Whipworms, or Trichuris vulpis, are common, bothersome intestinal parasites of domestic dogs. They embed themselves in the sensitive lining of a dog’s large intestine, where they feed on its blood and deplete it of iron, electrolytes and other essential nutrients. Whipworms are widely distributed throughout the United States and other parts of North America. Adults generally range from two to four inches in length. They spend much of their life cycle in a dog’s cecum, which is the junction between the small and large intestines. They also spend time in the large intestine itself. The medical name for infection with whipworms is “trichuriasis”. Thankfully, unlike some other parasites, canine whipworms do not infect people.
Dogs infected with adult whipworms pass the parasites’ eggs in their feces, contaminating the soil, grass and other areas that their stool comes into contact with. Adult females can lay thousands of eggs in one day. These eggs are extremely resistant to environmental conditions, including temperature and weather extremes. They can easily survive in the environment - and remain infective – almost indefinitely. For months or even years, whipworm eggs from the feces of infected
Whipworms tend to affect adult dogs more often and more severely than they do puppies, which is somewhat unusual among canine internal parasites. These are large worms that spend most of their lives in a dog’s lower digestive tract, where they burrow into the lining of the large bowel wall and feed on the dog’s tissues, blood and other bodily fluids. Many dogs with whipworms show no signs of discomfort or distress. However, others develop
Whipworms are not particularly difficult for a veterinarian to diagnose. Sometimes, they are only detected during a routine fecal examination. Dogs brought to a veterinary clinic with gastrointestinal symptoms will be given a thorough physical examination and typically will have blood drawn for routine blood work, including a complete blood count and a serum biochemistry profile. The veterinarian will take a history from the dog’s owner and may also recommend a urinalysis as part of
Adult whipworms are not particularly difficult to treat in dogs. However, it can be hard to eliminate whipworm eggs from the environment. Bleach, steam and sunlight are helpful, especially in high-density kennel situations. The goals of treating whipworms are to eradicate the parasites from the dog’s digestive tract, eliminate eggs from the environment and prevent cycles of reinfection.A number of effective treatments are available for dogs with whipworms, some of which are not appropriate for