Worms in poop!

 LOL, any dog can get worms. Has he had fleas? They're probably tapeworms. Tapeworms look like squishy, squirmy, bits of rice. They're really gross, but cause no serious health risk. Just call your vet on Monday, and they can get you some dewormer.

Kmatth82

I would have though that 9 months was a little old to be getting worms!!

A dog is NEVER too old for worms.  Most vets want to run fecal samples at least once a year for dogs.........that means they can get worms at any time.  Your other dog may not have them now in his BM...but I bet he will soon if your new pup has them.   I would take a sample to your vet and get a dewormer for both of your pups.  Not a big thing....but it must be taken care of soon.  Make sure you pick up all the piles that have worms in them and destroy them too....so they don't get re-infected.

Good luck!

Can you describe what the worms looked like?  You said they were white, but were they long and skinny, or small like grains of rice, or thick and flat, etc?

It could be any of a variety of worms, but a more thorough description would help.  For example, I noticed a tapeworm segment once in Harry's poop.  It was prolly about 1/4 inch thick and flat-shaped.  I knew it immediately, and the only thing that can get rid of it is a med you get from your vet.  But different worms require different meds to eradicate.

Dogs can get worms any time, no matter their age.  They can pick them up from a variety of places.

Heartgard protects against *some* internal parasites, but not all.  No one medication can get rid of everything.  But, one of the many reasons I prefer to use Interceptor as opposed to Heartgard is that Interceptor prevent one additional type of worm that Heartgard does not (whip worms).

Oh, and a big THANK YOU for rescuing this pup!  We require pictures, asap, lol!

 So weird! Growing up, we had dogs all my life and they never had worms - I guess we just got lucky! Yes, this dog did come with fleas when we got him :( I don't know how because his previous owners worked quite a bit (12 hrs a day) and had a 2 year old - so he was crated practically 18 hours a day! The fleas are taken care of now, and I pick up ALL poo in the yard - I looked up online and it said to put bleach on the area where the poo was if they have worms, so I've been doing that. I've attached a picture of our new little guy (Bo) and then a picture of Kahlua also. Thanks for your help!

A bit more information for you --

1.  Tapeworms come from fleas -- (ingesting a flea) -- and they are not killed by ANYTHING other than something specific for tapeworms.  They are probably THE grossest thing ever -- they can look like dried pieces of rice on their butt OR they can look like long segmented wriggly things in the poop -- BEYOND gross to be honest. 

They are contagious in that the fleas on this dog will carry the tape larvae and any dog can get them but it takes about THREE months for them to mature enough to break off and be seen in the poop.

Of all "worms" they are truly the least horrible as far as what they can do to the dog -- they suck the dog's nutrition essentially and if left totally untreated can kill over a period of time.

2.  "other" intestinal parasites -- roundworms are *typically* a puppy thing but if never treated properly you can see them later.  and honestly MOST pups have them (they lie dormant in the dog thru adulthood and are given to the pups by mom).

whips, hooks -- those are truly horrible.  Picking up is CRITICAL -- and honestly, I would have told you to stop ON YOUR WAY HOME from picking this dog up to have a fecal done -- because you can NOT see them in the poop but they will cause diarreha, and worse things like anemia and they can be fatal rather quickly.  They are also easily transmitted to humans (thru the soles of your feet) and you CAN NOT get them out of your yard. 

There are other types of parasites -- some show, some don't.  But truly -- the big risk is that if a dog has one kind it can have SEVERAL all at once.  So a vet visit and a fecal is #! priority.  Simply because they can be dangerous.

Certain parts of the country are more prone to them than others.

Heartguard is honestly little use -- Interceptor is far far better for them but even so, a fecal is one part of an annual vet visit you just don't want to miss (and I have mine done more often than that!  I *know* I have hooks and whips in my yard from a foster who was there for TWO WEEKS about 10 years ago and this year hooks raised their ugly little mouthy-heads again this year *sigh*).

But tapes and other parasites are different -- you have to SEE tapes to know they are there -- other parasites are usually only visible in a fecal 'float' (didn't you just KNOW how much fun it was to be a vet tech?? yuck!) but it is different meds for them and sometimes you have to do a follow up visit.

IF the vet finds hooks, whips or other parasites just plain get meds for TWO -- because altho your other dog may not show it now it may be starting. 

Glad this little guy has a good home now and WELCOME!!  My Billy is a cocker!!!

 The worms are white/ivory and a little less than an inch long. Their heads look like a circle when they stretch to move around. they are the same width their entire length of the body. I guess I will be taking some poo to the vet tomorrow! Thanks for your help everyone ;)

Snag a sample WITH the parasites (take a ziplock bag -- reach in & grab the bottom seam and pull it back over your hand, grab the sample and pull the back back over your hand - easy).  Even if it's tonight -- but then put the baggie in a couple of other bags and put it in the fridge -- KEEP IT COLD (otherwise bacteria will grow and it will be pointless).

If they just go in with a fecal rod they won't catch tapes -- and it's far far more helpful if they SEE them.

 Tapeworm is actually one loooooooooooooooong parasite -- but even after they break off they continue to move.  They are actually little squarish segments -- the trick is when they give the meds it has to *kill the head* which is imbedded in the walls of the intestinal tract.  So even after the vet gives you meds -- continue to check for **months** because if they don't get the head killed (and you can't tell) it will simply re-grow and more segments will eventually break off.

But since this dog is new to you, DEFINITELY have the vet run a fecal ... even if the vet sees tapes -- simply because it's honestly dangerous not to know.  I always tell ANYONE adopting a pup to always have a fecal done right away.  Because you can't see the really dangerous ones and they can have more than one kind at a time.

Given that this dog had fleas then tapes are nearly a given.  BUT if the dog was that ill cared for -- then other types of parasites are way too likely for  peace of mind and like Is aid -- once you get hooks/whips in your yard you NEVER get rid of them.  Not even replacing sod will do it.