What are hookworms?

Hookworms are smaller than roundworms. They are called hookworms because they feed by hooking onto the wall of the intestine.

Hookworms have pretty sharp teeth and cause the dog's intestine to bleed. Since hookworms eat blood, they like this situation, but too many of them can be very bad for the dog.

Dogs can get hookworms from the ground where other dogs have passed eggs before, or from the milk of their mother if she was infected.

What are whipworms?

Whipworms also make the dog's intestine bleed because they bury their long necks into the intestine wall when they feed.

They are called whipworms because their long neck next to their short fat body looks like a whip and a whip handle.

Dogs usually get whipworms from eating eggs that other dogs have shed.

What are tapeworms?

Tapeworms also live in the dog's intestine. They are called tapeworms because of their long, flat, ribbon tape appearance.

Dogs usually get tapeworms when they eat a flea that ate a tapeworm egg. There is another kind of tapeworm that dogs can get when they eat a rabbit that ate a tapeworm egg.

Tapeworms don't have mouths. They feed by absorbing food across their skin. But they hold onto the wall of the intestine with hooks and suckers on their head.

What are heartworms?

Heartworms are parasites that live in the blood vessels and heart of dogs. Sometimes cats are infected with heartworms too.

Because heartworms live inside the heart, too many of them can cause the dog's heart not to work very well and the dog can get sick. In small dogs and cats even a few worms can cause a big problem.

Dogs get heartworms when an infected mosquito bites them. The mosquito got infected by biting another dog that already had heartworms.