Signs Aren't Always Obvious
Dogs can appear healthy even when they have worm infections. Detecting an infection can be tricky, particularly as worm eggs are too small to be easily visible in your pet's faeces. In addition, your dog may be more at risk from some worm infections than others depending on where you live. It is therefore extremely important to keep your dog’s treatment regular and up to date.
Specific signs will be described for each worm, but remember that not all worm infections will be obvious in your dog, so some more general signs to look for include:
● The presence of visible worm segments that could stick to your dog's bottom and become itchy. This can cause dogs to ‘scoot’, whereby they drag their bottoms along the ground with their back legs. Doing this also means that your dog will be rubbing its infected bottom on your floor or carpet, which is naturally unhygienic
● Weight loss
● Vomiting
● Diarrhoea
● A dull, lifeless coat
● A change in appetite (it may be either increased or decreased depending on the worms present)
● A lack of energy
● A pot-bellied appearance (most commonly seen in puppies)
● Breathing difficulties and coughing
● General changes in behaviour
You should seek advice from your vet if you see any of the above signs in your dog. Many of these symptoms may be indicative of other illnesses. Your vet will be able to investigate the problem and provide appropriate advice and treatment.
Travelling Abroad
There are specific parasitic worms to which your pet may be exposed to on visiting countries outside the UK. Two notable worms areheartworm (Dirofilaria immitis), transmitted by a mosquito bite, which could be fatal if your dog is not protected, and one type of tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis), which can cause serious and fatal disease in people.
If you are intending to travel with your dog, you should talk to your vet in plenty of time to establish the best worming regime to ensure the protection of both your dog's health and that of your family. For further information about what you need to do before, during, and after travel abroad with your dog, refer to the DEFRA Website (Link Below).
Blogs
Websites
DEFRA
Government provided information on the paperwork and preventative measures necessary to take your pet abroad on holiday with you.
ESCCAP
Guidelines and reccomendations on disease and parasite control in cats and dogs in the UK & Ireland. Including forcasts of prevalant types, strains and lookbooks and downloadable resources on prevention and protection for your pets.
ESCCAP - European Parasite Distribution Map
An Interactive map showing the most prevalent diseases and parasites in specific areas across Europe, so that you can best plan and protect your pets from where you plan to travel to.