The website Vetinfo reports a scary statistic: nearly nine out of every 10 puppies will contract worms. There are five common types of worms found in dogs and puppies, and these nasty critters can wreak havoc in your dog's system; some may even cause death. Fortunately, with early detection, proper treatment and subsequent prevention, your dog will most likely survive an infestation of heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms or whipworms.
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Anemia
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Anemia results from an infestation of untreated hookworms, which attach themselves to the canine's small intestine and feed on its blood. You will notice your dog seems listless, fatigued and depressed, and is sleeping a lot. She may also lose her appetite and seem weak.
Coughing
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Coughing and an overall lack of endurance are signs of one of the most dangerous worm infestations in canines -- heartworms. The worms infest the blood vessels between the heart and lungs, and the disease generally goes undetected until it is too late.
Diarrhea
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A canine with bloody diarrhea probably has hookworms attached to its small intestinal walls. If your dog's stools are covered in mucous, but not necessarily loose, it may have whipworms. Whipworms are the most uncommon of all five types of worms, attaching themselves to your dog's large intestine.
Pot Belly
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Roundworms and heartworms may cause a your dog to have a pot-bellied appearance. Roundworms lay eggs in your dog's intestines, and heartworms fill his abdomen with fluid. Take your dog to the vet immediately if you notice a pot belly.
Visual Evidence
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Perhaps the most distressing symptom to dog owners is visual evidence of a worm infestation. Tapeworms can grow to 6 inches in length or more. As they grow, segments of them break off. If you notice what look like grains of rice stuck to your canine's behind and in its feces, your dog has a tapeworm.
Weakness
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Worms are parasites, and your dog's body becomes their host; they are stealing your canine's nutrients right out of its blood. If seriously infested with any type of worm, your dog will become weak, malnourished and, as mentioned above, anemic. This particularly holds true with heartworms, hookworms and roundworms.
Weight Loss
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Your dog may also lose weight if she has worms. If she is a puppy, this is particularly dangerous, because she needs optimal nutrition and proper weight gain to grow up happy and healthy. Weight loss can also be significantly dangerous in older or ill canines that are already weakened by other conditions.
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