How to deworm your dog?
Deworming or also known as worming. This is a process of giving appropriate medication to the dog to get rid of the worms or parasites like tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, whipworms. These worms dig up into the intestines of the animals and affect their digestive systems in such a manner that they are likely to lose weight, get pale gums, anemia and even result in bad diarrhea. Every pet parent wants their pet to be healthy, hearty and energetic so deworming plays a significant part to sustain a healthy lifestyle of your pet.
What do you mean by deworming?
Deworming (or commonly called worming) just means getting rid of worms like Hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, tapeworms etc. that manages to get into animal intestinal system and eventually affect their overall health adversely. Deworming medications are given in this purpose. It is a common situation with human beings as well as animals. A few general problems caused by Intestinal worms in dogs are anaemia, diarrhoea, weigh lose etc.
We had recently been receiving a bundle of queries from concerned pet parents regarding dog deworming like ‘how often should I deworm my dog?’, ‘what are deworming medication to be given?’, ‘how does dewormers work?’ etc. So, here we have come up with a comprehensive guide to answer all your questions related to deworming.
In case if we left out any questions you have doubts on or have any query related to pets, feel free to ring us or get in touch with us any time.
Symptoms suggesting that the puppy has Intestinal worms
Pet parents often look for guidance wondering the symptoms of dog having intestinal worms. Some of the commonly observed symptoms which can help you figure out if your Dog has intestinal worms are the following:
• Lethargy/ tiredness
• Worm segments around the anal area
• Loss of appetite
• Coughing
• Weight loss
• Anaemia
• Vomiting
• Pale gums
• Potbelly or bloated stomach area
• Bleeding
Given below are symptoms categorized on the basis of various types of worms that cause them.
Whipworms:
These worms cannot really be noticed due to their extremely thin structures. Whipworms generally enter intestines through contaminated food or water. Some general issues caused by intestinal worms are bad anaemia, bleeding etc.
Roundworms:
Roundworms are off-white and brownish coloured worms that can be generally noticed in the dog excreta. These worms remain in the intestine and feed on the same, causing the common symptoms like stomach pains, losing weight, weakness and sometimes potbelly.
Hookworms:
Hookworms feed on intestinal blood and multiply themselves in intestine. Few symptoms of these types of worms having infected the intestines are diarrhoea, pale gums, weakness and tiredness, anaemia etc.
Tapeworms:
These cream or white coloured worm segments are found somewhat resembling cucumber seeds and can be sometimes found around the anus region on dogs and other pets. The common symptom caused by tapeworms is mainly itching around the anus of dogs.
What to do if your dog or puppy is showing symptoms of intestinal worms?
Well, before jumping into any conclusion and deciding yourself on any medication, it is recommended to contact your vet pet expert to diagnose and figure out the exact problem and its root. They will be able to suggest you the appropriate deworming medications.
So, for once it would be better if you consult your vet before deciding on the deworming medication and deworming schedule.
Importance of deworming for dogs
As a pet parent, you would only want good health and condition of your dog. Deworming is an important step in the direction of keeping your dog healthy.
In this context you must note that it is totally normal and natural a thing for worms to develop in intestine. However, they cannot be allowed to remain and multiply in there. When worm infestation exceeds the normal limits, it can cause fatal health conditions in animals. Infact heavy worm infestation may even lead to death.
Moreover, this would not just be harmful for animals, but also for human beings. As a pet owner, you might often play with your pet or dog. You need to take care in this context that interacting with a severely infected dog can be pretty fatal for human beings. Thus, deworming dogs on schedule is quite important.
Deworming Medications:
When it comes to worming, there are three alternatives available in market, i.e., syrup, tablets and XL tablets. Let us brief these three deworming medication alternatives for you-
How do de-wormers work?
When given an appropriate dosage as per prescription, deworming medications simply kill and flush out the worms that have been multiplying up in the intestine of the pets. These medicines simply help in getting rid of problematic worms from the body and in keeping the pet’s health intact.
Reactions and Side effects of deworming
Sometimes, deworming makes dogs sick or uncomfortable, mostly for short time duration. Few generally observed deworming side effects are vomiting, mild diarrhoea (temporary), temporary appetite loss, worms on dog stool etc. These side effects of deworming generally fade and dogs get better within 12-24 hours itself.
However, in some cases, the de-wormers can be harsh on the puppies and can cause allergic reactions like collapsing, unsteady walking, breathing troubles, drooling excessively etc. You must consider taking your dog to vet under these circumstances. It always advised to give them deworming before they go to sleep in the night.
Also, in case your dog or puppy has been worm infested heavily, the deworming process may cause intestinal blockage with dead worms. The symptoms suggesting this situation are continuous and prolonged pains and/or vomiting. Such situations can sometimes be harmful and may require an operation.
“DR. Vishwanath from VetCare pet clinic is the best among the vet doctors in Hyderabad. He treats all kinds of pet animals and is also a great pet nutrition advisor.”