# Worms!



## lab mom (May 6, 2012)

I have got past "dogs cant have chicken bones!" But, I still cant get past "You'll get worms from eating raw meat!" Even in the movie "A Christmas Story" the Mrs. says to Mr. when he is eating the partially cooked turkey "that turkey is still raw, you'll get worms!" (Then the Bumpus hounds eat their turkey-one of my favorite parts!)
I am still worried about worms. I am wondering what kind of experience have people had with worms that feed raw meat? 
Is it really a problem? 
Do you or should I be doing something to prevent them from getting worms? Anything holistic? 
Do you just do a biannual or annual fecal checks and go from their?
I am interested on how to handle this, I look forward to your responses!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Never had an issue with feeding raw and my dogs getting worms in years. Dogs typically get worms from either contaminated water/environment from other dog's stools who are infected, or from eating fleas...either from themselves or from eating small rodents. 

Raw pork can carry tapeworm or trichinella but in the US, thats really not a problem anymore. I still feed pork as a core base protein for my dogs.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Worms and most parasites are going to be found in the intestine of the prey animal you feed - this is why we don't feed intestine. Muscle meat should be pretty sterile. I have not had any worms here since going to raw and even my litter (2 so far with 3 more in the works) have not needed worming. With kibble I felt I was worming monthly. 

There are many holistic treatments should your dog get worms that are very natural, safe and effective. They are posted in the holistic section. I would not treat just in case but if I had concern I would take in a stool sample and then treat holistically and according to what is found be it a parasite or maybe giardia or coccidia.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

If you are worried about it you could always just feed DE, diatomaceous earth.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

never had an issue with worms....

in over two years.

they did get giardia when on kibble and home cooking.


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

Boys have been on raw for 2 years.... since switching to raw they have never gotten worms.. and I'm constantly checking poops for consistency lol


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## Deaf Dogs (Apr 10, 2012)

I love how you all blame kibble for everything. My family all feeds good quality kibble, though I'm the only one who'll feed raw meat now and then along with a rotation diet. Between us, we have 7 dogs (3.5, 3.5, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 years old), and none have ever had worms, nor have they ever been treated for them, up until my sister moved to Ontario and started heartworm preventative. Neither of my childhood dogs ever had worms either (and they were 14.5 and 16 years old). Diet is very important to the immune system, yes, and therefor important for keeping away parasites, but the 9 dogs in my life have never had parasites, ever, even the little terrier I had as a kid who used to seek out and roll in and eat roadkill when at the farm. And those 2 childhood dogs were fed Pro Plan for most of their lives (not that I advocate feeding crap kibble, I dont, but I'm just saying) 

I'm not against raw feeding, I probably would feed raw if I could afford and had space for a deep freeze. I just think it's a little over the top that raw feeders blame kibble for everything bad, and blame raw for everything good. Up to and including a person with a dalmatian saying that her dog has more white in her coat after being on raw.

Now I know I'm going to get slammed for this post... I probably shouldn't have said anything.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Deaf Dogs said:


> I love how you all blame kibble for everything. My family all feeds good quality kibble, though I'm the only one who'll feed raw meat now and then along with a rotation diet. Between us, we have 7 dogs (3.5, 3.5, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 years old), and none have ever had worms, nor have they ever been treated for them, up until my sister moved to Ontario and started heartworm preventative. Neither of my childhood dogs ever had worms either (and they were 14.5 and 16 years old). Diet is very important to the immune system, yes, and therefor important for keeping away parasites, but the 9 dogs in my life have never had parasites, ever, even the little terrier I had as a kid who used to seek out and roll in and eat roadkill when at the farm. And those 2 childhood dogs were fed Pro Plan for most of their lives (not that I advocate feeding crap kibble, I dont, but I'm just saying)
> 
> I'm not against raw feeding, I probably would feed raw if I could afford and had space for a deep freeze. I just think it's a little over the top that raw feeders blame kibble for everything bad, and blame raw for everything good. Up to and including a person with a dalmatian saying that her dog has more white in her coat after being on raw.
> 
> Now I know I'm going to get slammed for this post... I probably shouldn't have said anything.


