De-Worming Your Dog Information and Scheduling of De-Wormer Meds
Intestinal parasites can affect nearly all dogs at some time in their lives. Stress hormones occurring in late pregnancy can make the female dog more prone to parasitic infestation. Administering the proper de-wormer to pregnant females and puppies at regular intervals can reduce the incidence of infestation. Giving the de-wormer to an adult dog or a puppy on the proper schedule is crucial to the elimination of parasites. It is recommended by the American Association of Parasitologists and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to follow the schedule below.
Puppies: At two-weeks old, give de-wormer every two weeks until three months old. At three- to six-months old, give de-wormer once a month. After six months old, give adult-dog dosage but also add heartworm preventative medication to also kill hookworms and roundworms.
Adult Dogs: Administer de-wormer regularly with consideration of exposure to specific parasites. Give one dose to female dogs prior to mating and once at birthing. When the puppies are two weeks old, treat the mother dog and the puppies at the same time.
Newly Adopted Dogs: Ask for the de-worming history from the previous owner. If indicated, treat immediately and repeat treatment in two weeks.
Types of Worms Needing Treatment in Adult Dogs and Puppies
Hookworms are small, thin, white or reddish-brown segments less than an inch in length. They attach to the intestinal wall and suck blood. In older dogs they can cause weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and weight loss. In puppies, blood loss may be so severe that the infestation can kill the puppies. Hookworm larvae pass from the blood to the lungs where they are coughed up or swallowed. Nursing puppies may be infected through their mother's milk. Hookworms are difficult to diagnose without a fecal test. Roundworms are white or light yellow with two- to seven-inch-long strands. Puppies get them from their mother's uterus before birth, from their mother's milk, or from contaminated soil. Roundworms are most often found in puppies and can cause diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, increased appetite, and sometimes a bloated belly. Most infestations are not apparent. Tapeworms have segments which are 1/4- to 1/2-inch long. They may be seen in the dog's fur, feces, or dried and appearing like dried grains of rice in the dog's bedding. Tapeworms may infect dogs that eat fleas, wildlife or rodents. Whipworms look like threads and live in the large intestine of dogs. They may cause symptoms such as mucousy, bloody stools, or loss of appetite and weight. Whipworms cause anemia by sucking the dog's blood and are difficult to diagnose. Several stool samples may need to be submitted for microscopic testing to diagnose this type of worm.
De-Worming Medication Ingredients Fenbendazole: Effective for hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and giardia bacteria. May be given to a pregnant dog after day 50 of gestation for three days in a row to de-worm her as well as prevent infestation in the puppies. Ivermectin: Effective for treating most intestinal worms (except for tapeworms) and some external insects such as mites and some lice. Frequently used in small animals to prevent heartworms and some types of mange. Piperazine: Effective when given in two doses for two types of roundworms. Praziquantel: Very effective for tapeworm treatment when given at regular intervals to kill all stages of tapeworms. Pyrantel Pamoate: Eliminates hookworms, pinworms and roundworms when two doses are given.