Dogs come into contact with internal parasites (worms) throughout their lives including the time they were in their mother’s womb. Mother dogs can pass worms onto her litter through her breast milk.
Your puppy or dog may show some symptoms depending on the type of parasite and the population of parasites in their tummy. However, that’s not always the case. So, deworming is always an integral part of preventive healthcare for dogs of all ages.
Since all pups and dogs are at risk, you will need to deworm them periodically. Here’s a comprehensive article on the different types of dewormers for dogs and pups, and how to choose the right one based on your dog’s age and body weight.
How Frequently Should You Deworm Your Puppy?
If you have a new puppy, who’s around 30 days old, you should DEFINITELY take him to the veterinarian near you. Our veterinarians at Vetic Thane, Mumbai have seen several cases of toxaemia resulting from a huge number of worms and improper deworming efforts.
You should always give the right amount of dewormer at the right time to your puppy.
The first dose of dewormer for your dog should be given when they are around 30 days old. The dose depends on the pup’s overall health, appetite and weight.
At this age, pups typically require a liquid dewormer. If your puppy is between 1 month and 3 months old, then you will need to deworm them at least once every 15 days. Once they are older than 3 months, you need to deworm them every month until they are 6 months old.
However, if your puppy has signs of a high worm load despite recent deworming doses, your veterinarian may recommend another dose.
What Is A Puppy Dewormer?
Puppy dewormers are usually liquids or suspensions. The typical composition of a liquid dewormer for a puppy is pyrantel embonate (pamoate) and febantel.
Pyrantel embonate (pamoate) is a broad spectrum dewormer that can treat hookworm, pinworm and giant roundworm infections. Febantel is turned to fenbendazole and that kills roundworms, pinworms, whipworms and tapeworms.
How To Choose The Right Dewormer For Your Puppy?
There are several renowned pet brands that manufacture dewormers. However, not all dewormers are created equal even if they have the same composition.
Your veterinarian at Vetic is the best person to recommend a dewormer since they are aware of the market reviews, performance, efficacy and side effects of these dewormers.
Follow the instructions of your veterinarian regarding the dose, administration timings and frequency of deworming if you have a new puppy.
Dewormers for Dogs: When Should You Switch From A Deworming Suspension To Tablets?
Switching from a deworming suspension to a deworming tablet doesn’t depend on the puppy’s age, but weight.
Typically, once your puppy has crossed the 5 kg threshold, your veterinarian will recommend deworming tablets instead of liquids.
Deworming tablets are easy to administer inside easy-pill pouches or filled inside their favourite treats.
Administering a large quantity of deworming suspension to dogs can be messy and there’s a good chance of wastage. Additionally, if your dog doesn’t receive the right quantity of dewormer, the worms may not die and it can cause resistance to the dewormer.
Deworming Dogs: What Is The Composition Of Dewormers for Dogs?
It is best to stick to the name brand and vet-recommended dewormers for dogs. As long as your dog doesn’t have any health issues, you can stick to the popular dog dewormers that your vet recommends.
The typical composition of the popular dog deworming tablets include praziquantel, pyrantel embonate (pamoate) and febantel.
Praziquantel, pyrantel embonate (pamoate) and febantel are effective in treating a whole range of hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, pinworms and tapeworms.
How Frequently Should You Deworm Your Dog?
Once your dog is older than 6 months, you should deworm them once every 3 months.
However, if you see signs of worm infestation in your pup/dog, such as scooting, vomiting, diarrhoea and scratching the area around their anus, you should speak to your veterinarian.
Our veterinarians from Vetic Thane, Mumbai report seeing a number of cases where dogs displayed tapeworm or roundworm infestation even while following a proper deworming schedule.
Do The Common Dewormers for Dogs Always Work?
Common dewormers of standard composition should work if they are given at the correct dose and time interval. However, sometimes, our dogs become exposed to sources of worms (worm eggs and larvae).
If your dog frequents the dog park or boarding, they may be more prone to worm infestations. In case you have multiple pets, you need to sync their deworming cycles. You should definitely speak to your veterinarian about how to adjust their deworming cycles without causing your pets any discomfort.
You should talk to the veterinarian about occasional stool tests just to check that the dewormers you usually use are working. A stool test can reveal a great deal about your dog’s health aside from alerting you about worm infestations.
Stool tests are a part of regular diagnostics at Vetic pet clinic Thane, Mumbai. It can tell you whether you need to change your dewormer or take other preventive measures to ensure the proper health of your dog.
When to NOT Deworm Your Dog?
If your dog is experiencing loose stools or diarrhoea, vomiting or has a fever, you should not deworm your dog. You should take them to an emergency pet clinic that is equipped with in-house diagnostics and complete dog care infra, such as Vetic pet clinic in Andheri West, Mumbai.
In case you have missed the deworming date by several weeks, book an appointment with an experienced veterinarian who can guide you through a new deworming schedule for your dog that can eliminate the lion’s share of their worms without side effects.