5 Nasty Parasites Your Dog May Already Have
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I HATE PARASITES!
Just the thought of parasites on or in my dog makes my skin crawl.
With the flea and tick season upon us, my sister-in-law asked me to write an article about keeping those nasty buggers away from our dogs.
On top of the blood-sucking going on with these nasty little buggers, they could further complicate matters by causing allergies in your dog.
What is a parasite exactly?
A parasite lives in close relationship with another organism known as the host and in some way causes the host harm.
Without further adieu here’s my list of 5 nasty parasites your dog may have:
Common Nasty Parasites Your Dog May Have
1. Fleas
What Are Fleas?
Nasty little buggers that cause you and your dog to itch like heck. If your dog is allergic to fleas symptoms may be more severe causing inflammation and hair loss in the bitten area.
How Do I Know My Dog Has Fleas?
If you’re not sure your dog has fleas try looking for little black specks scurrying along the surface of the skin. The easiest places to look are on the belly and inner thighs.
You can also look for flea dirt which is actually flea feces. Flea dirt looks like dark flecks of black pepper on the surface of the skin.
Take some of these dark flecks and put them on a wet paper towel if they spread out like a small stain of blood then your dog has fleas.
What Can I Do To Treat My Dog?
There are tons of different flea products on the market including pills, flea collars, flea powders, shampoos, and topical medications like Advantage and Frontline Plus.
UPDATE #!: Frontline Plus stopped working as an effective flea and tick meds for our dogs several years ago. The last time we used flea meds Advantage II worked for our dogs.
UPDATE #2: Guess what? The breeding manager from the guide dog school recommended we try Frontline Plus again and it worked just fine with both Raven and Stetson.
I use Frontline Plus for both of my dogs. It’s a topical treatment that I apply between the shoulders of my dog once a month.
If you’re looking to treat your dog for flea infestation please consult with your veterinarian.
2. Ticks
What Are Ticks?
Ick!!! That pictures are disgusting! Ticks are little blood-sucking parasites that attach themselves to your dog (or you) by burying their head into your dog’s skin. Very disgusting!
They become engorged with blood and can expand to several times its original size.
How Do I Know My Dog Has Ticks?
I haven’t seen ticks on my dog in a while…thank goodness. From my experience, a dog will usually get ticks by brushing up against grass or bushes.
Ticks cannot run, hop, or fly and usually climb up onto higher places like tall grass, weeds, or sides of buildings or fences.
When they detect vibration or chemical cues from an oncoming host they will either reach out or let themselves fall from their perch.
What Can I Do To Treat My Dog?
Once again, I’d consult my veterinarian before doing anything. Currently, I use the same medication for fleas and ticks. Frontline Plus is a topical medication that prevents flea and tick infestation.
However, if you already have ticks try using tweezers to remove the little bugger. Grasp the tick with the tweezers as close to your dog’s skin as possible.
Pull straight out and be sure not to pull too hard and leave the head lodged under your dog’s skin. This can lead to secondary infection and inflammation. Apply antiseptic ointment to the bite.
3. Hookworms
What Are Hookworms?
What do you think of the picture? The hookworm looks prehistoric, doesn’t it? This picture is an extreme closeup.
There are several ways your dog can get hookworms including orally, through the skin, through the mother’s placenta before birth, or through the mother’s milk.
How Do I Know My Dog Has Hookworms?
You normally won’t see these guys as they are diagnosed through your dog’s stool sample. They are very easily detected by your vet as a female hookworm will produce approximately 20,000 eggs a day.
Some symptoms your dog may show are pale gums, diarrhea, and weight loss. Skin irritation and itching may be the result of a heavily infested dog.
What Can I Do To Treat My Dog?
Once again consult with your veterinarian. There are several drugs that can be prescribed to effectively treat your dog. The drugs are normally injected or given orally.
4. Tapeworm
What Are Tapeworms?
I know what you’re thinking: “What’s up? That’s not a very good picture…That doesn’t scare me at all.” I wanted to include a realistic example of what you might see.
Unfortunately, there were no videos or pictures of these little white specks crawling through your dog’s poop, but that’s what you’ll see. Trust me when I say, “These things will creep you out!”
Tapeworms attach themselves to the small intestinal wall by a hook-like mouth part. As these critters mature they can grow up to 8 inches long and segments will eventually break off and pass into your dog’s stool.
You may be wondering how did my dog get tapeworms? In order to get tapeworms, your dog has to swallow a flea that contains tapeworm eggs.
