Avoid whipworm reinfection by taking a few preventative steps.
It's relatively easy to treat your dog for whipworms if he becomes infected, but it can be far more difficult to prevent reinfection. Whipworm eggs are deposited in the feces of an infected dog. These tough eggs can survive up to five years in the soil, waiting for a host to come along and pick them up. Once your dog is infected with whipworms, he is at risk of continuous reinfection despite treatment, unless you take preventive steps, including treating the dog's pen to remove any contamination by whipworm eggs.
Instructions
Removing Whipworms From a Dog Pen
1. Keep the dog's pen clean. Dispose of dog wastes in a way that will prevent any future contact with dogs or people. Whipworm eggs can remain in the environment for five years, putting your dog at constant risk of contact and reinfection. The best way to have an environment that is free of whipworm eggs is to prevent contamination in the first place. It is essential to remove droppings promptly.
2. Bleach the floor of the pen if it is cement or gravel. Dilute chlorine bleach to one part bleach to 32 parts water, and use the solution to clean the floor of the pen or kennel. This will eliminate whipworm eggs on a concrete floor. It may be necessary to totally replace a gravel floor if the bleach treatment is ineffective. If the pen has an earthen floor, it is best to move the pen and/or cover the former floor area with cement or gravel. No treatment has been proven to eliminate whipworm eggs from the soil with certainty.
3. Consult your veterinarian, and deworm your dog with a wormer that is effective for whipworms. No matter how often you disinfect your dog's pen, he will recontaminate the area until he is free of whipworms. Infestation of dogs by whipworms is relatively uncommon, but when it occurs it may take several rounds of worming before the whipworms are completely removed. That means the environment can be recontaminated and the cycle can continue. It is a good idea to use a heartworm preventative that also prevents whipworms to help prevent infection in the first place. Discuss with your veterinarian which heartworm medications currently on the market will also prevent whipworms.
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