Where did anyone blame kibble for anything? No one said a word. If you are referring to what Re said she didn't blame kibble for anything. It is a fact that, when eating kibble and homecooked, they got giardia. It's a fact.

I had childhood dogs as a kid and none of them ever had worms either. I have never had a dog with worms and only Dude and Buck have ever been raw fed. No one is blaming kibble for anything. In case you hadn't noticed, the OP is not worried about her dogs getting worms from kibble but from raw meat. 

Since this is the raw section I will say this: Kibble is unnatural. It is as unnatural to feed to a dog as it is for humans to eat cereal. It is processed junk that, in no way, resembles what it is composed of. What is healthier? Eating a diet of whole, fresh foods that have no chemicals in them or eating a diet full of processed, sugary junk foods that no longer resembles any of the ingredients? It is no different for animals. Dogs are not designed to eat kibble. That is just ridiculous. Kibble is a man made food for human convenience.


That being said, OP, no, I have not any issues with worms. We do routinely feed the dogs a tablespoon on DE to prevent that and to help with fleas and ticks among other things.


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

I've said it many times i'm sure most are sick of hearing it.

Anyway I myself eat a diet of raw meat (yes even chicken) and guess what I can tell you now i don't have worms  so there isn't any need to worry!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

they got giardia, not from kibble, but from drinking stagnant water.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Deaf Dogs said:


> I love how you all blame kibble for everything. My family all feeds good quality kibble, though I'm the only one who'll feed raw meat now and then along with a rotation diet. Between us, we have 7 dogs (3.5, 3.5, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 years old), and none have ever had worms, nor have they ever been treated for them, up until my sister moved to Ontario and started heartworm preventative. Neither of my childhood dogs ever had worms either (and they were 14.5 and 16 years old). Diet is very important to the immune system, yes, and therefor important for keeping away parasites, but the 9 dogs in my life have never had parasites, ever, even the little terrier I had as a kid who used to seek out and roll in and eat roadkill when at the farm. And those 2 childhood dogs were fed Pro Plan for most of their lives (not that I advocate feeding crap kibble, I dont, but I'm just saying)
> 
> I'm not against raw feeding, I probably would feed raw if I could afford and had space for a deep freeze. I just think it's a little over the top that raw feeders blame kibble for everything bad, and blame raw for everything good. Up to and including a person with a dalmatian saying that her dog has more white in her coat after being on raw.
> 
> Now I know I'm going to get slammed for this post... I probably shouldn't have said anything.


really? seriously you said this? i'm actually surprised...no one is bashing kibble.

in all truth, and with all respect, no. you should not have said anything.

if you are referring to my dogs?

you get giardia from stagnant water or infected poop. not from kibble or home cooking.

so had you known this...you would not have made this post.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

OP - No worms are not an issue. I've never had a dog get worms, ever.


Deafdogs - Re was not blaming kibble for anything. She simply stated that while they were on THAT diet, they got giardia.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

this post is in the raw feeding section and still i get slammed?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Deaf Dogs said:


> I love how you all blame kibble for everything. My family all feeds good quality kibble, though I'm the only one who'll feed raw meat now and then along with a rotation diet. Between us, we have 7 dogs (3.5, 3.5, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 years old), and none have ever had worms, nor have they ever been treated for them, up until my sister moved to Ontario and started heartworm preventative. Neither of my childhood dogs ever had worms either (and they were 14.5 and 16 years old). Diet is very important to the immune system, yes, and therefor important for keeping away parasites, but the 9 dogs in my life have never had parasites, ever, even the little terrier I had as a kid who used to seek out and roll in and eat roadkill when at the farm. And those 2 childhood dogs were fed Pro Plan for most of their lives (not that I advocate feeding crap kibble, I dont, but I'm just saying)
> 
> I'm not against raw feeding, I probably would feed raw if I could afford and had space for a deep freeze. I just think it's a little over the top that raw feeders blame kibble for everything bad, and blame raw for everything good. Up to and including a person with a dalmatian saying that her dog has more white in her coat after being on raw.
> 
> Now I know I'm going to get slammed for this post... I probably shouldn't have said anything.


