Worms in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Worms are parasites that live inside your dog's body.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.
Let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Worms are parasites that live inside a dog's body.^[1] Severe cases can cause a life-threatening blockage of the intestines.^[1]

Signs

Weight loss
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Poor growth in puppies
Pot-belly and bloating
Life-threatening blockage of the intestines in severe cases
Scooting or excessively licking the bottom
Itchy skin due to concurrent fleas
Increased appetite
An itchy bottom

Causes and risk factors

Many puppies catch roundworm in the womb or through their mother's milk
Adult dogs can catch roundworm by eating soil
Dogs most commonly become infected with tapeworm by eating fleas
Dogs can also catch tapeworm by eating raw meat
Hunting and eating rats, mice and birds
Eating soil or other animals' poo
Fleas, which carry tapeworm

How vets treat it

Antiparasitic treatment

What the experts say

“Weight loss ; Diarrhoea ; Vomiting ; Poor growth in puppies ; Pot-belly and bloating (most common in puppies) ; Life-threatening blockage of the intestines (severe cases) ; Scooting or excessively licking anus (bottom) ; Itchy skin due to concurrent fleas”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What are worms?

Worms are parasites that live inside the body.^[1]

What signs can worms cause in dogs?

Signs can include weight loss, diarrhoea, vomiting, poor growth in puppies, pot-belly and bloating, and scooting or excessively licking the bottom.^[1]

Can worms become serious?

Severe cases can cause a life-threatening blockage of the intestines.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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