Which is worse roundworms or tapeworms

One type of hookworm can make its way into deeper tissues and cause more serious damage to the intestines and other organs. How can I protect my pets—and my family and myself—against worm infections? More information about safe and healthy pet ownership. More information on hookworms. More information on roundworms. Contact Us. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate.

View this page as PDF. To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address. What's this? Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Main Content. Important Phone Numbers. Top of the page. Sitting, working, playing, or walking barefoot on soil or sand where hookworms have hatched gives them a chance to burrow into your skin.

You can swallow hookworm or roundworm eggs when you eat with unwashed hands after touching soil or sand that has the eggs in it. You can swallow hookworm or roundworm eggs with unwashed food. To protect against hookworms and roundworms: Teach children that it is dangerous to eat soil. Teach children to wash their hands after they play outside. Use shoes and gloves when you walk on or handle soil or sand. On a beach, avoid sitting directly on the sand. Clean up pet waste often.

This helps prevent any worm eggs from hatching into the soil. Hookworms are passed in the feces, and can infect other animals and people too. Whipworms can cause severe damage to these organs, and are considered one of the most harmful dog worms in existence, but are also more geographically distinct than other dog worms. They can live in the yard for several years. Heartworms: Heartworms in dogs live in the heart and pulmonary arteries. They are transmitted by infected mosquitoes, which migrate throughout the body over about 6 months before finally coming to rest in the circulatory system.

They are preventable and treatable, but can be fatal if not diagnosed and arrested before the advanced stages of infestation. Ringworm: Ringworm, or dermatophytosis, is a skin disease caused by a fungus that results in lesions and sores on the epidermal or outer skin layer.

Interestingly enough, ringworm is not caused by a worm at all, but rather by an infection of dead layers of skin, hair and nails. Ringworm is curable, but treatment can take time and the condition can be very painful. Tapeworms In Dogs Tapeworms in dogs most commonly come from ingesting a host animal or object that contains tapeworm eggs. Dogs that spend time outdoors are at an increased risk of contracting tapeworms, as the contraction and infestation process demonstrates: Tapeworm eggs are attached to flea larvae through locational contact A dog comes into contact with the host flea larvae through skin or oral contact If skin contact, the dog bites and licks to combat the biting flea, which can cause an ingestion of the tapeworm eggs, which will become tapeworms If oral contact, the dog swallows the flea in its entirety, and the digestion process turns the flea into a tapeworm in the intestines Tapeworms in dogs feed off of partially digested food in the intestines, which robs a dog of much needed nutrients and vitamins at the least.

They should be hard to the touch, and golden in color. Symptoms Of Dog Worms It is important for dog owners to be on the lookout for symptoms of worms, because by the time your canine friend displays signs of infestation, he or she is usually already well along in the process. How Are Dog Worms Treated? For tapeworms in dogs , the medication breaks up tapeworms inside of the intestinal tract, making them too small to see in the feces For roundworms in dogs , the medication detaches the worms from the intestinal tract, and excrete them into and with the stool For hookworms in dogs , the medication kills the adult hookworms only.

We will recommend another treatment in weeks to treat the hookworms that were babies during the first treatment For ringworm in dogs , we can prescribe antifungal medications, shampoos, lime-sulfur dips, and the shaving or severely affected areas For whipworms in dogs , we can prescribe medication in week intervals, and then every months to help prevent a re-infestation For heartworms in dogs , we can prescribe injectible medication given in the hospital , antibiotics, special diets, diuretics to reduce fluid accumulation, and even extended prescription of heart medication in extreme cases We highly recommend consulting your veterinarian before purchasing or administering any over-the-counter or prescription medication for dog worms.

Steps To Prevent Dog Worms Fortunately, various preventive measures can be taken to help ensure your human, canine, and other assorted family members remain at a lower risk for contracting and spreading dog worms. However, both newly homed puppies and rehomed adult dogs should be dewormed as follows: Puppies: Initial treatment at weeks of age and then as directed by your veterinarian. After the initial treatment s are completed, we recommend a monthly heartworm preventive that also helps prevent intestinal parasites.

This should be the beginning of an annual dewormer for dogs protocol that your veterinarian can monitor and adjust if necessary. Adult Dogs: Once the initial dewormer for dogs has been given as a puppy, dogs should receive monthly preventives year round. Newly Acquired Dogs: No matter the age or documented history, we recommend a dewormer for dogs immediately upon acquisition, then again as recommended by your veterinarian, with a monthly dewormer for dogs preventive to follow as directed.

We proudly serve the following areas and zip codes: North Greenbush or Troy, , , , , , , , If You Suspect Your Dog Has Worms, Schedule An Appointment Our dedicated veterinary team is here to help answer any dog worms questions you might have, and can schedule an appointment for your canine friend today. Service Category:. Share this Content. About Visit our office to get the latest in top-quality veterinary care along with unparalleled service.