Dogs can easily become infected with parasites. If left untreated, your dog's condition can become a serious matter and there may be cause for having to call on the services of an emergency veterinarian. Throughout the course of this brief article, you'll learn about a few of the most dangerous parasites that can infect your beloved pet.

Giradia

Giardia is a one-celled parasite that is sometimes consumed by dogs when eating undercooked meat. Giardia can be a difficult parasite to identify due to the fact that, many times, dogs will suffer from diarrhea or vomiting, some dogs will exhibit no symptoms at all until they become very ill. Your veterinarian will most likely prescribe your pet a medication known as metronidazole. This will usually clear up the giardia infestation within a week to 10 days.

Cryptosporidium

This is a parasite that rarely makes its home within dogs, but when it does, can cause some serious issues. It usually infests dogs that are no more than two weeks old. It makes its home in the pup's small intestinal tract and is almost constantly reproducing. Cryptosporidium can cause a number of dangerous ailments within a young dog, like a high running fever and serious bowel obstructions. Although a medicine known as paromomycin can clear up an infestation, cryptosporidium is seriously dangerous to the well being of young dogs.

Coccidia

Like giardia, this parasite is a one celled organism, and like cryptosporidium, it is a parasite that tends to make its home inside of puppies. Coccidia can reside within older dogs, but usually poses no threat or harm to them. The issue is that when the mothers of pups birth them and fecal matter carrying a coccidia infestation is passed into any orifices of the young dog, then that young dog can contract a coccidia infestation. Like cryptosporidium, it multiplies very quickly and puppies generally have no defenses against it. Luckily, it is very rarely life threatening, although your puppy may be sick for a significant amount of time. The drug Albon is generally recommended by your vet.

If your dog is exhibiting any symptoms of a parasite infestation, it is within your best interest to get them to an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible. Although many infestations are not cause for a great deal of worry, it is best to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to the life of your beloved pet.