Intestinal Parasites In Puppies

Intestinal parasites in puppies are very common. Especially during the first phase of an animal’s life.

developing metabolism

The puppies are in full development stage. Your body’s cellular activity is very active as your muscles, organs and bones are being strengthened into adulthood. Your immune system is also at a crucial moment, as it is creating the body’s entire defense base.

This intense metabolism requires enhanced nutrition, especially with healthy proteins and fats. Therefore, you  should choose a balanced food specifically for puppies. The nutritional proportion is different from that of food for adults.

This developmental stage means that  there is a lot of availability of nutrients circulating in the animal’s blood.  This is the case for vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This makes puppies even more attractive to parasites than older animals.

Increased vulnerability to intestinal parasites in puppies

A puppy’s organism is more vulnerable and easier to be parasitized. On the one hand, its defenses are not yet fully prepared to face the numerous microorganisms in the external environment. Furthermore, it is a small body, with organs of reduced size, which can be more easily invaded and intoxicated.

Therefore, it  is important to know how to periodically perform internal deworming. And also know how and when to apply antiparasitic products. All this in order to achieve an efficient result without putting our pet’s health at risk.

What are the main intestinal parasites in puppies and how to recognize the symptoms?

The internal parasites in puppies are divided into two large groups : the flat worms and the round worms.

round worms

They exist in greater quantity and most commonly affect dogs, cats and humans.  But they can also parasitize wild mammals, reptiles, birds and rodents.

The name is due to the shape of its body. Unlike flat tapeworms and worms, their body is plump, and they tend to be smaller than flat ones.

Despite their small size, they have the ability to reproduce very quickly. They can migrate throughout the body through the bloodstream. Thus, they can affect several organs and cause more severe damage to the body.

The best known representative of roundworms are the intestinal roundworms, whose technical name is Áscaris. These internal parasites lodge along the lining of the small intestine of the infected animal. And they begin to absorb the nutrients produced throughout the digestive process.

In the beginning,  this parasitic relationship causes an intestinal inflammation, the first consequence of which is chronic diarrhea. Afterwards, the animal begins to suffer from an increasing nutritional deficiency. The main symptoms are sudden and severe weight loss, lack of appetite and fatigue, in addition to changes in texture and loss of coat.

However, it  is another internal parasite called Toxocara that poses a greater health risk to adult cats and kittens (especially those under 6 months of age). The best known disease is Toxoplasmosis.

Due to its high risk of transmission to humans, particularly to children, toxocariosis (the phenomenon of contagion from humans through animals)  is considered a zoonosis with high risk to public health.

Flat worms or tapeworms

They have a flat and flat body like a ribbon, they are usually more extensive than the round worms. There are tapeworms with more than 6 meters in length, occupying almost the entire human intestine.

Unlike roundworms,  tapeworms need an intermediate host so that their larvae can develop and then enter the bodies of cats, dogs and humans.

The most common host organisms are often fleas and ticks. Thus, there is a need for a double treatment consisting of internal and external deworming.

There are diseases of mass contamination by flat worms, such as the disease called Echinoccocus. This disease can be transmitted to humans and its prognosis can be serious. In Spain, there are many cases diagnosed. And several autonomous communities have promoted their own eradication campaigns.

Intestinal parasites in puppies pose a health risk to your pet and other creatures around you. Therefore, it is essential to take him to the veterinarian periodically and keep the treatments and vaccines up to date.

Main image source: Hugo A. Quintero G.