How Do I know My Dog Has Tapeworms?
Tapeworms are usually detected when they are passed through your dog’s poop. They appear as tiny pieces of rice crawling around in your dog’s stool….ewwwwww….You may also see the same tiny segments near your dog’s anus.
The segments may also appear dry and golden in color. These little segments are the mechanism that releases the tapeworm eggs into the environment.
What Can I Do To Treat My Dog?
My thought has always been since your dog gets tapeworms by ingesting fleas if I can keep fleas away from my dog they will not get tapeworms. As a preventative measure again try Advantage II or Frontline Plus to keep the fleas away.
If your dog already has tapeworms then consult your veterinarian. There are drugs that can effectively treat tapeworms by either injection or taken orally.
5. Heartworm
What Is Heartworm?
See all that stringy spaghetti-looking stuff. That’s Heartworm…pretty gross. You’ll probably never see heartworm in person. As you can see it can be a very nasty parasite.
Heartworms are developed in mosquitoes and contracted in dogs when an infected mosquito bites your dog.
How Do I Know My Dog Has Heartworm?
The most common symptoms are your dog may appear to be more tired than usual, and they may experience coughing and respiratory distress.
What Can I Do To Treat My Dog?
If you suspect your dog of having heartworm I highly suggest you consult your veterinarian. The process of treating heartworm is a lengthy process and if you’d like to read more about it try googling “heartworm treatment.
“This is important: You need to get your dog tested for heartworm before you start them on heartworm preventative medication. I use Heartguard Plus with my dog, Linus.
My other dog Stetson, who just went to formal training at Guide Dogs of America was on Interceptor Heartworm Medication.
Stetson A Puppy In Training
Lucky for me, Stetson was bred at Guide Dogs of America and came to me parasite free. He’s been taking Frontline Advantage II for flea and tick control and Interceptor Heartworm medication since I brought him home at 7 weeks of age.
All the way up to today I have had no noticeable problems with parasites in or on Stetson.
Linus A Shelter Puppy
On the other hand, Linus came straight from the pound and was infested with parasites. I must have removed over 300 fleas from Linus with a flea comb. I sat with him on my lap for about 5 straight hours brushing him over and over with that flea comb.
His ears were covered in dried blood (from the fleas) . He was anemic and sleepy for 2 days when we got him home.
Remember the tapeworm? The first time I brought Linus home and he pooped in the yard I saw small rice-like things in his poop moving around…icccckkkk!!!!
After a couple of visits to the veterinarian, some medication, proper grooming, and tender loving care, a few days later Linus was a happy-go-lucky puppy.
Cuddly Canines Rescue Puppies
As you can imagine the dogs and puppies I rescued while volunteering with Cuddly Canines were not in the greatest shape either. They came with fleas, tapeworms, and presumably hookworms.
We got them immediately on medication and within days they too were parasite free!
Although disgusting, most parasites are easily removed with a trip to the vet and some medication. If you notice any of the above symptoms in your dog please take the time to visit your local vet and take care of these nasty little creatures.
If you leave anything unchecked for a long enough period of time your dog’s health could be put in jeopardy.
Writing this article made my skin itch…I think I’m going to take a shower now.
What parasites have you encountered with your dog?
We’ve used topical medications like Advantage II and Frontline Plus for a long time. Of course, we want the best for our dogs so we’re always researching new and effective solutions to control parasites.
If you have any suggestions on how to control these pests please let me know in the comment section below.
We are not veterinarians if you encounter any parasites on your dog you should schedule an appointment to see your vet immediately.
Resources
For more detailed information please visit the Pet Care Tips website.
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Yes, I would take your dogs to the vet and have them checked out.
I have 3 dogs a shiztzu a yorkie and a chiauhahua my yorkie sleeps in my bed she keeps scratching her butt I thought she might need wormed so i have her meds for that and I found those like grains of rice in my bed but they were dead still creeped me out do I need to take her to get please let me know thank you
Dconnie367@gmail.com
I’m sorry to hear about your friends dog. You should have your friend take his dog to the best for a thorough examination.
A friend of mine has a Chihuahua. On its rear backside near her tail are what he says are black bugs that aren’t fleas. The skin around the area was raw. He finally got that mostly clear with baths and combing. When he started washing her he combed through her fur and that’s how they came off with the comb. He’s bathed her multiple times but the bugs persist. She barks constantly so I know she’s in pain. What could those bugs be, and how could he get rid of them. Thanks
Ick! I hate fleas! One thing our vet told us is fleas can become immune to flea medications. It actually happened to us with Frontline Plus many years ago and we had to switch over to Advantage II for a little while. If your flea meds are not effective you may want to consult with your vet for an alternative option.
