When to worm your puppy or dog
At what age do I worm my puppy?
Puppies 4 to 12 weeks of age should be wormed every two weeks.
From age 12 weeks to 6 months puppies should be wormed monthly
From 6 months onward dogs and puppies should be wormed every 3 months.
What are some of the symptoms that my dog or
puppy
has intestinal worms?
-
Loss of appetite
-
The dog's coat is in poor condition
-
The dog has a pot belly appearance -
especially in puppies
-
The dog or puppy suffers weight
loss
-
Diarrhea (sometimes bloody diarrhea)
-
Vomiting
-
Lethargy
-
Anemia - The dog or puppy has pale
gums
-
Worm segments around the anal area.
These segments look like small grains of rice or sesame seeds.
-
Continual licking of the anal area
-
The dog or puppy scoots around on
it's rear end.
-
Coughing if juvenile roundworm have
migrated to the dog's lungs
What are the types of intestinal worms that
dogs become infected with:
Tapeworm
More information on Tapeworm in
dogs
Flea control is an important part of
preventing tapeworm.
More
information on Getting rid of fleas on your dog and in your house
Hookworms
Hookworms are very small worms that have
hook like mouth parts that burrow into your dog's intestinal wall and
suck blood. They can cause anemia, black or bloody diarrhea and
sometimes death in puppies. Diagnosis is made by examining the feces for
eggs under a microscope
Most often found in humid tropical
areas. Can infect humans.
Roundworms
Dogs can become infected with roundworms
by eating infected lizards, mice, birds and other prey. Puppies can be
infected by their mothers. They can also become
infected from ingesting soil contaminated by infected faeces. If your
puppy vomits up a worm there is a good chance it is a roundworm.
Roundworms will look like spaghetti in the puppy’s feces.
Roundworms can be passed on to
humans and children are most at risk.
Whipworm
Often hard to diagnose from a stool
sample. Chronic weight loss may be a symptom of whipworm together
with feces that has a covering of mucous.
Whipworms are not passed on to
humans.
Other types of worms
What worming medication should I use for my puppy?
Ask your vet for the best worm medication for your dog or puppy.
You can often purchase de-worming medication over the counter at your vets
without a consultation fee.
Below are a few suggestions.
Drontal Plus is a popular choice that comes in tablet form. Drontal Plus
is a broad-spectrum de-wormer used in dogs to treat tapeworms, roundworms,
hookworms and whipworms. Suitable for dogs weighing over 2 lbs and 3 weeks of
age. They come in chewable tablets that are easy to give and is given as a
single dose.
Interceptor Flavor Tabs is a monthly heartworm medication that prevents
heartworm disease, controls adult hookworms, and removes and controls adult
roundworms and whipworm infections. Suitable for dogs over 4 weeks of age and
weighing over 2 pounds
Panacur C (fenbendazole) is a broad spectrum parasiticide used to treat
hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms in dogs Suitable for dogs (6
weeks of age or older)
WormX Plus is pork liver flavored chewable tablet de-wormer. WormX Plus
treats roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.
Microscopic examination of your dog's stool by your vet may be necessary.
Other articles you may be interested in.
Can Children Catch Worms from Dogs?
Please
note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a veterinarian
& should not be considered a replacement for a veterinarian
visit. The articles are provided for informative purposes
only. Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets. While great care
has been made in the creation of these articles, we cannot
guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages. If in any
doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical advice
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