Types

• The most common intestinal parasite found in canines, roundworms are passed from dog to dog through infected feces or from mother to puppy before birth or during nursing. Hookworms penetrate a dog's skin or the lining of its mouth and make their way to its intestines, says the American Veterinary Medical Association. Heartworms live within a dog's arteries. They eventually settle inside a dog's heart or within the blood vessels of its lungs.
  
  

Symptoms

• Roundworms steal nutrition from your dog, causing symptoms like intestinal problems and malnutrition. Hookworms can cause malnutrition. An infected dog can also be noticeably weak and suffer from anemia because of blood loss. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a dog with heartworms can experience listlessness and be overly tired after gentle exercise. It might also have difficulty breathing and cough often, be prone to vomiting and might also lose noticeable weight.
  
  

Causes of Death

• Roundworms can kill dogs, especially puppies that are heavily infected. Death results from a combination of malnutrition and dehydration from diarrhea. Hookworms are also dangerous to younger dogs. Puppies can die from anemia resulting from a severe infection. Heartworms cause canine death by blocking blood flow to a dog's lungs. This causes a dog's heart to work much harder and over time can lead to congestive heart failure, warns "The Complete Healthy Dog Handbook."
  
  

Treatment

• Veterinarians recommend preventing worm infection in canines by giving dogs heartworm medication. It protects a dog against infection from both heartworm and intestinal parasites. If your dog is infected, your veterinarian can determine which worm is causing the problem. She can then give your dog the correct deworming medication. A medication that kills tapeworms will not kill roundworms, so it is important to treat the right infection.
  
  

Considerations

• Practicing good hygiene like picking up after your dog immediately after it empties it bowels is not just good for your yard---it will protect your dog's health and your own. Worms that can cause canine death can also infect humans, although they are rarely deadly in people. Roundworms can cause damage to the lungs and liver, as well as partial blindness. Hookworms can cause extreme itching on your skin and intestinal problems.