If you have seen worms in his stool then can cause a variety of health issues in dogs. Have you checked his water bowl? Are there worms in your dog’s water bowl? This is because of worms either in the environment or in this bowl. Bowls are a hot spot of risk especially if placed outdoors.
Is your dog upset these days? Have you noticed worms in his stool, and now you are worried about it?
We understand that you have been in a situation where you cannot give proper time and care to your pet. But, it is important to give time to your pet and understand what he is trying to tell you.
Here, we will provide the right information on the most common types of dog worms, their symptoms and how can you treat this at home without consulting a vet!
Reasons Why There Are Worms in Your Dog’s Water Bowl
There are many possibilities of worms entering your water bowl. Here is a list of common reasons why there are worms in your dog’s water bowl.[1]
1. From the Environment!
A worm can get to your dog’s water bowl from the surroundings.
I understand witnessing worms in his bowl is totally gross! This is a serious complication because then there is a high chance of the possibility that your pooch will ingest them. And, this will definitely lead to serious health issues for your best friend.
2. Worm In His Fur?
If your pooch spends most of his time outdoor there is a possibility that his lustrous fur can carry small worms.
Be it grass or dirt worm resides everywhere that is their home place and playing in grass may lead to the presence of small worms in your pooch’s fur.
You should give him a wash and quick brush this hair when he comes after playing from the garden this will eliminate the presence of worms in your home. Just like we clean ourselves when we come from outside dogs also need cleaning.
If you don’t do his yourself and because of irritation caused by small worms he self attempt to remove these worms that can even spread on their muzzle also and hence you can see worms in his water bowl.
Maintaining hygiene is essential for your dog’s health!
3. Roundworms In Its Tummies
One reason for the presence of worms in your dog’s water bowl is the existence of roundworms.
This happens due to parasitic infestation. If your dog has a roundworm in his tummies. The worms might deposit in his water bowl if vomited and has worms in his teeth or muzzle.
Kinds of Worms In His Water Bowl
When you see worms in your dog’s water bowl then mostly it would either be brown worms or white, or it could be mosquito larva.
When you see any of this worm you should immediately dump that water and clean his bowl with a cleanser.
Thus, by any chance your dog sips worms he can be affected by diarrhea or mild intestinal distress, or even some complicated health issue.
Prevention is better to keep your dog well and fit!
1. Brown Worms
The most common type of worm found in dogs is usually in light brown color they are the roundworm.
If you find this brown small creature in his water dish then it could be a dog’s parasite that has entered his intestine, and it is harmful if not taken proper medication and treatment.
It is a very common kind of worm and every vet knows how to treat that easily. Sometimes dogs get these roundworms in their birth from their mother.
Another way these worms reach your pet is by worn eggs which are found on things like the water bowl or in the surrounding and even found in stale food.
2. White Worms
If the dog’s water bowl has white worms that means it might be Gordian worms.
Gordian worms are in the white thread form. It is a parasite of crustaceans it is not usually seen in common house pets. They are mostly found near water places like puddles, lakes and sometimes in domestic water supplies too!
They develop inside the insect’s abdominal cavity. Later it tricks the body into bounce into the nearest water source.
Once they are jumped into your dog’s water bowl if not ingested by the dog it can normally live there till he gets old.
Fortunately, there won’t be any damage if by chance your dog ingests it because it is usually found that they end up puking, or it is expelled with the stools. But, they can give discomfort to your dog.
Now, how you can detect that your dog is infected by roundworms?
This can be identified if there is abdominal swelling, or if you see sudden weight loss in your pooch. Or he has a weakness. Diarrhea and coughing in dogs are also a symptom of roundworms. You can also check his stool they can even vomit out roundworms.
If he shows any of this symptom directly take him to a nearby vet for treatment.
3. Larva of Mosquito
Mosquito enjoys laying their eggs at your dog’s water dish because they need a pool of still water just like a pond. They can give around 250-300 eggs in a single go, and within just one and a half weeks, these eggs will become pupae.
So, by any chance, if your dog ingests these eggs or pupae, it can strongly destroy acid in their stomach. The larva does not have any disease.
When the pupae are turned into mosquitoes then these insects can feed your dog’s blood. They can also affect your pet with heart diseases and clog the major blood vessels leading to their heart. This can reduce the supply of blood to their other organs.
Some symptoms of these heart diseases in a dog include dry cough, loss of stamina, shortage of breath, limbs swelling, he could also just faint during playing or performing some physical activity. There can be loss of blood, or he can also suffer from jaundice.
However, to avoid this unfortunate incident you must clean his drinking water dish every single day. When you replace still water from his bowl with fresh you eliminate the growth of larva.
