A dog can vomit and this can be a common behavior, especially if he ingests foods he's not used to eating. The vomit may contain traces of food and clear fluid, which is the gastric acid. However, it may also happen that the vomit contains blood or worms. If your dog vomited worms, you should contact the vet.
Worms and Vomit
If the dog vomited worms this is a clear indicator that he is infested with parasites. The infestation with worms is more common in puppies than in older dogs. The worms may be contracted from other dogs or from an infested environment. In rare cases, fleas can also cause infestation with tapeworms. When worms are present in the vomit, this is most commonly due to roundworms, which are parasites that have the appearance of spaghetti strands and can be 5 to 8 cm long. The vomit typically contains just parts of worms and these will not move.
Worms and Health Dangers
If detected and eliminated, intestinal worms will not pose any health dangers in dogs. However, if the dog is weak or is a puppy and has had worms for a longer period, this can lead to a series of health dangers such as:
- Dehydration, which can be fatal in puppies
- Nutritional deficiency, which can be caused by the fact that the worms feed on the puppy's food
Additional Symptoms of Worm Infestation
Worm infestation may not always be manifested, and the dog vomiting worms may be the first signal. However, worms cause weight loss in almost all cases, so if you notice weight loss you should carefully monitor your pet for other more subtle symptoms. Other signs of worm infestation may include vomiting, coughing, pot bellied appearance, diarrhea, lack of appetite, lethargy and poor condition of skin and coat.
Types of Worms
The worms that can occur in dogs are hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms and heartworms.
Treatment of Intestinal Worms
A stool test is needed to identify the worms. You may also bring in a sample of the dog's vomit containing the worms.
The intestinal worms are easy to eliminate and the administration of dewormers can get rid of these parasites. Each type of worm will require a different type of dewormer and a different course of therapy. Some vets will recommend the administration of preventive drugs to avoid the recurrence of intestinal parasites.
It is important to treat the intestinal worms, not only for the health of the dog, but also for your health. Some intestinal worms are zoonotic, so they can be contracted by humans. Roundworms and hookworms can be transmitted from your pet. Make sure not to touch the worms in your pet's vomit without using gloves, as they're most likely to be roundworms.
A routine stool sample test should be performed at least once per year.