Wormopedia - Whipworms

Whipworm Trichuris vulpis only affects dogs. It’s relatively rare in the UK, and because it takes a large amount of eggs to cause an infection, whipworm tends to only be found where large numbers of dogs cohabitate, such as a kennels.

Whipworm eggs can be found in the faeces of infected dogs and caught if other dogs then swallow them.

- AT RISK -

The name whipworm refers to the shape of the worm; they look like whips with wider ‘handles’ at the posterior end.

Symptoms

If the infection is heavy your dog may suffer from diarrhoea.

Lifecycle...

Adult worms lay eggs in large intestine

Embryonated eggs ingested by dog

Embryonated eggs can survive for years in the environment

Embryonated eggs with infective first larvae in faeces

Eggs are passed in faeces

Eggs embryonate

Infection stages

It can take about 8 weeks from the time of ingesting the parasites eggs to the time it starts to affect your dog’s health.

Risk to humans

Fortunately whipworm is one parasite humans can't pick up.

Spread in Europe

Although relatively rare in the UK, whipworm is more prevalent in Europe so do talk to your vet if you plan to travel with your dog.

How to get rid of them

Whipworm is one of the many parasites a vet strength wormer can help to get rid of. Talk to your vet about it if your dog is going to spend time in a confined area, such as kennels, with other dogs.