[Kayla]

Dexter doesn’t seem sick or anything. He is still happy and very active, however… I noticed something strange in his stool. His still is brown and hard (normal)…but something in it was not normal. The first poop was normal, however the second poop had three short/small/flat/white things in it… I’m worried. Did not appear to be moving. I would post a picture but they might be tmi 🙁

I am going to watch his stool again when I take him out again tonight. What should I do? What is this? Never had this happen before.

How much will a vet cost?

[Kayla]

Pic included! Do not click on picture if it is too TMI for you!

http://tinypic.com/r/21m83zo/8

[Dog_Obsessed]

If the bits looked like rice, then they could be tapeworms. Tapeworms are transmitted from the dog swallowing an infected flea. As far as I know it is not particularly dangerous, just annoying. If it is that then it does need vet attention though. I once had a foster dog with it, and the treatment was an oral two-time medication. It isn’t necessarily tapeworms, it could be that something he ate didn’t fully digest. If it happens again, or if he seems itchy around his er…anus, then take him to the vet and have them do a fecal test. Cost depends on where you are and which vet you take him to.

Edit: Just saw pic, does look a bit like tapeworms. Has he pooped since?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[Lord F]

Really weird, I have no idea what that is, but just today I saw the same thing in my puppy’s stool! At first I thought maybe oats or something he picked up, but after I checked a bit more, not oats, and I couldn’t figure out what else it could be. Hopefully someone here has an answer for this.

[Kayla]

Not, not since….This just happened not too long ago. He will go again tonight and I was going to check then… Sorry the picture is blurry.

And, I tried to look around the anus and didn’t see any thing that looked like worms or anything. He doesn’t seem itchy down there either.

[Kayla]

As for fleas, he did have like 3 but I gave him flea baths and I have been checking him and can’t find anymore fleas. This was a while ago.

[Kayla]

Should I wait a few days? Like 2? to make sure it wasn’t something he ate or what?

[Dog_Obsessed]

Going to be honest here; I don’t really know if you should wait or go as soon as possible. I’m hoping someone else will have an answer on that, sorry!

[theBCnut]

It is definitely tapeworms. You can get the medication for them over the counter now at feed stores and the big box store pet supply places. Of all the worms, tapeworms are the least harmful. They steal a little nutrition and can cause a poor coat, but not much more than that. Your dog ate an infected flea quite some time ago. Those things are egg packets, not the actual worm, and they don’t shed egg packets until they are old enough. You don’t need the vet for them. The wormer is one of the safest. You do need a good weight though.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by theBCnut.

[Kayla]

I’m so worried, this never happened to a Dog that I ever had before! He isn’t sick or anything. I just took him about again and he pooped again (stool still is normal) and only one of those little suckers was there! I took a picture…only to show Vet if I need too.

What should I do now? Is it serious? I read online that they need to be seen by a vet for treatment asap.

I found this?

Should I try this medication or vet?

[Kayla]

Last time I weighed him he was about 50 pounds! I will weigh him again though.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Kayla:
It’s been a long time since I had a dog with something like that in her stool and she was a puppy. It looks to me like worms. At the least I would drop off a sample (white things included) for a fecal exam. Of course if he isn’t acting normal I would take him to the Vet right away.

[Kayla]

He is acting normal! Still eating, loves to play and very active. He is not acting sick or anything.

[Kayla]

[Dog_Obsessed]

As BCnut said, this isn’t serious. IMO, I wouldn’t recommend using a home de-wormer, I would rather use a vet one. I just trust it more. This one actually says “consult your veterinarian for the treatment of worms and parasites” on it. If you cannot easily take your dog to the vet, then you can call them and ask if this would be okay to use.

[theBCnut]

You want one that is just Praziquantel, but if it has Pyrantel too, that’s not too bad. Both of those are safe at double the recommended dose, and in fact often used at double the dose.

As I said, they are not serious, just gross. Dogs do NOT get sick from these worms. They can carry them for months without any symptoms at all.

Vets do not diagnose this kind of worm except through owner reporting. They do not show up on fecal tests and quite often, by the time the vet sees the stool, those egg packets are no longer visible.

[Kayla]

Oh okay…Thank you!!

