How can I tell if my Lab has internal parasites
You may discover that your Lab has roundworms by seeing the adult roundworms (white, two to three inches long, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter) in the stool. Tapeworm infestation may be evidenced by the presence of small, rice-size tapeworm segments in the stool or around the anus. However, just because you don't see worms in the stool doesn't mean your Lab is free from internal parasites. Some worms, such as hookworms, are too small to be seen with the naked eye. The worms that can be seen are only periodically shed in the Lab's feces. Intestinal parasites usually cause few signs of disease in healthy adult dogs. In puppies, however, they can cause diarrhea, bloating, weight loss, and in the case of hookworms, which feed on blood, anemia. Heartworm infestation doesn't cause any signs of disease until the worms become large enough to obstruct the blood vessels of the lungs and heart. The most reliable way to determine whether your Lab has internal parasites is to have your veterinarian check a fecal sample for intestinal parasites or check a blood sample for heartworms.
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