What worms could my puppy have?
Puppies may have any of the worms that we see in 
adult dogs. Roundworm, whipworm, hookworm 
and tapeworm are all possible. However the most 
commonly occurring is roundworm which is passed 
to the pup from the mother during pregnancy.

Hookworm and whipworm can both occur in 
puppies living in areas that are highly 
contaminated, but are rarely seen.

Fleas carry tapeworm and a puppy with a heavy 
flea infestation is likely to have tapeworm too. The 
pup grooms off the flea and swallows it. When the 
flea is digested, the tapeworm eggs are released 
and develop into adults in the intestine.

How do I know my pup has worms?
It is safe to assume all pups have some worms. 
There may be signs such as:

1. Diarrhoea and vomiting.

2. A swollen, pot-bellied abdomen.

3. Poor weight gain.

4. Blood or mucus in the faeces.

5. Anal irritation.

6. Roundworms present in the vomit or diarrhoea 
   (looking like spaghetti).

7. Tapeworm segments attached to the hair 
    around the anus or dropped in bedding (looking 
    like a grain of rice).

If there is any doubt, a faecal sample can be 
examined under the microscope to look for worm 
eggs.

Can these worms infect our children or us?
Worms that infect dogs are specific to the dog. 
These are not the same worms that humans suffer 
from. If a human ingests these eggs they do not 
develop.

Very rarely, when roundworm infects a susceptible 
child, a single worm will make an abnormal 
migration through the body and may cause damage 
in the organs it passes through.  It must be
stressed this is very rare.

Sensible precautions such as washing hands, regular
removal of droppings and regular worming are 
recommended.

How do I deworm my puppy?
It is recommended that young puppies be wormed 
every 2 weeks from 2 weeks of age until they are 
12 weeks old. Then monthly until 6 months old. As 
the medication kills mainly adult worms it is 
important to repeat the treatment to ensure that 
the young worms are also removed as they mature 
to adults.

Any preparation used should be safe for puppies.
Syrups are easy to use in very young puppies but 
tablets and granules are also available. Combined 
treatments for tapeworm and roundworm are also 
suitable.

Adult dogs should be wormed 4 times a year with 
an Allwormer preparation. These come in chewable
and regular tablet formulation.  Liquids are also 
available.

Flea control is also an essential part of tapeworm 
control.