Have you just had a big shock? Did you discover parts of a tapeworm or still-moving threadworms in your dog’s stool? Not a very pleasant experience, but not uncommon for dog owners. Now you might be wondering if you can combat the worm infestation with home remedies? Do home remedies work for worms in dogs? Can you at least prevent a worm infection with natural methods? Experts have divided opinions on this.

Worms in Dogs – Internal Parasites

Dogs are curious animals that primarily perceive and explore their environment through their noses. Interesting scents during walks also lead to dogs licking specific areas. Not always a very aesthetic and hygienic affair. This way, intestinal worms easily enter the animal’s organism. While licking and in contact with other dogs, our four-legged companions ingest worm eggs or reproductive worm parts.

There are various types of worms that consider our dogs pleasant hosts for their reproduction. Common ones include tapeworms, pinworms, and others. Some of these parasites are visible to us. If they are still alive or are expelled as parts through the stool.

Many dog owners take the “worm” issue seriously after seeing the parasites with their own eyes. However, at this point, the parasites have been active inside the dog for a considerable time. For example, tapeworm eggs have developed into tapeworm larvae and, in the end, into a mature tapeworm.

Veterinarians rightly advise regular deworming with pharmaceutical worm treatments. When the pet is worm-free, the safety for humans is also greater. A tapeworm can easily transfer to humans if given the opportunity.

How to Recognize Worms in Dogs?

Can you feel confident if you don’t see any parasites in your dog’s stool? In many cases, infection with so-called endogenous parasites remains unnoticed for a long time. Infected dogs may not show any symptoms. Some may experience increased defecation or itching in the anal region. If these manifestations do not reach a particular intensity, we often do not notice them.

Typical symptoms of a worm infestation include:

In combination with other changes, suspicions of a worm infestation may arise. A stool sample at the veterinarian’s office provides clarity. This is followed by a worm treatment with chemical agents. Many dogs react to deworming with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Therefore, pharmaceutical worm treatments do not have a very good reputation among some dog owners. They fear harmful side effects from synthetic substances. It is often overlooked that the perceived side effects may simply be signs of a severe worm infestation.

Nausea and diarrhea after deworming in dogs

Apart from tapeworms, most types of worms do not occur individually. Infection with a pinworm, a threadworm species up to 13 mm long, favors a variety of worm individuals. These can form entire tangles in the dog’s intestines. Adult worms develop in the body from eggs and larvae. These types of worms, therefore, carry the risk of intestinal obstruction in dogs due to entanglement.

During treatment with a chemically based worming agent, the parasites go into a state of paralysis. They are partially killed within the dog’s body. The organisms are then expelled by the agent. This process can trigger nausea and diarrhea because many worm individuals have to be expelled from the body.

The negative feelings towards pharmaceutical worm treatments are not always justified. Can worm infestations be fought with just a home remedy? Which alternatives among home remedies are most effective?

Home Remedies for Worms in Stool: Coconut Products on Trend

Coconut oil & Co. are also trendy in human nutrition. Animal lovers have long seen coconut flakes and coconut oil as a preventive and treatment against worm parasites. Here, the focus is particularly on the ingredient lauric acid in coconut oil and other coconut products. However, many claimed effects of coconut products are controversial.

A comprehensive evaluation by Consumer Reports advises caution when it comes to the health and positive effects of coconut oil.

There are currently no robust scientific studies supporting the antibacterial or anti-parasitic effects of lauric acid.

Only effects against external parasites such as ticks have been proven in a scientific study.

Experiences with lauric acid as a possible natural remedy against worm infestation are therefore based on traditional experiences of nature-oriented dog owners.

Home Remedies for Worms in Stool: Garlic, Papaya Seeds & Other Methods

In folk medicine, other natural substances for intestinal cleansing and fighting intestinal parasites are known. Here too, it is about traditional effects that do not currently withstand scientific scrutiny.

In connection with worm infestation, positive effects have been described for:

All these home remedies are said to promote intestinal cleansing and the elimination of intestinal parasites. Some of these plants indeed contain substances that could explain an effect against internal parasites. Wormwood, for example, contains the ingredient thujone, a nerve toxin that could affect worms. Thyme may contain essential oils that the pesky parasites dislike.

