Worms in dogs!

Why does the veterinarian want to check a dejection sample?  Dogs are victims of several internal parasites frequently referred to as worms. The most common are the roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms.  Of these four only two are commonly seen in the dejection with the unaided eye: roundworms and tapeworms. When they are fresh they are whitish in appearance.  The single entire tapeworm will usually not be seen externally, and all you might see in the dejection or attached to the fur would be the small segments that detach from the end of the tapeworm. Hooks and whips are so small that they seldom are seen in the dejection.

That's precisely why a dejection sample is often required in order to discover which parasite is present; the eggs of all  these worms can be seen under the microscope and that's how their presence is detected, by looking for their eggs under the microscope! Keep in mind that it is the goal of each parasite to stay in the safety of the intestinal tract; if they come out, they'll die!   They don't want to be detected! Most worm infestations cause any or all of these symptoms: diarrhea, perhaps with blood; weight loss; dry hair; general poor appearance; and vomiting, perhaps with worms in the vomit. However, some infestations cause few or no symptoms; in fact some worm eggs or larvae can be dormant in the dog's body and activated only in times of stress, or in the case of roundworms and hookworms, until the later stages of pregnancy when they activate and infest the soon-to-be-born puppies.

Why should the veterinarian check a dejection sample? Early diagnosis for the presence and type of intestinal parasite is very important.  The dejection (only about a teaspoonful is needed) is mixed with a special solution to make the microscopic eggs more visible. Depending upon which kind of worm is present a certain type of dewormer may have to be used. For example, if a cat has roundworms the veterinarian will want to prescribe a certain kind of medication specific for the elimination of roundworms.  If tapeworms are present, a different dewormer will be used. Not all worms respond to the same treatment and no single dewormer works against all kinds of parasites.  And some non-prescription dewormers are quite ineffective in removing worms from the dog.  Your veterinarian will have available for you the best kinds of dewormers for the particular type of parasite your pet has. Therefore, dejection samples should be taken to the veterinarian for microscopic examination for the worm eggs if worms are suspected. Many veterinarians include the dejection check as part of the annual health examination.