Dear Dr. John,

One of my Golden Retrievers just vomited. In it were some white bodies that looked like ramen noodles but then they started to move. I sent a photo to my vet who said that it looked like roundworms but that using the heartworm preventative that I have should have prevented that. I felt embarrassed to admit that I had missed a few months of the preventative, and I was told that resuming it should eliminate the problem. What other kinds of worms do dogs get and should I be concerned? One member of our household has had two or three nights with an upset stomach recently so could this be related or should they see a doctor? L.F.

Dear L.F.,

Seeing moving parasitic worms in a dog’s vomit or feces is surely startling and concerning. My guess is that your veterinarian was correct in assessing roundworms based on their appearance. These worms are usually 3-7 inches in length and coil around and are said to look like noodles. I also agree that resuming proper monthly dosing of your heartworm preventative, which also prevents or stops certain intestinal parasites from being present, will be effective in treating what you have seen.

The kinds of intestinal worms that dogs can get are most commonly roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and tapeworm. The latter two often need different treatment than what is found in combination preventatives. Whipworm dogs usually present as very thin and tapeworm is often noted because people see the segments on the dog’s feces or around their anal area. I seriously doubt if the person with an upset stomach has issues that are in any way related to what you saw your dog vomit but if they continue to be ill, they might seek medical consultation and/or diagnostics. Most intestinal parasites are limited to certain species and transmission is usually through ingestion of parasitic eggs found in feces. This is one good reason why proper hygiene is so important.

To be safe, you might consider having a fecal sample tested to confirm the roundworm diagnosis and then treat specifically now but getting back on the monthly preventatives should work as well. Good luck.

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.