Intestinal parasites (worms) are a common concern for puppy owners. First and foremost, don’t panic. It is a normal occurrence for immature puppies to have some intestinal parasites. They usually contract the parasites from their mother’s milk and just don’t have a mature immune system to combat the clinical symptom of diarrhea.

Your puppy will have been given a dewormer by their breeder and deworming is usually repeated another one or two times by your veterinarian. These dewormings are very effective and a fecal analysis will identify if your puppy is free of intestinal parasites.

Safe handling of your puppy’s bowel movements is still advised to prevent any transfer of intestinal parasites to you or your family members. Always dispose of the feces immediately or designate a specific spot in the yard for your puppy to potty where your family does not play or walk through regularly. Thorough hand washing habits should still be followed after playing with your puppy and before meals.

Finally, administering a monthly heartworm and intestinal parasite preventative will help to control your pet’s risk of contracting intestinal parasites again in the future. There are numerous products available, but I encourage you to purchase ones from your veterinarian that have undergone research and testing and are supported with guarantees and knowledgeable staff.