What To Do If You Find Worms in Your Dog’s Poop

So, how do dogs even get worms in the first place? You keep your house clean and take your pooch to the vet for all their regular checkups, and yet you’re still seeing worms in your dog’s poop. How did they get there?

According to Nicole Savageau, VMD, a veterinarian with The Vets in Austin, Texas, some of the most common ways adult dogs get worms are by:

• Ingesting contaminated soil
• Eating contaminated feces (i.e., eating an infected dog’s poop)
• Eating wild animals or rodents that are infected with worms

Dogs can also get a tapeworm infection from fleas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a dog has infected fleas on them and then swallows some while self-grooming, the tapeworm eggs can turn into adult worms in your dog’s intestines.

Additionally, young puppies can get worms from their mom. Worms can be passed through the mother’s milk and placenta in the early stages of your pup’s life. This is why puppies are often put on a deworming protocol right away, even if no worms are spotted.

What the worms actually look like depends on the type of worm. There are four main types of worms that commonly infect dogs: roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms. (Note that ringworm, which dogs can also get, is a fungus, not an actual worm.)

The two types of worms most commonly seen in dog poop with the naked eye are roundworms and tapeworms, according to Dwight Andrew Alleyne, DVM, senior associate veterinarian at Petfolk in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

• Roundworms: Roundworms are white or light brown and usually resemble spaghetti or round strands. They can be a few inches long.
• Tapeworms: Tapeworms in dog poop are long and flat, and look like grains of rice. Tapeworms are segmented, and these smaller pieces that you can see in poop are tapeworm segments that have broken off.

While hookworms and whipworms are two other common types of worms in dogs, they are so small that you’d need a microscope to see them, according to Dr. Alleyne. Pet parents don’t typically notice them in their dog’s poop, but may suspect an infection due to changes in their dog’s behavior.

Visible worms are one of the most obvious signs of worms, but an infected dog will typically give you some other clues as well.

These other signs may not appear in mild infections, but they’ll become more obvious with heavier infestations, and are typically an indication that your dog needs vet care ASAP. That’s why it’s important to take note of changes in your dog’s behavior even if you can’t actually see any worms.

Here are some things you may notice in an infected dog:

• Diarrhea
• Bloating/distended abdomen (“pot-bellied” look)
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Scooting
• Licking or biting the anal area
• Stunted growth (in puppies)

Hookworms can also cause anemia and tarry stools—meaning dark, almost blackish-looking poop with a sticky consistency. This is more common in puppies than adult dogs, but if you’re concerned about hookworms, get your pup to the vet right away.

If left untreated, a worm infection can develop into a bigger issue. For example, tapeworms can burrow into your dog’s intestinal wall and absorb nutrients from your dog’s food as it’s digested. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies and weight loss, especially in active dogs.

Severe roundworm infections have the potential to cause an intestinal blockage, especially in puppies, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. While this is rare, it is possible.

The bottom line is that you should take action as soon as you see any signs of a possible infection. If you find worms in your dog’s poop, the first thing you want to do is call your veterinarian to schedule a checkup.

Once you have an appointment set up, you’ll need to secure a sample of your dog’s feces for testing. It’s best if you get at least a one-inch segment of poop and that the sample is fresh—ideally collected within 24 hours of your appointment, according to Dr. Alleyne.

If your dog’s stool is runny, do the best you can to scoop it into a sealed container or plastic bag; don’t try to soak up and discard any of the liquid.

Your veterinarian will use the stool sample to do a fecal exam, to determine if there are worms present and, if so, which type(s) you’re dealing with. They’ll also likely check for other intestinal parasites that may be contributing to your dog’s symptoms.

Fortunately, treatment for worms in dogs is simple. Once your vet identifies the type(s) of worms, they’ll put your dog on a deworming protocol. This usually involves oral, broad-spectrum medications that kill worms, worm eggs and other types of parasites and parasite eggs.

According to Dr. Savageau, it can take several days to several weeks to adequately clear out an active worm infection—with more serious infestations taking longer. It might require more than one cycle of the deworming medication too.

It’s important to work with your veterinarian and follow their instructions closely to make sure you’ve completely cleared out the infection. You may have to come back for a follow-up fecal exam, just to be sure.

While there are some over-the-counter deworming treatments available, Dr. Savageau says it’s best to consult your vet instead of trying at-home treatments on your own. This will ensure your dog is getting the proper care, and that the treatment is targeted at the right type of parasite.

While treatment of worms in dogs is pretty straightforward (and the prognosis is good), it’s best to try to prevent an infection from developing in the first place.

While worms and their larvae can find their way into your dog’s digestive system despite your best efforts, there are some things you can do proactively to try to prevent worms.

Dr. Alleyne says the best defense is making sure your dog is dewormed on a regular basis. This can be done by keeping them on a monthly heartworm prevention, which typically includes medication to treat various types of worms.

It’s also important to:

• Maintain a clean environment, especially if you have more than one pup
• Wash your dog’s bedding regularly
• Keep up with regular flea control
• Pick up (and discard) dog poop as quickly as possible
• Keep your dog away from wild dead animals (and live ones too!)
• Bathe your dog regularly, especially if your pup likes to roll around in the dirt
• Remove your shoes when you enter your home

All of these things can help reduce exposure and the risk of your dog inadvertently ingesting the worms and their eggs.