Deworming Puppies and Adult Dogs
Deworming Puppies and Adult Dogs
Although some deworming medications are effective against more than one
species of worm, no single medication is effective against them all. A specific
diagnosis is necessary to choose the safest and most effective drug. This
requires an examination of the dog’s stool and determining whether the parasite is in the egg, larval, or adult stage. It is not advisable to deworm a dog suffering from an unexplained illness that is assumed to be caused by “worms.”
All anthelmintics (medications that act to expel or destroy parasitic worms)
are poisons—meant to poison the worm but not the dog. Dogs debilitated by
heartworms or some other infestation may be too weak to resist the toxicity of
the dewormer. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before using any
dewormer. It is also important to give the medication exactly as prescribed.
Deworming agents that are effective against various species of worm are
listed in the table on pages 54–55.
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51
DEWORMING PUPPIES
Most young puppies are infested with ascarids. Other worm parasites may also
be present, but they’re not as common. It is advisable to have your veterinarian check your puppy’s stool before deworming for ascarids, because if other
worms are present, a broad-spectrum deworming agent may be recommended.
Puppies should be dewormed at 2 weeks of age (before ascarid eggs are
passed in the stool) and again at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Then, it’s prudent to
put them on a monthly heartworm preventive for life that also protects the
dog against other parsites, or at least continue monthly deworming for six
months. This schedule kills all ascarids, whether acquired in utero, through
infected mother’s milk, or by ingesting the eggs. Pyrantel pamoate (Nemex or
Strongid) is an excellent choice for ascarids and can be safely given to 2-
week-old puppies. It is available as a liquid suspension or tablet (see How to
Give Medications, page 566).
52 • DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Hookworms
Roundworm
Tapeworm
Whipworms
These drawings show the relative size and appearance of common canine adult
worms and eggs. The eggs are magnified 500 times.
Worm medications can be harmful to puppies that are ill from a respiratory
infection, chilled, crowded in unsanitary surroundings or abruptly weaned from
their mothers. Stressful conditions such as these should be corrected before
administering the dewormer. Do not deworm a puppy who has diarrhea unless
your veterinarian has determined that the diarrhea is caused by the parasite.
DEWORMING ADULT DOGS
Most veterinarians recommend that adult dogs be dewormed only when there
is specific reason to do so, such as when eggs or parasites are found during a
fecal examination. Dogs can also be kept on a yearlong heartworm preventive
that also protects against many of the intestinal parasites. All dogs should
have a fecal examination done at least once a year.
Most dogs carry ascarids as encysted larvae, but intestinal infestation by
the adult worm is rare in the healthy dog. Hookworms are likely to be a problem in adults only during periods of stress. Only milbemycin (Interceptor) is
effective against encysted hookworm larvae.
Whipworms are a frequent cause of acute and chronic diarrhea in adult
dogs. They are difficult to diagnose on routine fecal examination. Eradication
requires the use of specific agents not commonly used for other worms.
Tapeworms are common in dogs but, fortunately, cause few symptoms. The
worm segments are easy to detect in the stool. Threadworms are not common.
Very few agents are effective against this parasite.
A brood bitch should have her stool checked before breeding. If parasites
are found, she should be dewormed. Deworming during pregnancy should be
done only as determined by your veterinarian. Note that some dewormers are
contraindicated during pregnancy (see the table on pages 54–55).
Although some deworming medications are effective against more than one
species of worm, no single medication is effective against them all. A specific
diagnosis is necessary to choose the safest and most effective drug. This
requires an examination of the dog’s stool and determining whether the parasite is in the egg, larval, or adult stage. It is not advisable to deworm a dog suffering from an unexplained illness that is assumed to be caused by “worms.”
All anthelmintics (medications that act to expel or destroy parasitic worms)
are poisons—meant to poison the worm but not the dog. Dogs debilitated by
heartworms or some other infestation may be too weak to resist the toxicity of
the dewormer. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before using any
dewormer. It is also important to give the medication exactly as prescribed.
Deworming agents that are effective against various species of worm are
listed in the table on pages 54–55.
2
51
DEWORMING PUPPIES
Most young puppies are infested with ascarids. Other worm parasites may also
be present, but they’re not as common. It is advisable to have your veterinarian check your puppy’s stool before deworming for ascarids, because if other
worms are present, a broad-spectrum deworming agent may be recommended.
Puppies should be dewormed at 2 weeks of age (before ascarid eggs are
passed in the stool) and again at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Then, it’s prudent to
put them on a monthly heartworm preventive for life that also protects the
dog against other parsites, or at least continue monthly deworming for six
months. This schedule kills all ascarids, whether acquired in utero, through
infected mother’s milk, or by ingesting the eggs. Pyrantel pamoate (Nemex or
Strongid) is an excellent choice for ascarids and can be safely given to 2-
week-old puppies. It is available as a liquid suspension or tablet (see How to
Give Medications, page 566).
52 • DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Hookworms
Roundworm
Tapeworm
Whipworms
These drawings show the relative size and appearance of common canine adult
worms and eggs. The eggs are magnified 500 times.
Worm medications can be harmful to puppies that are ill from a respiratory
infection, chilled, crowded in unsanitary surroundings or abruptly weaned from
their mothers. Stressful conditions such as these should be corrected before
administering the dewormer. Do not deworm a puppy who has diarrhea unless
your veterinarian has determined that the diarrhea is caused by the parasite.
DEWORMING ADULT DOGS
Most veterinarians recommend that adult dogs be dewormed only when there
is specific reason to do so, such as when eggs or parasites are found during a
fecal examination. Dogs can also be kept on a yearlong heartworm preventive
that also protects against many of the intestinal parasites. All dogs should
have a fecal examination done at least once a year.
Most dogs carry ascarids as encysted larvae, but intestinal infestation by
the adult worm is rare in the healthy dog. Hookworms are likely to be a problem in adults only during periods of stress. Only milbemycin (Interceptor) is
effective against encysted hookworm larvae.
Whipworms are a frequent cause of acute and chronic diarrhea in adult
dogs. They are difficult to diagnose on routine fecal examination. Eradication
requires the use of specific agents not commonly used for other worms.
Tapeworms are common in dogs but, fortunately, cause few symptoms. The
worm segments are easy to detect in the stool. Threadworms are not common.
Very few agents are effective against this parasite.
A brood bitch should have her stool checked before breeding. If parasites
are found, she should be dewormed. Deworming during pregnancy should be
done only as determined by your veterinarian. Note that some dewormers are
contraindicated during pregnancy (see the table on pages 54–55).
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