Did you look at links? I can’t use those? Are they found at Walmart?

[Kayla]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hartz-UltraGuard-Plus-Rid-Worm-Tablets-for-Large-Dogs-Dogs/10312031

[frostyrockyk]

One other thing to keep in mind , always wash your hands after you handle your dog & clean up as much poop as possible , burn it or put it in the trash. Wash before you eat ! If you see them drag their butt on the ground , likely the same problem . At low infestation they are no big deal , I have heard they can plug up a dog if left alone . I got one 80 lb dog from a guy that had 8 or so adults & a batch of new pups , he was about 7 months old . Not long after I had him he barfed up a base ball size ball of worms , I had never seen anything like that before or since . He lived to over 13 yrs ! ALL IS WELL !

[Dori]

Take a stool sample to the vet. When your dog poops take a sample from the middle or if it’s small take the entire sample. Worms don’t have to be active and moving to be present. My only other thought is I’m wondering if you are feeding him as a snack or if it’s present in the food, coconut chips. I give my girls coconut chips as a treat and once in a while they look like that. Anyway, I have not read any of the others responses. Holiday time and I’m running around like a chicken without her head. Just wanted to put my two cents in without reading all the responses.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Oh yeah, thanks frostyrockk, I was going to mention that but forgot.

[theBCnut]

Frostyrockyk
You are describing things that can happen with roundworms, which those are not. And butt scooting is usually anal glands, not worms.

Kayla
Yes, I looked at the links. The first and last ones, do not use. The second one, Sargeants Vetscription Worm Away, would be OK, but I would try to find the right drug at a local place first rather than wait days for Amazon, just due to the ick factor. The brand usually found at feed stores is called D-Worm. And the ones my vet told me to look for at Petco were called Tradewinds Tape Worm Tabs.

[Kayla]

I have free two day shipping with amazon.. It will be here on Friday if I order it today. However, I have been looking online at walmart and petsmart…found this

http://www.petsmart.com/food-health/digestive-urinary-health/d-worm-combo-broad-spectrum-dog-de-wormer-zid36-13172/cat-36-catid-100054?var_id=36-13172

http://www.petsmart.com/food-health/digestive-urinary-health/bayer-expert-care-tapeworm-dewormer-dog-tablets-zid36-22495/cat-36-catid-100054?var_id=36-22495

[frostyrockyk]

Like many here I am not always happy with my Vet. I have also had times when I felt like I wanted to save $$. There are times when the cost of saving $1 = $30 . My thought is , if I want my vet to be there when I really need him / her , if I can , I should spend a few extra $ with Them & not WALMART! If they check out the stool , I trust them to give me the right meds , Just a thought .

[Kayla]

Should I try the deworm meds or call the vet for a visit in the morning? 🙁

[Bobby dog]

I have used OTC meds for tapeworms in the past with no issues and would again. BC has given you some good suggestions for products to look into. I would probably still do a fecal exam to check for other worms, but he’s your dog and in the end you need to do what your comfortable with.

[theBCnut]

The vet will give you the exact same medicine at twice the price. They usually use the brand name Droncit, and even though praziquantel is OTC, Droncit(in the same strength) is still by prescription, so it costs twice as much. I was a Vet Tech and worked for my vet for 14 years and my vet is the one that told me praziquantel is now over the counter and I could save a ton of money going that route. If you are unsure what to do, call your vet this morning and tell them you saw the worms that look like grains of rice and heard you could use OTC meds, and see what they say.

I like either of the two you linked from Petsmart. And they are definitely more trusted brand names than Sargeants and Hartz.

[DogFoodie]

The Nut has always given me good solid advice that I know I can trust. She has a lot of experience and knows what she’s talking about. I’d go with her recommendation.

[Kayla]

Thank you 🙂

Vet said over the counter meds will work and what they give out will also work! He is now on treatment for tapeworms! He also got weighed today…He weights 52 pounds now 🙂

[Kayla]

theBCnut, you were right! The vet said the same thing that you said 🙂 Thank you!!

[Dori]

Always follow BC’s advice. She knows what she’s talking about in these matters. I have followed her lead in many instances.

[Author]

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