Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Interrupting the Cycle of Worms in Dogs

Whilst they do not normally present any major
problems to dog health, worms in dogs are a
problematic issue in that they always seem to
come back. This is especially true in puppies and
is imply because of the way their life cycle
works. Worms in dogs can cause health problems to
dogs and in some cases to humans as well, so all
dog owners have a responsibility to do all that
they can to break the cycle and keep it broken.

The roundworm is the most commonly identified
worm which affects dogs because most puppies will
be born infected or will become infested shortly
after birth. It often causes puppies' bellies to
swell (known as a distended abdomen) and may
delay their growth, or in serious cases kill them
by blocking their intestine, whilst in humans the
worm larvae can cause blindness, although this is
very rare.

As with all types of worms in dogs, this cycle cn
be interrupted with knowledge and treatment. At
the start of the cycle, a female puppy becomes
infected through the placenta before she is born
or throught drinking her mother's milk. Then, in
the infected puppy, some worm larvae will migrate
through the intestine wall, into the bloodstream
and into muscles where they will form cysts which
cannot be destroyed. Later in life, during
pregnancy, the larvae awaken and move back
through the bloodstream to infest any unborn
puppies.

Not all the larvae in the young puppy will form
the cysts previously mentioned. Instead, some
will remain in the intestine and grow into
adults. Having reached maturity by feeding of the
partially digested contents of the intestine, the
worm will release eggs which will be passed with
the dog's faeces. In the open environment, the
eggs begin to pose a risk to other dogs and
humans. There is more of a risk to humans from
touching contaminated soil than from handling
puppies.

So that is the cycle and in order to break it,
adult dogs must be treated every three months. As
they are more likely to have worms, puppies
should be treated every two weeks from the age of
two weeks to twelve weeks and then every month
until the age of six months. People who keep dogs
must be responsible and clean up after their dog
as well as make sure that their family practice
good hand hygiene. This will reduce the risk of
worms in dogs to other dogs and people.

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The Pet Health Info website is a free online
resource for animal lovers. It has lots of
information on worms in dogs and other common dog
health problems. Visit
http://www.pethealthinfo.org.uk/dogs/health_worms.
html to find out more.

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