Harlan Animal Hospital

Whipworms:

The only way a dog can contract whipworms is by ingesting the eggs. When a dog walks on ground infected by eggs, they are picked up on the paws and travel into the mouth when he licks his paws or any contaminated toys or food bowls. Whipworm eggs can survive extreme exterior conditions for months and even years. Within one to three months after the eggs are swallowed they hatch in the dog's intestine, attach to the wall and begin to suck blood and lay eggs. In dogs, whipworm can cause diarrhea, weight loss and in some cases, anemia. Whipworm infection in humans is extremely rare.