Thanks for suggesting Frontline Plus! We used other topical remedies and they were not so effective. Those fleas were a real disaster in our old house… The basement was full of them.
Trifexis! It prevents hook, heart, round and whip worms. Also fleas.
Combine that with Vectra 3D. (not frontline or others. They aren’t working) your dog is covered! Repels and kills fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, flies, lice, and mites. Prevents all stages of life for fleas I hope this helps
fu&* all ticks them bastards suck
If there are parasites in your puppy’s poop then you should take him to the vet.
Today one of my mothers friends children pointed out bugs in one of my puppies poop. He did not state what they looked like. My puppy is 5 months, and I have a doctors appointment schedule for , but should I cancel or still go? Help >_<
Whew, grateful for your picture of the ticks– I live in a small African country and just found an engorged one in my pup’s ear. Had no idea what it was, was so worried it was something more harmful. Never been so relieved to see it was just another run of the mill tick, which, living here, we find weekly or so anyway.
Surely someone knows what this parasite that Heather is talking about is and how to get rid of it. I think it is more than one parasite, thread worm, pin worm, maybe tape worm segments…I dont know. My house, animals and I are infested with this too. Have been taking fenbenzadole and it is better, but still horrible. Saw two dead rats outside last summer and am thinking it may be related. Someone please advise as to what this is and what to use to rid our bodies of it.
You should really talk to your veterinarian and your doctor about this situation. If you’ve already tried and they’ve said nothing is wrong you should probably get a second opinion.
Please help me my dogs have crawling white flakes I have caught what they have I gave one a bath n a white thing came out of his side I put vitamin d on n the samething happenedi tell my husband he calls me a lier si I won’t go to the dr I did have my one dog to the vet but all they did was a skin test n never found nothing this has been goin on almost a yr I have had these white fiber come out of my ear a couple times like a worm out of my nose n when I whip down there please help I been eating coconut oil they was in my hair is this lice mites some kind of worm the cookie looking eggs my skin produced has got in my home n they fall off my dogs do I have dust mites my dog n my skin gets really flakey email I might not get my help or advice.
Hey pooooooop??? 💩 💩
Thanks for sharing your story about Frontline. We’ve been cautious with topical flea meds like Frontline. Our vet has been recommending Nexgard, but we’ve been trying more natural remedies to keep the fleas at bay.
My beautiful,healthy Border Collie was healthy and strong, until he was put on Frontline for flea control.
It caused him to have severe seizures, and now he is allergic to EVERYTHING.
After researching the new symptoms, I found they’re not uncommon for pets put on Frontline products.
I use natural methods of flea control, not laboratory produced unnatural chemical compounds.
I would look into finding a new vet, dermatologist, and doctor to find out what type of parasites are in your home.
Please help me …I been goin thru this white flakes then I been seeing brown specks I pick them off the dogs I have 5 Chihuahuas n one boxer I been to a dermatologist they said dermatitis but was never screened …the salon told me I had a build up well I have used leave in conditioner in my hair but quit now for 4 months I have these little brown bugs in my hair on my dark pets they look like white flakes on my white boxer looks like bug shells n a tiny insect I put coconut oil on them n their hair wants to shed n a bunch of flakes come together on the chis but the boxer has little brown specks on his I have got what they have .I have had worms come out of my nose n mouth .I seen two on my chis chest not sure if he licked them their or how they got their. I put coconut oil in my hair n have brown bug shells sometimes u can feel them crawling .I have scatch black dots out of my skin some what .the eggs like to stay in my clean clothes first I thought mites now im thinking worms can I have both well my rescue Chihuahua I bought worm med it was for only one worm the long ones well my nephew was here n he seen my dog kept chewing at his butt he said his sister took her dog to the vet n it was hookworms .I have had one of my chi at the vet he never really looked at my cat he jus scrap the dog n said nothing bull crap he was looking right at the flakes I could of took the wrong dog to the vet it seem like I can cure the chis but it comes right back the boxer he is old bout 11 now I forgot to tell u I have pulled like white fibers from my skin n the dogs skin they will roll up help me if u roll them like a bug but white n I have rolled black looking ones but mostly I find parasite poop im really thinking this is effecting my health will the doctor believe me everyone else looks at me like im insane what to do please ask a vet or dr for me
It’s probably a good time to have the vet take a look at your dog’s ears. Our puppies have had ear infections and mites, but this doesn’t sound like anything we’ve experienced.
