One of the most important and also the most neglected part of maintaining your dog’s health is following a regular deworming schedule. Pet parents often forget this crucial aspect of their pet’s health not knowing the radical difference it can make in their baby’s energy levels. So if you are wondering why your pet is having health issues, then the answer could lie in dog deworming. Let us try to understand everything about this important topic.
Dog deworming – Why you need to deworm your pet
There are many different types of worms that can harm your pet. This the main reason why vets recommend that your pet be on deworming program as soon as s/he is 2 weeks old. Some worms can actually enter your pet’s system through the mother’s milk. Not all worms can be seen with the naked eye so you might want to take your pet’s poop to the vet for regular exams under a microscope. This will show the exact worms affecting your pet. Signs of worm infestations include:
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Hair loss
- Blood in feces
- Scooting
- Anemia
- Bloated stomach
- Weeping eyes
- Eczema
- Lethargy
Vets and canine experts believe that at some point or the other, every dog will have worms or parasites. Thankfully, there are many dog deworming tablets and syrups for puppies available in the market. Although some deworming tablets are effective against most species of worms, no single medicine is effective against them all. Therefore, a specific diagnosis may become necessary especially if your pet is showing signs of worm infestation. As stated above, you may have to take your pet’s stool for examination under the microscope. This way, your vet can prescribe the exact anti-parasitic agent to get rid of the worms.
How to buy best dog dewormer
Always check with a vet which dog dewormer is right for your pet. You must understand that all dog dewormers or anthelmintics are toxins-not to your dog- but to the worms or parasites in his system. Having said so; many older dogs with heartworms might be too weak to withstand such medicines. Therefore, it is imperative that you check with your vet before using any so called best dog dewormer in the market.
Most dog deworming products will take care of roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. There are several kinds of dewormers available in the market including pills, pastes, injections and syrups. The effects of these medicines usually last for a month, 2 months or up to 6 months. Check with your vet as to which dog dewormer to use.
Deworming schedule and best dog deworming products
- All puppies need to be dewormed at 2 weeks, and again at 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks of age.
- Adult dogs must have a fecal examination conducted once a year.
- Some vets recommend adult dogs be given dog dewormer such as Drontal once every 2 months. This is an all-wormer medicine which means it can control 12 different types of internal parasites in your pet.
- Deworming your bitch during pregnancy should be done only as per the recommendation of your vet.
- Buy a packet of 3 day deworming medicine called Safe-Guard Canine dewormer. It is a 3 day course for adult dogs which helps eliminate 8 types of worms.
- Panacur or Bayer products are also great. They have very good reviews and are some of the best dog dewormer available without prescription.
Preventing worms
Prevention is the best cure for dog worms and parasites. Take following steps and precautionary measures to prevent worms:
- Good hygiene and sanitary measures can help keep eggs and larvae under control
- Do not keep the dog’s crate or kennel in wet areas. Graveled surfaces are best at they allow water drainage and facilitate easy removal of stools.
- Remove all pet feces from the yards.
- Disinfect concrete and gravel surfaces with lime or salt.
- Hose down pens and kennels. Wash all pet bedding in hot water.
- Cook meat properly before feeding it to your pet.
- Take steps to control fleas, lice, ticks, roaches and other parasites that could carry eggs of tapeworms etc.
- Use low doses of medicines like Heartgard Plus which can control ascarids, and hookworms.
- Administer medicines like Interceptor to prevent heartworms, ascarids, hookworms and whipworms. Note that these need to be administered every few months to maintain their effects. Talk to your vet about following the right dog deworming schedule.
How to deworm a dog naturally with home remedies
Use following home remedies to deworm your pet:
- Crushed pumpkin seeds– This is a great home remedy for dog deworming. Add 1 teaspoon of powdered pumpkin seed to your pet’s food along with bran.
- Oat and wheat bran are a great natural remedy to remove worms from your doggy’s system.
- Coconut oil- This is a natural anti-parasitic agent. Feed up to a teaspoon to your pet daily. For larger breeds, you can safely feed up to a tablespoon.
- Wheat germ oil- repels tapeworms and removes them from the body.
- Castor oil- eliminates all intestinal worms. Feed ½ tsp to puppies and up to one teaspoon to adult dogs.
- Apple cider vinegar– This natural dog dewormer makes the body acidic and kills eggs and larvae of worms. Add a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar to pet’s drinking water to balance ph and fight inflammation.
- Carrots-Carrots are great natural dewormer foods for dogs. They are the best remedy for threadworms. Give one or two organic carrots to your pet daily or mix up grated carrots with his food.
- Moderate amount of garlic– Garlic is a natural antibiotic and antimicrobial agent. Mix moderate amounts (1/4 to 1 clove) in your dog’s food. This will kill eggs and larvae of worms and help the worms pass out of the stool.
- Homeopathic Cina 3C is a natural dewormer without side effects.
- Diatomaceous earth powder food grade variety (not the swimming pool filter variety)- Add a ¼ tsp to each meal to eliminate all kinds of worms. Also use this for dusting on pet’s bedding and coat to control and repel fleas.
- Natural dog dewormer enzyme supplements with papain or papaya extracts can also eliminate tapeworms and other worms.
Weekly fasting is also good for your pet. Simply feed him some broth on the chosen day so that the worms are weakened. Follow this up with a teaspoon of castor oil to eliminate weakened worms, eggs and larvae.
