Worms, how did they get into my puppy?

It’s a simple answer really. Puppies have worms because when their mother has worm larvae inside her body. The worms in the mother are dormant until she starts lactating. Then the larvae become activated just before she gives birth. The worms travel to the milk and the puppies ingest the milk and the worms along with it.

There is just no getting around this. Your puppies will get worms from their mother.

That is why worming is so important. Many owners don’t think about it much but it is necessary to worm your dog or puppy to make sure they do not have any parasites, some of which can kill. 

So you have to worm your puppy more than once. Usually the breeder (a good breeder) will have wormed the puppies at least two times. Then when you take your puppy to the vet, ask him about worming your puppy and how often after that as he gets older.

I sent away for a puppy from a breeder in Idaho. I trusted her to have wormed my puppy but she obviously didn’t because my puppy started vomiting and out came two 2 inch round worms. I was horrified and disgusted all at the same time.

My vet gave me some worming medicine and now the worms are gone. 

Roundworms

Roundworms are the most common kind of puppy worms and most puppies are born with them because when a mother starts lactating the worms are activated. They can sometimes be seen in your puppy's feces, and are most often transmitted through contact with the worm eggs or larvae in the contaminated stools.

Tapeworms

The most common type of tapeworm is spread by fleas. You can often see tapeworms (or segments of them) in your puppy's feces. They look like small grains of rice and are white in color.

Whip worms

Whipworms are common, but they are difficult to detect. If your dog has these parasites he may show few symptoms early on, but regular fecal exams are necessary to make sure he has no more occurrences.

Hookworms

The hookworm is a very, very tiny and very bad parasite. They do best in warm, moist soil and actually penetrate through your puppy's skin and then travel to his intestines.

Heartworms

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes and they're the most deadly of the dog parasites. Heartworms take up residence in your dog’s heart and can cause serious health problems and if left untreated, death. If you live in a tropical or humid climate, check for heartworms. 

My brother’s dog died from heartworms in Hawaii. He will never forgive himself for her loss. She was a wonderful dog who died too early. Don’t make the same mistake. It’s all too easy to forget to check up on these things as our dogs don’t ask for much and can’t tell us they are not feeling well. 

Remember to take your dog in for a yearly checkup. Most breeders do wormings on a regular basis to keep their dogs healthy.