What types of worms are found outside dogs? External parasites need to be treated accordingly.

Jul 26,2025
8Min


Flea larvae

After hatching, they live in bedding, gaps, corners, etc. Look for various organic matter to feed on, such as blood-containing feces excreted by adult worms, dander, etc. After more than a week to form a cocoon, the outside of the cocoon is covered with dust, sludge and other particles, and then it takes more than a week to break out of the cocoon and become an adult. The development history of dog fleas is about 2-4 weeks. On dogs, they swim around and suck blood. After eating, they jump into the environment to mate and lay eggs. Flea saliva often triggers atopic dermatitis in some infected dogs, causing severe itching and hair loss. Fleas usually suck blood once a day, especially during the egg-laying period. Female fleas lay eggs on the host and then drop them on the ground or mattress. The eggs are quite large and shiny white, and they lay 3-18 eggs at a time. Fleas live by sucking blood. Dogs infected with fleas will cause itching, scratching, dermatitis, and ulceration. Long-term infection will cause anemia, skin inflammation, hair loss, etc., and the owner will also suffer.

How to check if your dog has fleas


Remove the dog’s hair and check the skin. Fleas are hidden in the dog’s hair, but fleas crawl very quickly and may not be visible to the naked eye. . If you find very small black sand in the hair, it is flea poop. If there is poop, there must be fleas. If tapeworms (internal parasites) are found in your dog's feces, it also means that your dog has fleas. Because tapeworms are spread by fleas. Tapeworms can cause anal itching in dogs, so sometimes the scratching of the dog's butt on the floor is not necessarily caused by inflammation of the anal glands. It may also be caused by the dog being infected with parasites. In addition, after being bitten by fleas, the dog will constantly scratch and gnaw the skin. Some dogs will also lose a lot of hair due to allergies. If this happens, you should immediately check whether the dog has fleas. You can also ask a groomer to carefully check your dog for parasites and skin health when bathing it.

Ticks

Also called ticks, commonly known as dog turtles and grass beetles. Hibernating on grass and plants in shallow hills and hills, or lodged in the fur of livestock and other animals. When not sucking blood, the small ones are as big as deflated mung beans, and some are as thin as rice grains; after sucking blood, they are the size of plump soybeans, and the big ones can be as big as a fingernail. Ticks release neurotoxins when biting and transmit viruses, even to humans. A mild tick bite will cause local congestion, edema, and acute inflammatory reaction. In severe cases, symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and even organ failure may occur. Death occurs due to exhaustion, so attention must be paid to it. Hazards: 1. Injuries caused by stings and bites, in addition to causing pain and discomfort, can also cause various types of fly larvae infections. 2. Suck blood, causing anemia and malnutrition. 3. Vector-borne viruses, rickettsiae, bacteria and protozoa. 4. Tick paralysis: When the tick bites the host, it injects toxin, causing paralysis in the host, especially in the hind legs, which then gradually escalates to general paralysis.

What to do if a tick is found

When a tick sucks blood, its head is buried in the skin. Never pull it out forcibly to avoid leaving the mouth in the skin and causing infection. First, drop alcohol on the head of the tick. After a few minutes, the tick will fall off automatically due to paralysis or suffocation. If it doesn’t come off, use tweezers to grab the tick’s head and pull it out.
Never crush the removed tick with your hands, as it contains a large number of viruses and bacteria. It is recommended to burn it by fire. Disinfect your skin promptly and seek medical attention promptly if you experience any skin abnormalities or discomfort.

To prevent ticks, pay attention to the cleanliness of the environment

1. Clean the house thoroughly and eliminate any objects and nooks and crannies where ticks can hide. 2. Use hot water to wash dirty clothes, sheets, sofa cushions and other fabric items. 3. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean your home. Vacuum everywhere you can use a vacuum cleaner, then seal the vacuum bag and throw it away. 4. Sprinkle insecticide powder against ticks in the house to effectively eliminate tick eggs and larvae.

Demodex:

Canine demodicosis is a skin parasitic disease in dogs caused by the Demodex mite. Also known as canine trichocystis or canine fat mange. It is a common and stubborn skin disease. Canine Demodex mostly parasitizes in the eyes, ears, lips and hairless areas on the inside of the front legs of dogs. It mostly lives in hair follicles and rarely in sebaceous glands. In severe cases, the mites can live in the lymph nodes and other tissues of dogs. Insects can even be found in the ear canal and between the toes of dogs. Systemic Demodex infection is often caused due to reduced immune function.

Canine scabies

Scabies is an itchy, parasitic skin disease of dogs, wolves and foxes. Dogs often rub or scratch their skin to become infected. Small nodules occur, especially where the skin is thin, and small blisters or even pustules can be seen. The skin is thick, the hair falls off, and the surface is covered with scabs. When the scabs are removed, they appear bright red and moist.

Lice

Lice parasitized on dogs not only suck blood, but also make the host extremely itchy and can transmit many important human and animal diseases. The lifespan of a louse is about 6 weeks. Each female louse lays about ten eggs a day. The lice eggs can adhere firmly to the hair or clothes of people and animals. After about eight days, they hatch into larvae and bite and suck blood immediately. , after about two or three weeks, they can grow into adults after three molts. Itching: Itching is the main symptom, but the severity varies among individuals. Bugs or eggs: Small bugs can be found at the roots of hair follicles, light blackColor, off-white or red (sucks blood).
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