What are whipworms?
The whipworm is one of the four most common intestinal parasites of dogs. Adult whipworms are white and about two to three inches long. They live in the colon and cecum – a structure similar to the human appendix. These worms have a slender end and a thick end, so they look like a whip. Whipworms attach to the lining of the colon and cecum where they feed on tissue fluids and blood. More than 2,000 adult worms have been found in some dogs with severe clinical signs.
Is whipworm infection serious? What do these worms do to my pet?
One adult female whipworm may lay 2,000 or more eggs a day. These eggs are carried outside the pet’s body with the stool, contaminating kennels and yards. Under optimal conditions of humidity and temperature, immature whipworms called larvae develop within the eggs. These larvae develop in the digestive tract for about 90 days before they become adults that are capable of laying eggs. Whipworm infection is a common cause of inflammation of the colon in dogs. Signs of infection include chronic diarrhea, anemia, and weight loss. Severe whipworm infection can be fatal.
Where does my pet get them from?
Pets acquire whipworms when they ingest soil contaminated with eggs containing infective larvae or other substances that may contain animal feces.
Can I get whipworms?
Canine whipworms (Trichuris vulpis) very rarely occur in other species, so they are not considered a risk to human health
How do you find out if my pet is infected?
Bayside Animal Hospital will do an intestinal parasite screening which consists of receiving a sample of your pet’s feces either with a loop or from the yard. The fecal sample will be spun down in a centrifuge and then placed on a slide. The slide will then be read by a trained technician to look for presence of whipworm eggs.
If my pet’s parasite screening is positive for whipworms, what is the treatment plan?
Whipworm infections are treated with dewormers; however, three or more treatments may be necessary because of the parasite’s life cycle. Diarrhea may be treated with medications that coat and protect the intestine and reduce intestinal spasms.
Deworming medication includes 5 days of Panacur-C granules. This granule comes in a small package designed to be poured over your pets food. You will have to treat your pet once monthly for 3 months. A recheck intestinal parasite screening will need to be done 1 month after final dose of medication to make sure the infection has cleared.
Does my pet need to be on a special diet during treatment?
If your pet has whipworm infection, your veterinarian may suggest a dietary change based on your pet’s age and body condition, and on the presence or absence of disease in other organs and body systems. If your pet is anemic or has lost weight as a result of whipworm infection, your veterinarian may give you special feeding instructions. Some patients with these complications may benefit from foods with increased levels of protein and energy during the recovery process. With mild infections, typically pets can eat their regular
food. Sometimes if diarrhea is persistent, your veterinarian may recommend a
bland diet.
What can I do to protect my pet from re-infestation after treatment?
Control of reinfections is difficult because whipworm eggs are among the most resistant eggs known to veterinarians. Daily removal of feces (and whipworm eggs before they become infective) from the kennel or yard will gradually reduce the number of whipworm eggs in your pet’s environment. Because whipworms are sometimes more difficult to diagnose than other intestinal parasites, it is important that you take your dog to see a veterinarian at least annually for an intestinal parasite screening.
The whipworm life cycle
Whipworm egg under a microscope
