Parasites: Common Parasites Found Inside and Outside a Dog

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Summary: There are many types of parasites that you should be watching out for on and in your dog. By educating yourself with what to watch out for, you may recognize certain signs of parasitic infection with your dog. We provide an overview of these many types of parasites.

Parasites are most commonly called “worms”. If left untreated, worms can weaken puppies and even stunt their growth. Many good products are on the market to help eliminate parasites or worms in dogs. A few parasites require prescription drugs. A good safety net is to have your vet examine a stool sample from your dog or puppy. He then can prescribe the proper treatment.

INTERNAL PARASITES IN DOGS

Internal parasites are commonly called worms. They live inside of a dog. This section will list the most common internal parasites found in dogs below:

TAPEWORMS: These are very common. They are long and segmented worms. Tapeworms are found in fleas and some raw meat. If a dog has fleas or eats small dead animals he is likely to have tapeworms.
ROUNDWORMS: Common in puppies. Can cause diarrhea and vomiting. They are transmitted through infected feces or contaminated soil that contains the worm eggs.
HOOKWORMS: Tiny parasites. Can attach themselves to the intestinal wall. They suck blood from the dog. They can be transmitted through the mother’s milk to her puppies. Hookworms can cause stunted growth, anemia, lethargy and dark feces. Hookworms can be life-threatening.
WHIPWORMS: Whipworms are tiny worms that can cause watery diarrhea and weight loss in dogs.
HEARTWORMS: Heartworms can be devastating. They live in a dog’s heart and can cause severe damage. They are transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

EXTERNAL PARASITES ON DOGS

External parasites are insects that live on the dog's outside. This section will list the most common external parasites found on dogs below:

FLEAS: Fleas are mostly found at the base of a dog's tail, between the ears, or on the abdomen. There are many great products available to take care of them. Fleas multiply rapidly so get rid of them as fast as you can. You'll also need to completely anhilate all fleas that may have transfered into your home.
TICKS: Ticks are usually found in the springtime in wooded areas. Ticks can transmit several diseases. They need to be controlled by products made just for that purpose. If you see one on your pet, lock on to the tick near its head with tweezers and pull.

LICE: Lice are small and are transmitted from dog to dog. Scratching is common for dogs with lice. There are many effective products that treat the lice problem.
SARCOPTIC MANGE: Sarcoptic mange is transmitted form dog to dog. They cause severe itching and hair loss. Treatment is usually effective.
DEMODECTIC MANGE: Demodectic mange is difficult to treat but not contagious. It needs to be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian.

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