Tips to Follow When You Think That Your Dog Is Sick
Your dog is sick? But you cannot find the right reason. Your little
friend is showing symptoms of a worm infestation. But you are not sure
which worm is causing the problem. If you do not know the right cause
how can you treat it? So, your first job is identifying the worm. You
have to be sure whether it is a tapeworm or a hookworm that is the
culprit. If you are the pet owner then you have to do some particular
things. These odd jobs may be irritating but they are very important for
your dog.
Some important guidelines that you need to follow if you are the
owner:
Tip 1:
First you have to collect a small sample of feces of your dog. You
cannot put in dried feces. You have to collect a fresh specimen. You can
reduce your agony by placing it in an airtight container.
Tip 2:
Don’t shock the vet by dropping in suddenly. Sometimes only feces don’t
help. The pet dog may need a check-up too. Call up your vet and ask him
the details. If there is no need to bring the pet to the vet, then don’t
bother the dog. After all, your friend is sick. The vet will examine the
stools to find out the presence of internal worms.
Tip 3:
If you are worried then speak to the vet. He will be able to tell you
about various worms that attack dogs. Know about their symptoms and
treatment procedures. You will feel more confident and relaxed.
Generally the severity of the attack depends on various factors. The
factors include whether the dog lives outside or indoors, its breed and
the place where it lives. These facts can augment or diminish the degree
of infection.
 Tip 4:
If your dog has been affected by a tapeworm then you will be able to
distinguish the worm. Tapeworm segments come out with the stool of the
dog. They can be mistaken as rice grains when they are dry. They are
generally white, short and flat. Check the hair of the dog. Inspect the
areas around the anus.
Tip 5:
If your dog has vomited then you need to look at it more carefully. If
there are roundworms in its intestine then you will find coiled worms in
the vomit. They are yellow in color and around three inches long. They
are also found in the feces of the dog. Roundworms are more common in
puppies. Many a times you will not find roundworms in the stools or
vomit of your pet dog. This doesn’t mean your dog doesn’t have any
roundworms in its intestine. If the dog shows some typical symptoms then
don’t be lethargic. Immediately take the stools to a laboratory to test
it.
Tip 6:
In most cases diagnosis of the dog’s stool is enough to determine
whether there are worms in the dog’s body. This is true for tapeworms,
ringworms, hookworms, whipworms and lungworm. But there is another kind
of worm which cannot be diagnosed so easily. It is the heartworm. A
blood test is essential.
Tip 7:
Remember you are not the vet. Maybe you love your dog (well, all pet
lovers do!). But you cannot prescribe medicines on your own. A dog can
have various diseases. Many times symptoms of two diseases are alike. In
case of worm infestation the symptoms are almost similar. You cannot
just give any medicine to your dog. It will degrade your dog’s health
further. Take it to a vet. Let him examine the dog. Give the dog only
those medicines that the vet has prescribed and in the right dose.
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