Help! There are maggots in my dog’s poop!

Key points

• If you see things that look like maggots in your dog’s poop, it’s usually worms.
• If your dog’s poop really does contain maggots, it’s likely that the flies laid eggs on the stool after it had been passed.
• If your dog has maggots in a wound or around their bottom, you should seek veterinary advice right away.
• The most common intestinal worms in dogs are roundworms and tapeworms.
• Worms can be treated with an effective parasite treatment, which you can get from your veterinarian.

Common in

Any dog of any age can be affected by worms.

Symptoms & types

First things first, if you spot what you think are maggots in your dog’s poop, it’s understandable to panic. After all, maggots are generally unpleasant creatures that feed off dead tissue and excrement! So, if there are wriggly, worm-like critters in your dog’s feces, surely that means they’ve got maggots inside them, and they’re really sick, right? 

Well, most of the time, when a pet parent thinks they see maggots, what they’re actually seeing is intestinal worms, like roundworms and tapeworms. And rest assured, if they really are maggots, they won’t have come from inside your dog; they’ll most likely have hatched from eggs laid by flies after your dog pooped. However, if your dog has any wounds with maggots in them, or if you notice maggots around their back end, you should speak to a veterinarian immediately.

Symptoms of worms include diarrhea, vomiting, an increased appetite, weight loss, gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.

If your dog has a tapeworm or roundworm infestation, they have to have high numbers of worms before you’d notice live worms in their stools. So, are there any other earlier symptoms that might give you a clue that your dog is harboring some unwanted guests in their gut?

Symptoms of worms include diarrhea, vomiting, an increased appetite, and weight loss. You might also notice them dragging their bottom along the floor, known as scooting, and they may experience gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort. Just like you see worms in a dog’s poo when they have lots of worms, you might occasionally see worms in their vomit too. Again though, this only occurs if your dog has huge numbers of adult worms living in their gut. 

If your dog has diarrhea, it’s easy to assume it’s due to worms, but there are many other causes, including parvovirus and other infections, food allergies, heatstroke, and dietary indiscretion.

Worms are found in the environment, and unfortunately for your canine companion, they can’t be avoided.

Understanding the diagnostics

The types of tests that your veterinarian recommends will depend on which symptoms your dog is showing.

• If they have an upset tummy, blood in their stools, or weight loss, your mobile veterinarian will want to be sure of the underlying cause. They’ll start by doing a thorough head-to-toe-to-tail examination and asking you some questions about any symptoms your poorly pooch has shown.
• If you haven’t physically seen any evidence of worms, they may ask for a stool sample alongside doing a blood test or ultrasound scan.
• If your dog is passing worms, your veterinarian might be able to identify the type of worm infestation your dog has just by looking. For instance, roundworms tend to be long and off-white and look very similar to spaghetti. On the other hand, tapeworms tend to be shed in segments, so they often look like grains of rice in your dog’s poop or on the fur around their bottom. 

However, even if a particular worm can be identified, it’s worth doing further testing on your dog’s feces to see if there are any other worms in your dog’s intestine, as different worming treatments are needed for different worms. Your veterinarian may look at your dog’s stool sample under the microscope, or they may send it away for analysis. 

Providing your dog with a regular worming treatment is an essential part of being a responsible pet parent.

Learning about the causes

Worms are found in the environment, and unfortunately for your canine companion, they can’t be avoided.

• Roundworms are often passed on to puppies via their mother’s milk or through the placenta, meaning that some puppies are born with worms. This is why a thorough worming regime is crucial for young puppies. Because roundworm eggs are found in infected animal feces, soil also contains eggs, which will cause infection in any unsuspecting dog that sniffs or licks them.
• Tapeworm is spread via fleas, so dogs who eat infected fleas while grooming are at risk. However, tapeworm eggs will also be present in the carcasses of dead animals that are infected, so if your dog is the type to disappear into the undergrowth and come back with the rotten remains of something that’s been dead a while, they might be picking up more than they bargained for!
  
  

  If you’re concerned about other parasites that might be affecting your dog, you can read about fleas here.

Best treatment options

Providing your dog with a regular worming treatment is an essential part of being a responsible pet parent. Worming treatments are available as tablets, liquids, injections, and spot-on treatments, so speak to your veterinarian if you or your pooch has a preference. Your veterinarian will be able to perform routine checks on your dog’s feces to see which wormer they need, and this should be done at least annually.

Summary

It’s normal not to want to look too closely at your dog’s poop, but you could be missing signs of a health issue. Thankfully, if you notice something white and wriggly in your dog’s fresh feces, it’s not likely to be a maggot. However, it could still be a sign of an intestinal parasite. So, speak to your veterinarian; they’ll have the advice needed to keep your dog parasite-free.