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Owning a pet is a big responsibility. A responsibility that involves ensuring that all of their care requirements are met. Deworming your dog refers to the process of getting rid of worms.
To ensure that it is done correctly, your vet will likely recommend the safest and best treatment for your dog. As a result of this worming, you will likely notice that your dog is passing worms and this is a normal reaction to such treatment.
As a pet owner, you are likely wondering the regularity in which your canine requires deworming. We have addressed these concerns in our guide below where we have identified how often you should be deworming your dog.
The frequency in which your dog requires deworming depends on many factors such as their age, location, and the type of worming treatment that you are going to be using.
Puppies are typically exposed to the greatest risk of worms although they can be harmful to all dogs regardless of their age. Generally, it is advised that you worm your dogs once every three months.
If your dog has worms but is nursing with puppies it should be done much more regularly, around every two weeks until the puppies reach 12 weeks. Following this, you should then worm them once a month until they reach 6 months.
From 6 months and onwards you can then adopt the routine of worming them once every three months. If your dog is suffering from a severe infestation of worms you will likely need to treat them more frequently.
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How Do I Know If My Dog Has Worms?
Several signs will indicate that your pet is suffering from a worm infestation although this can be a little more difficult to detect during the early stages. This is because they tend to be more hidden and there aren’t a lot of apparent signs which show that your pet is experiencing any sort of discomfort.
Sometimes you may notice that your dog seems irritable and this is often caused when the tapeworms begin shedding eggs. A typical sign of this can often be seen when a dog drags its bottoms along the ground.
You may also notice that your dog seems much more lethargic and downbeat compared to how they would usually act. Another sign can be identified by differences in the texture of your dog’s coat.
A dog that is suffering from a worm related disease will sometimes have a drier and duller appearing coat. Their toiletry habits may also show signs of an issue. While some dogs experience constipation, other dogs can go the opposite way and suffer from diarrhea.
You may also notice the presence of worms in your dog’s feces or fur. Some dogs also experience a loss of appetite and as a result, this may often lead to noticeable weight loss.
Out of all these signs, it is likely that the most definitive indicator is a dog that is dragging its bottoms along the ground to get rid of any irritations. Other signs may vary and your dog may experience very few or all of these.
What Are The Different Types Of Worms?
Dog’s generally tend to be affected by 6 different types of worms. Hookworm is one of the most common types and they are typically prominent in young puppies. These worms affect and live in the intestines.
Roundworms also live in the intestine, however, unlike hookworm they feed off digestive food instead of blood. Whipworms are a smaller type that affects the dog’s large intestine and feeds on blood vessels.
Tapeworms can cause irritations to your dog’s bottoms and on occasions, dogs that are infected with these worms can also affect the health of humans.
Lung Worms can cause your dog’s many problems. Once they have infected your canine they live in their heart and major blood vessels that supply the lungs.
In some cases, these worms can lead to blood clots and also present a risk of anemia. The infestation of heartworms can lead to severe health issues. These worms are longer and can inflame the blood vessels resulting in possible heart or liver failure.
How Do I Treat My Dog For Worms?
There are several treatments available that can help to target worm issues.
Variations include tablets or spot-on treatments. To find the best treatment for your dog you should consult with the vet beforehand.
Can I Stop My Dog From Getting Worms?
Almost all dogs will be affected by worms. To prevent this infestation it is important to ensure that your dog is wormed regularly and you implement hygienic petting.
If left untreated, in some cases, worms can affect you as their owner or other people too.
Final Thoughts
Worming your pet regularly is an important step in preventing them from suffering from a worms related disease. All dogs tend to carry worms and implementing a worming routine will ensure that this isn’t an issue.
The regularity in which you worm your dog is going to depend on their age and lifestyle e.g. whether they are a working dog. Puppies tend to be more susceptible to these diseases and so you must ensure that they are wormed often to help target this issue and relieve irritation.
Before using a worming treatment, it is recommended that you consult your vet as they will be able to inform you of the best treatment for your dog and the type of worms that they have. This is particularly important if the dog that you are going to be treating is pregnant.
There are six different types of worms that can affect your dog, while most are found in the intestines others are found in the heart and other major blood vessels, with some resulting in more severe health problems than others.
If worms are left untreated, not only are they going to cause your dog a great amount of discomfort but they can lead to serious health issues too.
