The whipworm is one of the four most common intestinal parasites of dogs. Whipworms reside in the cecum, which is inside your dog's body where the small intestine and large intestine meet. Dogs become infected with whipworms by swallowing infective whipworm eggs in soil or other substances that may contain dog feces.
How did my dog get whipworm?
Dogs become infected by eating the whipworm eggs in the soil, usually during grooming. Not all dogs show signs of a whipworm infection, but those that do may have diarrhea with blood and mucus, dehydration, and weight loss. Whipworm infections are diagnosed by finding parasite eggs during a veterinary fecal exam.
How contagious are whipworms in dogs?
Whipworms are not spread directly from dog to dog, but if your dog comes into an environment where another pet has released infective eggs (in their feces), then your dog can potentially become infected.
Where do whipworms come from?
People typically get whipworm infections after consuming dirt or water contaminated with feces containing whipworm parasites or their eggs. Whipworm eggs can get into the soil when contaminated feces are used in fertilizers or when an infected person or animal defecates outside.
Can you see whipworms in dog poop?
Hookworms and whipworms are seldom seen in a dog's stool, which is precisely why a stool sample is required. To reveal the presence of roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms, a veterinarian needs to use a microscope to look for their tiny eggs in a specially prepared sample of feces.
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