Does My Dog Have Worms?

princess

I picked up my new dog about 3 weeks ago. She was treated with Advantage and is due for more treatment soon.

She still scratches quite a bit which I feel might be from skin allergies.

Now she's been licking her anus and dragging her bottom on the floor. I'm thinking she now has worms or is it tapeworms? How do I treat this problem?

lovemygreys

She could have worms...any dog can pick up worms. But, butt dragging is probably more indicative of anal gland issues...she may need to have them expressed if they've become impacted. Best advice is to make an appt with your vet.

Lorina

Scooting and itching can be from tapeworm, and they get that from exposure to fleas (actually, swallowing an infected flea while grooming). If the dog had a flea problem in the past, it's likely she has tapeworms.

You can take a stool sample to your vet to have it checked for tapes and other parasites. Tapeworm doesn't always show up in fecal floats, so your vet may suggest deworming as a precaution.

As lovemygreys mentioned, scooting can also (more commonly) be from full anal sacs.

If she hasn't been to the vet yet, she really should get in soon. All new dogs should have a checkup, even if nothing is wrong, just to become established with the vet.

Puppy & Dog Forums