Whipworms are a type of intestinal parasite that are passed to dogs when the animal eats something with eggs or larvae on it. These parasites are found in the large intestine. They survive by consuming the dog's blood.
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Mild load
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If there are not a lot of whipworms in the dog, he may not show any symptoms at all. A mild load of parasites is common in dogs.
Anemia
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One of the signs of a major load of whipworms in the dog is anemia, which is a low number of red blood cells.
Diarrhea
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A large number of whipworms may also cause diarrhea, though this is a symptom seen in many parasite infestations and other issues.
Weight loss
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Whipworms will cause your dog to lose weight because the dog is not getting all of the nutrients she needs.
Diagnosing
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This combination of symptoms is also seen with hookworm infestations, so your veterinarian will need to take a fecal sample to be sure of which parasite is the cause and to rule out other problems. Unfortunately, whipworm eggs are not always present in dog's excrement, so your veterinarian may have difficulty diagnosing the infestation.
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