Re never said kibble gave her dogs worms. Come one. Quit looking for problems where there aren't any. I am failing to understand why the raw feeders here get blamed for starting this crap when it usually starts with something like this.

My dogs had giardia TWICE and coccidia ONCE the year before we started raw. No parasite since. It's a fact. We've had wet springs twice since they went on raw food and guess what? No worms. 

And this is in RAW FEEDING, by the way. Raw food does not cause worms. Which was the original question.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

this is from the Myths of Raw Feeding website. 

Most parasites dogs get come from eating feces and drinking dirty water. Don't believe the stupidity you hear from ignorant people, or people with an agenda, about feeding raw. Just on this one site you can find hundreds of people who have been feeding raw for months or years and never a parasite in their dogs.



> The parasite issue is something than non-raw folk use as a scare tactic, telling you that your dog is going to die if it eats raw meat because it will get a weird parasite. They neglect to tell you the very low incidence of these parasites in meat deemed safe for human consumption; nor do they tell you the most "deadly" of these parasites come from things like infected sheep placentas or stillborn calves. Simple solution—do not feed those things to your dog. If the dog looks like it has parasites, simply get a stool sample or blood sample taken. A dog can be wormed holistically or allopathically (the chemical insecticide dewormers). But generally speaking, if your dog has a healthy immune system, it can deal with the parasites before they even get a chance to establish themselves. Parasites hate a very healthy host.


Myths About Raw: Will my dog aquire parasites from raw meat?

Please note the past two sentences. I think that's why my dogs have NOT gotten parasites the last year.


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## Roo (Oct 17, 2010)

Since feeding raw to my dogs and kibble to my foster dogs, I don't understand why some kibble feeders misunderstand raw feeders and think everything said about kibble is "kibble bashing", when often times it's really just stating a fact, not meant to be taken as bashing. When raw feeders say things like "kibble is processed, raw is way less processed" or "kibble has synthetic vitamins added" or "my dog never had x issue since we switched to raw", it's not meant as kibble bashing and a dig at kibble feeders.

I wish some people wouldn't get so upset and take the whole raw vs kibble thing so personally, no one can actually make someone else feel bad or guilty for what they choose to feed their dog. 

Why does their even have to be a "raw vs kibble/us vs them" mentality, the arguing, who's saying what on the kibble side or raw side of the forum, the personal insults, etc., how is any of it helpful to anyone who comes on here looking for feeding advice?

My apologies to the OP for getting off topic a bit.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Roo said:


> Since feeding raw to my dogs and kibble to my foster dogs, I don't understand why some kibble feeders misunderstand raw feeders and think everything said about kibble is "kibble bashing", when often times it's really just stating a fact, not meant to be taken as bashing. When raw feeders say things like "kibble is processed, raw is way less processed" or "kibble has synthetic vitamins added" or "my dog never had x issue since we switched to raw", it's not meant as kibble bashing and a dig at kibble feeders.
> 
> I wish some people wouldn't get so upset and take the whole raw vs kibble thing so personally, no one can actually make someone else feel bad or guilty for what they choose to feed their dog.
> 
> ...


sometimes these things have to be said to get back on topic.

to the OP. i have not had a case of worms, parasites since feeding raw for two and a half years.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

My dog and cat recently got tapeworms. Immedietely people I know told me it was from the raw food they ate. I came on this forum in a panic and then thought about it. My cat was not eating raw at the time. So how could it have been the food?

Years ago on a kibble only diet, my lab had a case of tapeworm. 

I think they are getting tapeworm from somewhere other than their diet. Luckily, tapeworm is treatable and not a huge problem. 

regardless of what you feed your dog/cat, it is a good idea to have their feces checked when they go to the vet since you can not always tell if they have any parasites. 

I have heard DE works internally to kill parasites but I have never fed it to my dogs and do not know if it works for a fact (although I probably will start doing this, it can't hurt....as long as its FOOD GRADE!)


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

DE works really well for tapeworm - for a big dog I would use at least a tablespoon per day during flea season.


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