Worms in Dogs
Canine worms can cause a variety of health problems in dogs. Here you’ll find a brief description of the most common types of worms in dogs, with links to in-depth articles on how these worms can infect your dog and what you can do to prevent and treat them.

1. Roundworms
Usually spread in feces or during pregnancy or nursing, the roundworm causes a serious infection in dogs and puppies. The roundworm eats the food of its host and may cause diarrhea and other symptoms. In puppies, roundworms can be fatal. Prescription and over-the-counter deworming products for dogs are very effective. If people contract roundworms, their symptoms can be even more serious than those in dogs. Read the full article.

2. Hookworms
Living mainly in the small intestine, hookworms suck the blood of their hosts. Puppies can become infected from their mothers. Adult dogs can be infected through their skin or when cleaning themselves. Infection causes weakness and malnutrition and can lead to death in puppies. Two rounds of deworming medication are usually effective, but a puppy may need other treatment, as well.  Humans can also become infected with hookworms from unwashed vegetables or by walking barefoot on sand and soil. Read the full article.

3. Heartworms
Heartworms are spread to dogs through mosquito bites. Up to 14 inches long, a heartworm lives in the heart and the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. Heartworms affect how the heart functions and how blood clots and is likely to cause death if untreated. Monthly heartworm preventives are effective. If infected, your dog may cough, have trouble breathing, and experience other symptoms. Treatment may involve two or three injections of arsenic-based drugs, followed by at least a month of rest. Read the full article.

4. Whipworms
Whipworms live in the area where the small and large intestines meet. Here, they suck the blood of their hosts. Dogs can pick them up from contaminated soil or by grooming. Whipworms do not cause serious blood loss or other serious symptoms unless large numbers embed in the intestine. Some heartworm preventives are effective against whipworms, and an oral dewormer is effective at eliminating whipworms.

5. Tapeworms
Dogs get tapeworms from licking themselves and swallowing fleas, which carry them. Tapeworms absorb some of the dog’s nutrients from the intestine where they attach. The tapeworm is made up of small segments, each about the size of a grain of rice. These are passed in feces and can sometimes been se around the dog’s anus. An injection or tablet can kill tapeworms. Humans can also get tapeworms, but people don't get them from an infected pet. Read the full article.

6. Ringworm
Despite its name, ringworm is not a worm at all. It is a skin infection caused by a fungus. In dogs, ringworm often presents as a dry, gray, scaly patch, although it may cause no symptoms at all. In people, it forms a round, red lesion with a ring-like appearance. Dogs pick up ringworm when their skin comes into contact with the spores of the fungus. Spores are commonly found in the soil or on cats. The spores can be present on a cat even when it shows no symptoms. People can catch it by touching an infected pet. Treatment for ringworm in dogs may involve medicated dips, shampoos, or ointments. Your dog may also need oral medication for one to two months. You may need to take other measures to clear ringworm from the environment or prevent its spread.

If your dog has a fever!!

The word “fever” is typically used to describe elevated body temperature caused by infection or inflammation. In an adult dog, a normal body temperature is between 38 and 39.2ºC (100º and 102.5ºF) . If your dog's temperature is anywhere above this average, as with humans, your dog has a fever. This can appear as a result of a serious disease of viral nature, such as parvovirus. In other cases, it may be due to a cold or it could be a symptom of hyperthermia. In any case, the temperature must be lowered to a normal level.

Although there are no definite signs, some symptoms that might indicate illness and fever in dogs include:Lethargy, Depressed mood, Shivering, Loss of appetite, Vomiting, Coughing and Nasal discharge

A variety of illnesses and conditions may make your dog run a fever. These include: Infection, Vaccination and Toxins.

Home remedy

1. It is important to keep your dog well hydrated as long as he has a fever. Encourage it to drink plenty of water, and if it refuses, you can prepare it some chicken broth! Just make sure you leave the chicken bones out, as they can be harmful to your pet. You should make sure that the water bowl is close to the spot your dog is resting so that he doesn't have to travel very far.

2. When a dog has fever, Feeding your dog a diet that's high in calories and nutrients is important for it to gain back its strength. If your dog refuses to eat solids, you can try feeding him some canned food or more chicken or beef broth.
If you're worried about your dog's diet, take a look at our article on what to give a dog with a fever for more specific information.

3. To refresh and cool down a dog with a fever, you can wet a sponge or cloth in lukewarm water and wipe the skin on its abdomen, armpits and groin. Remember to dry the wet parts - you can use the cold air from a hairdryer to do this.

4. If your dog has a high fever, one of the most used home remedies is to wash your dog in lukewarm water for two minutes maximum. It's very important not to exceed this time as its organism can fight against the stimuli produced by the water, increasing its temperature even more as well as producing a higher energetic expenditure in our dog, thus putting it in a difficult situation. Do not wash your dog with cold water.
This measure will help lower the fever if you can't immediately take your dog to the vet.

5. If the previous home remedies don't work for your dog's fever, another option is to place ice packs between your dog's back legs and head during a couple of minutes. It's not advisable for your dog to stay damp or wet during a long time as its situation could get worse, favoring a cold if it doesn't have one yet.

6. If after 24 hours your dog still has a fever, consult a veterinarian to find out the underlying cause of the fever. For a bacterial infection, vets will often prescribe oral antibiotics. Your vet may also prescribe oral administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Follow the directions of your veterinarian very closely and be sure to complete the entire course of the treatment. Not completing an entire course of antibiotics can lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Tips
If your dog is very young or very old, it is recommended to take him to the veterinarian immediately if he develops a fever. Very young puppies and very old dogs are more vulnerable to infections.