most common intestinal parasites in dogs, along with tapeworms, hookworms, and roundworms. Here is what you need to know about whipworms in dogs to protect your canine companions from complications. Luckily, whipworms are treatable parasites that owners can prevent. As a result, we tend to avoid learning the necessary information about internal dog parasites until it is too late. The last things most dog owners want to think about are parasites, especially parasites with creepy names like whipworms.
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