There are small black “stick tights on the outer edge of my dogs ears.Very difficult to remove and they are usually grouped together. I have also found a couple single ones on the paws and stomach area. Any suggestions?
Sorry to hear about all the little critters. It’s making my skin crawl. Unfortunately, I’m not too sure what they might be. Maybe an Exterminator would know.
Also additionally to both dogs, cat and me…
my home has seemed to erupt with every kind of bug.I’ve seen little white worms in our food…small with a rounded sort of antler head. They get into food, but clothing, fruit, even cigarette butts in driveway!
Ok, now I do sound crazy, but it is surely pushing me that direction!
Both dogs and my cat. Now me have an annoying, itchy bug in our hair. They burrow down and wrap up in the hair. When I open the cocoon like thing, eyelash type hairs and white fiber come out fist. A few times I have seen little black bugs come out from the animals only. Mine male a knot of hair and lay thousands of eggs that feel like sand when I shampoo. Borax is only thing that has helped so far on me. Not much on them HELP! AM I CRAZY?
They are lice. They love to chew on the hosts skin and cause severe itching. You can get preparations from your vet to stop these unwelcoming visitors. They also like human skin., so don’t delay.’
My dog Has not pooped in about 2 days , now he did but it looks wierd like orange eggs … I can’t afford to take him to a vet … Can someone please help ??
The best thing to do is visit your veterinarian and have him identify and treat whatever this may be.
My dog has these horrible tiny black hard things all over her except for stomach and legs. They are hard and “crunch” when you press down. I have seen NO fleas.HEEEELP.
found a 3-4 mm red hole in fleshy anus area of my old collie, pushed my fingers in both sides of it and squeezed, out popped a 12 mm x 3mm clear capsule containing a creamy coloured substance, put it in the fire, wish I had opened it to see what was inside. Scottish Borders UK
Interesting…
Just saying, ticks donmt feed on blood. They liquify surrounding cells then consume them. Still nasty buggers :0
You should check with your vet to make sure everything is okay with your dog.
My 8yr old dog was laying down, and she just now got up, and there was a worm about 1/2″ long. It was moving, and seemed to be a whole worm, and not a piece that had broke off. Do you think this crawled out of her, and should I be worried, as she is a house dog?
I’ve never seen tiny orange specs in my dog’s poop. The best thing to do would be to bring a sample in to your vet.
Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me what tiny orange specs in my puppies Poop could be? He was just treated for worms at the vet about 5days ago. Hes eating but not like he use to and is very skinny. Thank you
I don’t think I’ve encountered the parasites you’re talking about (thank goodness). You might want to check with your vet.
What are skinny hot dog shape parasites? About a 1/8 of an inch long. They moe kinda fast too. Black or brown in color.
Yes, parasites can be very annoying. We usually see a lot when helping out as fosters.
Fleas are very annoying in your pet, it took me a while to remove this pest. But sadly few weeks later my dog got earmites and I very worried how to cure it. It was luck that a friend of mine recommended me Qbased Solutions for Ear Mite Medicine Pack and the product works very well and I am happy that my dog is now healthy.
It sounds a lot like fleas. You might get a flea comb or take your dog to the vet. We use Advantage II to control fleas on our dogs.
Hi I can only find black bits at the tip of my dogs tail I did see a small black thing moving away near that area too but it only seems to be that area ive treat him to frontline how long should I wait to see a difference and is it fleas
Eek! Yes, I hate finding parasites on my dogs. I do my best to keep my dogs washed and well groomed.
Thanks! As I knw now why my pet was getting lots of ticks which worried me a lot.. Seriously when we find such creatures residing into our babies we stress out
I would take your dog and a sample to the vet.
My dog seems to have tape worms, but we arent sure. Should we take a sample to our vet?
I’m glad it helps! Thanks for stopping by!
thanks for all the details 🙂
this web is very useful to me
Fleas are a real harmful pest in Dogs life but sometimes also attached itself to us, a proper treatment and observation is one of the best key to achieve the goal of eliminating this pests. Some are educated and some would just ignore this, Let us fight fleas together Read More…
Lol, that hookworm looks so cartoony