Why are Puppies Born With Worms + 5 Tips

The idea of having creepy crawling worms in your pup’s internal system can be sickening. But, why are puppies born with worms?

Knowing why this is one bit but the most important thing will be how do you prevent them from these worms.

In this article, we’ll be looking at why puppies are born with worms, the different worms you should be aware of, as well as how to treat and prevent worms from your fur baby.

Let’s get straight to it.

Why are Puppies Born With Worms?

Puppies are born with worms since they are passed from their mother. Growth hormones secreted by the mother during pregnancy stimulates the already existing worms in the mother’s body. Puppies will then acquire these worms as the worms are passed through the placenta into the puppies before birth.

Does this then mean you would be able to prevent this if their mother is worm free? Well, that is one way to prevent the transmission. Regular de-worming exercises should help in preventing to curb these contagious parasites.

So, if you want to find out more about preventive measures and associated signs and symptoms alongside common worms to watch out for, then this article is for you.

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How Common Are Worms In Newborn Puppies?

Puppies are either born with worms transmitted from their mother or they often get them shortly after birth. This is because worms are extremely contagious and can easily be transmitted from one pet to another.

In this case, either this is transmitted while they are still in their mother’s womb or after they are born and get it from their surroundings.

Puppies getting worms is such a common occurrence that vets recommend scheduling a deworming exercise for puppies when they are around two weeks of age.

Is It Normal For Newborn Puppies To Have Worms?

It’s very normal for new born puppies to have worms. Some of the newborn puppies will get worms from their mothers especially if their mother hasn’t been de-wormed for a long terms as well as some getting worms while still growing in their mothers uterus.

Some puppies may also get worms from their mother after they are born from nursing. Whatever, the case these worms are gotten when mother dog is infested with worm first.

To prevent this from being a menace to your four legged friend, it’s recommended that all puppies be dewormed within the first two weeks after being born. This should be carried out all the way till they are twelve weeks old and are weaned from their mother.

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Are All Puppies Born With Worms?

Nope, not all puppies are born with worms. Our four legged friends are very prone to worms and most of them end up being infected with roundworms and hookworms.

This is more likely to happen through out their lives. It’s our duty to ensure we are taking good care of them and end sure we treat and prevent worms from our canine friends.

Regular checks from your local vet will go along away in this case.

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Common Symptoms Associated with Worm Infestation

At a tender age, it’s easy to notice worms in your puppy’s system compared to grown dogs. Note that intestinal worms are most common in puppies than grown dogs.

However, heart-worms, on the other hand, are more common in adult dogs. Since most worms affecting puppies are present in the intestines, even healthy-looking puppies usually have worms in their system. Moreover, you should beware of the symptoms listed below;

• Intestinal blockage
• Diarrhea
• Potbelly
• Lethargy
• Abdominal pains
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Dehydration

When Should You Visit a Vet?

As you already know, puppies are born with worms already in their system. So, seeing worms on your dog’s face shouldn’t be a surprise. Plus, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are sick. That’s because, with time, their systems builds immunity against the worms. But if you notice your dog’s health deteriorating, then you know it’s time to see a vet.

Changes you should watch out for include; significant weight loss and blood in their feces. These symptoms are associated with most worm infestations. However, the vet has to run tests on the dog to determine a suitable method of handling the infestation. Remember, this applies to both puppies and adult dogs.

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Some Common Worms to Watch out for

Worms in pets is very common and you should be on the look out and ensure you provide the right support to your canine friend.

Good thing is, most of these parasites are easy to treat and prevent but are so hard to prevent especially if your furry little friend comes to contact with other dogs in the park that are not fully treated.

Let’s now look at some of these common worms in dogs to watch our for.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasitic worms that dogs mainly acquire through ingestion of wild animal meat or fleas. So, it would be wise to ensure the pregnant dog doesn’t consume such worm carriers. And if the dog consumes tapeworm, the tapeworm will hatch eggs and attach to the dog’s or the puppy’s intestinal lining.

In the US, most dogs acquire tapeworms through fleas. That is why it’s important to take flea control seriously. If your pup is infected, you may notice small rice-like segments in their stool. Also, infected dogs may scoot, and once you notice this behavior, you should take the pup’s stool to your vet for diagnosis.

Whipworms

Typically, whipworms reside at the colon and cecum (where the large intestine begins) of the dog. Dogs can acquire whipworms from numerous carriers such as; feces, soil, raw meat.

Surprisingly, whipworms eggs can survive for about five years if the dogs’ internal system is a suitable environment, i.e., warm and moist. On the other hand, these worms aren’t popular with mild symptoms. However, severe cases can result in anemia, diarrhea, etc.

Diagnosis of whipworms is usually conducted through a fecal sample then the vet can prescribe a suitable treatment plan. On average, about 3 months should be enough to eradicate the worms. You should know that finding whipworm eggs in the dog’s stool isn’t easy. That’s why it’s important to take multiple fecal samples, especially if the pup’s feces exhibits blood signs.

Roundworms

Roundworms are among the most common intestinal worms affecting dogs in the US. Note that there are two common types of roundworms, i.e., Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina. The Toxascaris leonina is mostly common in puppies, and the worst thing is that it can be transmitted to humans.

It is important to give newborn puppies proper veterinary care since most are born with roundworms. Like whipworm and tapeworm, roundworms diagnosis is conducted by sampling the fecal matter. In severe cases, roundworms can cause poor or stunted growth and, eventually, death if not handled properly.

But how do dogs acquire roundworms? As you already know, puppies acquire them through their mothers. But the mothers and other grown dogs acquire these worms through ingestion of eggs from hosts such as birds, rodents, etc. Since dog-to-human transmission is easy, it’s important to diagnose the pup and administer an appropriate treatment plan immediately.

How you can prevent these worms

Medication is a good option for preventing these worms from coming back. But destroying the larvae is the best way of preventing the worms or the larvae from ever reappearing.

So, to make this happen, you have to ensure the utmost sanitation level of your dog’s living space. That space should always be clean and dry throughout. Activities related to good sanitation include;

• Prevent your dog from hunting roaming around as they may come across dead Caracas or raw meat, which are the primary parasitic carriers
• Before feeding your dog fresh meat, make sure it’s thoroughly cooked
• Make sure to scoop the dogs’ poop from the run or the yard regularly.
• Ensure the outdoor water runs have a watertight surface and not dirt.
• Note that mice, lice, and fleas are also carriers of these worms, e.g., tapeworms, so getting rid of them is a great way of eliminating these worms.

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Conclusion

Puppies are born with worms as they are passed from their mother. Growth hormones released by the mother during pregnancy will stimulate the already existing worms from their mother’s body. These worms will then be passed to the puppies through the placenta before birth.

Generally, you should ensure that a pregnant dog is well taken care of by; being watchful of what it eats and taking it to the vet for a regular checkup.

Even so, after the birth of the puppies, you should also consider taking them to the vet for a regular check-up for assurances of good health. Remember that the Medication plans for these worms are different. Advisably, you shouldn’t use a medication plan, say for roundworms, to treat tapeworm infestation.