Gastrointestinal Parasites in Dogs: Nero’s Spaghetti Diarrhea

Puppies contract intestinal worms through their mother’s milk. The parasites’ clever life requires multiple treatments to eliminate them from their system.

The common intestinal parasites in dogs include:

  • hookworms
  • roundworms
  • whipworms
  • tapeworms

In puppies, severe infestation can become a life-threatening problem.

Depending on which parasite is ailing the puppy, symptoms might include:

  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • excessive gas
  • weight loss
  • pot-bellied appearance
  • anemia
  • secondary infections
  • stunted growth

Further information: A Primer On Intestinal Worms

Gastrointestinal Parasites in Dogs: Nero's Spaghetti Diarrhea. Puppies contract intestinal worms through their mother's milk. The parasites' clever life requires multiple treatments to eliminate them from their system.

Nero’s story

Nero was a five-months-old Cockapoo. His family brought him home when he was a little puppy. Nero received loving care—his parents had him vaccinated, wormed, and treated for fleas.

Shortly after he settled in his new home, Nero developed diarrhea with blood in it. His mom took him to a veterinarian. Because Nero got his deworming medication and the veterinarian couldn’t discover an obvious problem, he recommended a bland diet of chicken and rice. Nero’s belly could have been unhappy from stress or change in his diet.

A disturbing discovery

One morning Nero had diarrhea in the house but the pile contained more than loose poop. The poop was full of spaghetti-like worms. How could that happen?

Nero ended up back at the veterinary clinic. Could it be that the treatment was not effective? Nero was treated with quality topical product that should kill fleas and intestinal worms. Nero received a dose appropriate for his weight when the veterinarian prescribed it—but that was a month earlier. As it turned out, Nero grew faster than expected.

The amount of medication Nero received weakened the worms but it wasn’t enough to kill them all.

The solution

The veterinarian prescribed a higher dose as well as regular weight checks to stay on top of things.

Source story:
Nero, a five-months-old Cockapoo

Related articles:
A Primer On Intestinal Worms
Canine Intestinal Parasites: Cookie Has Tapeworm Infection

Further reading:
Internal Parasites in Dogs

Categories: Conditions • Diarrhea • Dog care • Dog health advocacy • Intestinal parasites • Parasites • Real-life Stories • Symptoms

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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