THE WILD AND AMAZING LIFE STORY OF ROUNDWORMS

What is a roundworm?

Roundworms or (Ascariasis) are tiny parasites that live in the digestive system. Roundwormsurvives off of partially digested intestinal substances. The parasites have the name roundworm literally because of their round structure. Roundworm is the most prominent worm that lives in the digestive system. Puppies are the most at risk for serious symptoms such asdiarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, dull hair, and a pot-bellied appearance. Furthermore, if the roundworm is present in the lungs the dog may begin to cough.

The Life Cycle of Roundworms

At first, the roundworm lays eggs in the dog's intestines. When the dog shares its feces with the surrounding environment it contaminates surrounding plants and soil with the roundworm eggs. If a dog eats the contaminated plants, dirt, or rodents that have been contaminated they can now be infected with roundworm. A mother can also pass on roundworm through the roundworm larvae in the milk.

How is roundworm diagnosed?

A clear diagnosis of roundworm is made by a microscopic examination of the dog's feces. In adults, at times one can examine roundworms through vomit.

How is roundworm infection prevented?

Many heartworm medications such asHeartgard® Plus, Interceptor® Plus, Simparica® Trio, Nexgard® Spectra, and Advantage® Multi have broad spectrum dewormers in them. . These medications are a powerful tool against intestinal roundworms and to stop any future infections. A few of the preparations only stop adult roundworms and do not stop migrating or encysting larva

Roundworm Treatment

Deworm puppies after six weeks of pregnancy, you can repeat this process every two weeks for four treatments. Another option is to use heartworm prevention medicine. Lastly, always manage rodents to prevent contamination of the environment. Using all these tactics will lower the chances of a roundworm in your dog.

Zoonosis and Roundworm

Before we discuss the topic of Zoonosis and how it relates to roundworms a question must be answered: what is Zoonosis? Zoonosis isa disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals. This is extremely important regarding roundworms since humans can get infected by dogs. If humans come in contact with infected soil and become infected symptoms can include eye, lung, heart, and neurologic signs in people.

Summary

Overall, roundworm is a dangerous disease that should be taken seriously. Always make sure that you and your pet are taking the necessary precautions to stay safe from roundworms.