If you don’t have time to clean his bowl daily you better invest in pet fountains so that he can have fresh water.
What to Do Next?
Firstly you should throw that contaminated water in your dog’s water bowl and monitor that is showing any signs of gastrointestinal issues or not.
Dogs suffer from diarrhea or mild stomach upset if there water bowl is contaminated.
If he gains weight despite lack of appetite, or suffers from abdominal pain, if he excessively licks his anus, or gets lethargy then your dog must take him to go under medical examination.
So, to avoid this:
- Keep his bowl clean
- Avoid keeping water bowl outside the home
- Don’t use a plastic bowl
- Choose steel or ceramic water bowl
How to Get Rid of Worms In a Dog Without Consulting a Vet?
There are 5 ways by which you can treat your dog to get rid of worms at home.
1. Pumpkin Seeds Works
Firstly, you can give him pumpkin seeds they are effective and de-worms the agent due to the presence of an amino acid named cucurbitacin in it. It paralyzes the worms and eliminates them from your dog’s intestine. Secondly, you can give your dog pumpkin seed directly or by making it powder and add it to his food.
One tablespoon of raw unsalted pumpkin seed per 10lbs of weight two times a can be given to your pooch to prevent intestinal worms.
2. Carrots Equals Vitamins
You can also give him carrots they are a good source of vitamin A, and they can remove worms from the dog’s stomach easily. The carrots scrape the lining of the intestine and gut when they are digested so this way it removes the mucus and any parasite that are present in it. Feeding carrots to your pet is completely safe, and it also boots this immune system.
3. Dry Coconut Works Wonders
Use dry coconut it is a vermifuge which means it aid to remove the worm from the body. You can sprinkle 1tbs dry coconut powder for a small dog and 2 tablespoons for medium sod and for a large dog give 1tbsp. You can try giving coconut oil too! That also rid your dog of internal parasites also it has many additional health benefits.
4. Give Apple Cider Vinegar a Try
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) works effectively to treat worms in your dog’s stomach. It is different from normal vinegar because this apple cider vinegar increases the level of alkaline in your pet’s intestine which eliminates worms.
You can add 1/4 to 1 tablespoon of raw organic ACV to your pet’s water every day, and you can notice the improvement in the coat condition with various other health benefits.
5. Go for Yellow Turmeric
It is considered a superfood and used for many generations to boost immunity, and also it has anti-inflammatory properties and antibacterial quality too! It holds 4 compounds that help to get rid of worms plus aids to repair the damage caused by these germs in the intestine of your dog. Hence, results in a healthy gut.
The curcumin in the turmeric can be hard for your dogs to absorb, so we suggest you combine turmeric with a healthy oil like coconut oil to make a paste to feed your dog.
FAQs
NO! They can get infected with Giardia if they swallow contaminated water. It is a tiny parasite that causes diarrheal disease. This parasite is often found on the surface of the soil, food, or it could be because of the water that has been polluted by feces.
A: Yes! This is possible.
A dog can get an intestinal disease from the lake and river water. Lakes, ponds, and rivers are parasites’ happy places. So, if your dog drinks contaminated rivers, he may likely suffer from giardia and crypto-sporidia.
Yes you can get parasites from your dog. Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasite which affects our house pets.
Humans can also be accidentally affected by worms if their pets have worms through their feces left in the environment.
Summing It All Up!
Finding worms in your dog’s water bowl is unpleasant not just for you but, also for your dog’s health too!
Once you come across this situation you should take proper treatment, and must know where are these worms coming from? Likewise, it is significant to know the root cause of the problem.
We have already discussed some of the most common reasons why your dog bowl has worms. I hope you receive help from this article. If any of the tricks helped you to fight this health problem do let us know. We would like to know about it, you can do this simply by commenting below!
References:
- A.H. Southwest. (2014, December 18). Parasites: There are worms in my dog’s water dish! Animal Hospital Southwest. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from http://animalhospitalsouthwest.com/parasites-worms-water-dish/
- Staff, S. X. (2018, September 19). Life-threatening bacteria thrives in pets’ water bowls, experts discover. PHYS.ORG. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://phys.org/news/2018-09-life-threatening-bacteria-pets-bowls-experts.html
- Arford, K. (2021, October 13). Is It Safe For Dogs to Drink Out Of Communal Water Bowls? American Kennel Club. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/is-it-safe-for-dogs-to-drink-out-of-communal-water-bowls/
Peter Thielen has studied veterinary medicine and is a veterinary advisor at DogLovesBest. All the articles on this website that has to do something with the dog’s health go under his scrutiny before getting published. He also writes some of the featured articles on dog foods, treats, or other products, along with tips and tricks for canines for healthy living.