These claims are not scientifically supported so far. Especially, it has not been proven yet that intestinal worms are reliably expelled.

It should be noted that some of the mentioned remedies could potentially harm dogs. The opinion on feeding garlic to animals is controversial. Some consider garlic toxic, while others find it useful in dog nutrition.

Also, it is not clear whether the contained thujone in wormwood could be harmful to dogs. Thyme is not toxic to dogs in itself, but caution is advised if a female dog is pregnant. It is also questionable which of the mentioned remedies are suitable for puppies.

Can worm infestation be prevented in dogs?

The question of preventive feeding of home remedies against worm infestation is also not clearly answered. Many veterinarians and experts believe that it is not possible to prevent parasitic infestations.

Eggs and worm parts can be repeatedly ingested by the dog, leading to an infection. Therefore, they do not consider home remedies suitable for preventing infestation with parasites. Various types of worms are simply part of the natural environment for animals. This includes pinworms as a special form of threadworms.

It is often pinworms that dog owners find near the dog in the stool or even in the surroundings. It has not been definitively established whether home remedies such as coconut flakes create an intestinal environment in regular feeding where tapeworms do not feel comfortable.

Naturopathic-oriented experts hold this view. They believe that prevention and treatment of worm infestations with home remedies are possible. Not only for animals but also for humans.

The special health risks of intestinal worms

In the past, tapeworms, threadworms, and other types of worms were widespread even in humans. It was only with the increase in hygiene and improvement in living conditions that worm infestations in humans decreased.

We do not regularly live as closely with livestock and other animals in our regions. The dog is an exception here. Therefore, it happens again and again that tapeworm larvae and eggs enter the human body. Children, who are not yet aware of the hygienic requirements when dealing with animals, are particularly at risk.

Worm parasites or their eggs are not only expelled with bowel movements. Some are also simply coughed up. Therefore, there is always a latent risk of a person getting infected with a worm. The problem is that, in humans too, symptoms often do not initially appear. Slightly increased bowel movements, perhaps a little weight loss.

When intestinal worms cause health problems, the infestation is usually already relatively strong. They can then be massively detected in a stool sample. At this stage, worm treatment can be a challenge.

Puppies and weaker animals are particularly vulnerable

However, a worm infestation is not only a health hazard for humans. Puppies and young animals are particularly vulnerable to worm infections. The typical swollen worm belly in severe infestations is just one of the symptoms of a strong infestation.

If the small organism is not dewormed in time, puppies can die. Bloody diarrhea in dogs, general weakening, and fever in dogs can be accompanying symptoms of worm infections, especially in young animals. From many perspectives, parasites are not a trivial illness.

Reliable treatment through regular deworming is appropriate to protect animals and humans from parasites. In addition, some insects and arachnids can also transmit worm parasites. These include ticks, fleas, and, to an increasing extent with a warmer climate, some mosquitoes. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid worms.

Home remedies for worms in stool: Our conclusion

The effectiveness of home remedies against worm infestation has not been scientifically proven. Therefore, it seems sensible to perform regular deworming with pharmaceutical agents prescribed by the veterinarian. However, it should also be noted that excessive use of these drugs can lead to resistance. If individual types of worms become resistant to the drugs, they will no longer respond to them. If necessary, the veterinarian can also prescribe pain medication for your dog.

It can be a useful addition to strengthen the resilience of the intestinal area in dogs with home remedies such as coconut flakes. This does not prevent infestation preventively, but can mitigate the consequences of an unrecognized worm infestation for the animal. In this context, home remedies against the annoying internal parasites make sense. Perhaps scientific studies in the future will also show that certain plants from folk medicine are effective in treating worm infections.

What is also important: high-quality, easily digestible food. The wet dog food from Anifit contains only ingredients in food quality. If your pet has suffered organ damage, appropriate nutrition helps to minimize the burden on the organism.

The food is available in many different varieties. We particularly appreciate the high meat content of up to 99 percent. This indicates that genuine species-appropriate nutrition is being considered here. Because our furry friends are omnivores. As such, they need mainly meat.

You are on the safe side if you do not lose sight of the deworming topic during regular veterinary visits. Once or twice a year is the minimum for deworming. It also depends on the living conditions of your dog.