Pets and Parasites Part 3 – Whipworms

Whipworms are considered to be one of the most common intestinal parasites we deal with in dogs. Adult whipworms do not produce eggs all of the time, so it may take multiple fecal examinations before these microscopic eggs are detected. This can make diagnosis a little more of a challenge. These worms also have a longer life cycle than the other common intestinal worms, making it harder to get rid of these parasites once a dog is infected.

How do dogs get whipworms?
Dogs can get infected by ingesting infective whipworm eggs in contaminated soil.

How can whipworms harm my dog?
These worms most commonly cause diarrhea. In severe cases, the diarrhea may become very bloody and cause anemia. It can also cause significant electrolyte disturbances. Dogs can become very ill if infection is severe.

Can whipworms harm my family?
Thankfully, these worms are not considered a health risk to people.

How can we protect your dog from whipworms?
Due to their prolonged life cycle, it takes several dewormings to rid your pet of whipworms.

Once whipworm eggs infect the environment, they can survive in the soil for years and be very difficult to eliminate. To help decrease contamination of the environment, feces should be removed from the yard promptly. Whipworm eggs in fresh feces cannot infect dogs, but they become infective once the feces has been on the ground for 2-3 weeks.

Since it is so difficult to get rid of whipworm infections, we recommend keeping dogs on a year-round heartworm prevention program that includes whipworm control.

Until recently, there were only a few heartworm products that have activity against whipworms. We are excited to announce that Interceptor is now back on the market! In addition to preventing heartworm infection, Interceptor is effective against 3 of the most common intestinal parasites that we see in dogs: roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.

We are currently running a promotion on boxes of Interceptor. While supplies last, you will receive a sock monkey dog toy and a $5 Visa gift card with purchase of a box of 6. You will also be automatically enrolled in a raffle for an iPad, just in time for the holidays!