Worms are pesky little creatures that have proved themselves to be a problem for everybody, including dogs. They are everywhere and can practically get into anything breathing. Your pet, of course, isn't something that these critters just skip – they happen to be more prone to getting infested by worms. An infested pooch can pass the infestation onto its human owner, complicating things for the both of you. Therefore it's essential that you do your best to protect you and your dog from the squiggly vermin. A pet infested worms may sometimes not show any symptoms for some time at all.

Knowing just exactly what kind of worm your pet may be playing host to is important. Different worms have different responses to medication – bring it to a veterinarian for a diagnosis of the type of worm so specific treatment will be implemented. As time passes, an infested pooch will begin showing symptoms pertaining to the classification of the squiggling. In general, the most common symptoms include diarrhea. A change in the stool "hardness" is to be taken note of. You might be able to see some worms inside the stool, as well as traces of blood, which is a dud give away of defilement.

Another sign that could occur is weight loss. Bones could become more visible, and it's possible that it would be less energetic. It wouldn't be dragging you out of the gate if you were to put a leash on it, but shouldn't be taken as behavioral improvement. These two signs stated are usually because of a loss of appetite. It wouldn't be eating as much, in really bad cases, nothing at all. The fur of your pet would become dry for some reason, making it look bad - the overall look of your pet would change for the worse. And finally, vomiting may occur.

The symptoms stated above are some of the signs that your dog will most likely display; remember that different types of worm will have different effects and show symptoms. Many worms are bred in rotten food, which some pets love eating. Make sure you don't let your pooch do that. Be wary of dog parks and other public places that animals like to hang out at. These are potential breeding grounds for bad worms because of all the pooping taking place there. At home, make sure to properly get rid of your pooch's waste to prevent the contamination of the soil which could become a possible breeding area for the little critters.

Use gloves while doing so, not just to be hygienic but to play safe and eliminate the risk of getting yourself infested. There are available worm killing medicine out there, but it's advisable that you consult your veterinarian before buying anything. You can't just give something to kill something without knowing just exactly what that something is. Have a professional thoroughly diagnose and determine just what type of worm it is. After which he'll prescribe what kind of treatment it will need, and then you can got out and get whatever is needed to effectively kill whatever it is inside your dog.