Roundworms

Roundworms are intestinal parasites that live in the intestines of dogs. Their scientific name is ‘Toxocara canis’. They are very common. In fact, almost 100% of dogs have roundworms shortly after birth as they get them from their mom. These parasites don’t just stop in the gut, however, as they can migrate throughout the body and encyst in other tissues.

Common symptoms of roundworm infection include diarrhea, poor weight gain (puppies), and vomiting. You can actually see the worms, they look like spaghetti when they exit in the stool. Adult female roundworms can produce up to 200,000 eggs per female per day so you can quickly contaminate where your dog poops. To diagnose roundworms, we must either see the worm or perform a fecal examination to look for the eggs. Our veterinarian recommends yearly fecal testing for all dogs but especially for those who are outside.

Most heartworm preventatives for dogs also include a dewormer for roundworms in addition to their heartworm prevention. If your dog is not on heartworm preventative, please call us immediately to schedule a heartworm test as it can be a life-threatening disease.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!! – Roundworms are zoonotic…a.k.a. infectious to people. Several thousand people, primarily children, are infected with roundworms yearly in the U.S. and approximately 700 per year lose vision because of roundworm migration. Pick up your dog’s poop when you take him/her for a walk!