My dog might have bladder worms. What tests are needed for diagnosis?

That's definitely a strange one! There are not too many worms that can be passed through the urinary tract in dogs. One is considered a bladder worm while the other that I know of is considered a kidney worm. The bladder worm is usually not a very big deal, and is almost always found incidentally when investigating something different. It will usually resolve on its own or can be treated with a regular dewormer if the infestation is serious enough to warrant it. The kidney worm on the other hand can cause serious issues, including severe urinary signs and even kidney disease or failure. The first thing I would recommend doing is bringing in a urine sample to your vet and having it analyzed. Make sure you mention to them that you saw worms, since this is not something that we typically look for in the urine unless specifically told about it. You might honestly just want to get an appointment and have some blood drawn to make sure the kidney is not effected in anyway. This would be your safest bet, particularly in a middle-aged small breed dog that could be easily compromised. Hope this helps you and Gizmo out!

Hi there. Most of our fecal exams require specific tests that will separate our parasite eggs from the feces. Typically I do what's called a fecal float-as most people do. Under the microscope you would be looking for parasite eggs-but there are various forms and you have to know what you're looking for. If you look it up, there are diagrams on certain types of eggs online-but I always recommend a fecal be done by your doctor in case any are missed at home.

Severe worm infestations will cause weight loss and GI signs. Minor infestations will be asymptomatic. I would recommend to collect a sample of stool and take it in for testing. If you can get a sample that you think has worms in it, then that would be best. Call the Wellness clinic to make sure they can test dogs for GI parasites. The cost of the dewormer will vary based upon what type of worms are present and also where you live. In general the fecal exam is around $40 and the dewormer could range anywhere from $20-60 but once again, these are estimates. Things in New York City cost more than things in Louisville, Ky. I hope this helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Intestinal parasites can be ruled out quickly with a fecal test. Once your vet determines the type of parasite, they can recommend the appropriate dewormer. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any questions you have!

Your dog has two problems: red tinted urine can be a sign of a UTI and you will need to take her to your veterinarian for an exam and a urinalysis. If this is a UTI, she will need to be on antibiotics and pain medicine. She could also be suffering from a uterine infection or bladder stones or just be in heat. Your vet can determine that with an exam! The second problem is intestinal parasites. You can get a wormer over the counter for her or have her wormed when you take her to the vet for the urinary problem.

My first guess would be intestinal parasites for the diarrhea. The treatment for this depends on which parasite is causing it, so I would get the puppies tested if this happens again (or find out what parasites were found if the puppies in question were tested) and talk to your vet about what to do. For the UTI, in a really young puppy, I would be most concerned about a congenital issue if they really got a UTI. If the urine wasn't cultured to confirm the UTI, it could have been a misdiagnosis. If it really was a UTI, you might consider taking that puppy's parents out of your breeding stock.

From that description, it sounds like he may have tape worms. The heartworm test doesn't test for tapeworms (or any intestinal parasites) and the medication is heartgard wouldn't kill tapeworms. A fecal test doesn't always show the worm eggs either for this particular type of parasite. I'd recommend giving your clinic a call to see what they policies are - you may be able to pick up medications from the description alone, or they many need you to schedule an appointment. Finally, make sure Buddy is on a good flea preventative -- he got the tapeworms from eating a flea. He could definitely have just found it outside, but it's worth mentioning!