Parasites- are organisms that can live in or on another living
thing. Parasite checks must be conducted early and often, since
parasites can be transmitted to puppies from their mothers. If left
unchecked, parasites can make life miserable for you and your
puppy. As with most health problems, prevention of parasites is
easier and less expensive than treatment. So be alert for early
signs and symptoms. Below are a few.
Internal Parasites usually live in a puppy's digestive system and
are detected by an examination of the puppy's stool. Treatment
for worms and parasites can begin at two weeks of age and be
repeated every two or three weeks as determined by your
veterinarian. Researchers believe that most puppies are infested
by roundworms and hookworms from their mother, so many
veterinarians administer worming medication to all puppies.
Roundworm- This parasite can be transmitted from the mother to
her pups before birth or during nursing. The thin, spaghetti like
parasite, about five inches long, can cause a potbellied
appearance. The larvae migrate though a puppy's body and are
sometimes seen in dog feces. Stunted growth, vomiting, diarrhea,
dehydration, and sometimes pneumonia can result from
roundworm infection, or no symptoms may be visible.

Hookworm- This is one of the most dangerous of all intestinal
parasites. The hookworm can be transmitted from mother to pups
before birth and during nursing. This worm fastens itself onto the
walls of the dog's small intestine. Hookworm infection may
produce lethargy, anemia, poor appetite, and black tarry stools
containing blood.

Whip-worm- This parasite settles into the lower end of a dog's
digestive tract, causing chronic bowel inflammation, mucus in the
stool, weight loss, and diarrhea.

Tapeworm- In larva from, this parasite usually enters a dog's
body when he swallows a flea. Rodents can also be a source of
tapeworm. It seldom causes obvious symptoms, but visible
segments can be found in the feces of an infected animal. Mature
tapeworms feed from the intestines, causing the dog to eat more
than normal without weight gain. Because of the chance of
re-infestation, your dog should be relatively free of fleas when he
is treated for tapeworm.

Coccidia- Symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, weight loss,
and loss of appetite. Sometimes infested puppies show no
symptoms. This is a common problem. More info here.

Heart-worm-Transmitted by the bite of a mosquito, this
dangerous parasite lives in a dog's heart or near it in major blood
vessels. Heart-worm disease can be fatal. It causes heart or lung
damage, coughing, lethargy, and fatigue. Heart worms can be
detected by a blood test. Heart-worm is difficult to cure but easy
to prevent with medication from your veterinarian. A blood test is
taken to ensure that heart-worm is not already present before
administering a heart-worm preventative. The medicine is
administered in monthly or daily doses during the mosquito
season or, in some areas, year round. Never treat a dog for
heart-worm except under the supervision of your veterinarian.,
Parasites