Deworming of dogs: what is it, how often can it be done, drugs used

What is deworming

If a healthy animal has been in contact with an infected animal, or with severe symptoms of helminthiasis, timely warning or removal of parasites from the body is necessary. Deworming is provided specifically for such purposes, which is carried out at home or in a hospital. This is a set of therapeutic measures aimed at productive removal of parasitic worms from the body. In essence, the breeder must exterminate the worms, or eliminate infection with such in the future. There are many methods of control - most often it is drug treatment.

For preventive purposes

If there are no symptoms of geohelminths, but the pet has been in contact with potential carriers of infection, preventive deworming is welcome. This is important in order to completely eliminate the risk of eggs entering the body of a healthy individual and the further development of parasitic worms. Prophylactic vaccination by a veterinarian is recommended.

Medical

If the presence of dangerous parasitic worms in the body is established, the animal must undergo therapeutic deworming. Infection occurs not only through direct contact of a healthy individual with sick animals, but also after consuming infected food ingredients, such as meat and water, in the diet.

A large number of medications are produced that can solve health problems in the shortest possible time. For example, these are anthelmintic drugs Valbazen, Helmostop, Profender and others. In order for deworming of puppies, kittens, adult dogs and cats to be as effective and safe as possible, it is important to consider not only the age of the pet, but also its weight.

Types of deworming

Every pet owner should know what can cause infection, how to overcome the disease in a timely manner with minimal losses for the pet and its immediate environment. Deworming of animals and humans can be planned or unscheduled. In the first case, it is recommended to vaccinate animals in the spring and autumn, regardless of contact with sick individuals, or when the animal systematically consumes raw meat and other unprocessed products. Unscheduled deworming is carried out to immediately get rid of helminthiasis.

Deworming of dogs

Any action by the breeder must be coordinated with a veterinarian, otherwise the health of the sick animal can only be harmed. The choice of medications must be treated with extreme caution, carefully read the instructions and individually agree on the dosage. Otherwise, an overdose can lead to acute intoxication and death of the animal itself. Before ridding your dog of worms, it is important to rely not only on the signs of the appearance of parasitic worms, but also to conduct diagnostics to detect larvae in biological material.

How to worm a puppy before vaccination

If we are talking about a four-legged baby, the breeder must strictly adhere to the calendar schedule of routine vaccinations necessary to increase the immunity of the growing animal. For example, deworming of dogs before adult vaccination is not required; it is quite enough to worm them once every six months for the purpose of prevention. But with puppies the situation is somewhat different, since the growing animal is in dire need of mandatory deworming before undergoing routine vaccination.

Worms are toxins for the body that complicate the functioning of the internal organs and systems of a growing animal. Vaccination also implies temporary poisoning, which, combined with the toxic properties of helminths, places an increased burden on the immune system. To avoid serious complications, the animal must first be wormed and then vaccinated.

How long before vaccination should a dog be wormed?

Veterinarians recommend taking antihelminthic drugs 10-14 days before vaccination. In reality, this is a controversial issue, since the half-life and elimination of the synthetic components of certain medications varies within 2-3 days. So you can give anti-worm tablets or suspension to your animal 5 days before vaccination; you can also wait a week.

How often should a dog be wormed?

When it comes to puppies, deworming is necessary before each preventive vaccination. As for adult animals, such time restrictions are not required. The use of anthelmintic drugs is appropriate once every six months, regardless of preventive vaccinations. The main thing is to take into account the weight and age of the animal and the choice of medication for deworming.

Deworming before vaccination

Vaccination is the introduction of weakened strains of viruses into the animal’s body. After this, the immune system produces specific antibodies that will protect the animal from dangerous diseases.

If during the production of antibodies the pet suffers from helminthiasis, then immunity may not be formed.

Otherwise, he will be weak and unstable. This invariably leads to diseases, many of which are fatal. Therefore, the animal is always dewormed 7-10 days before vaccination.

Anthelmintics for dogs

If parasitic worms have already entered, are developing and spreading in the intestines, action is required immediately. If helminthiasis is present, anthelmintic drugs for dogs should be discussed with your veterinarian in advance. Since the range of medicines is huge, it is important to make the right choice, and to do this, pay special attention to the following items:

Azinox Plus;
Alben S;
Prazicide;
Dironet;
Pratel;
Drontal Plus;
Febtal;
Kanikquantel plus;
Polyverkan;
Troncil;
Panacur granulate.

Review of drugs

We bring to your attention an overview of drugs for deworming dogs with their brief characteristics and age groups:

Suspensions and syrups:
Prazicide is a sweet solution for puppies from 3 weeks of age, but it also comes in a format for large breeds. It is approved for use by pregnant bitches if they have a helminthic infestation.
Procox is a suspension against nematodes and coccidia, can be given to puppies from 2 weeks of age.
Read also: Lactobifadol for dogs: why and how to use the drug
Tablets and capsules:
Milbemax - capsules with chicken flavor. The drug has a wide range of dosages, but has breed restrictions. For example, it is contraindicated in collies, bobtails and shelties.
Alben S is one of the cheapest drugs. It has a simple dosage for the owner - one tablet is designed for 5 kg of animal, which simplifies selection by weight, but the more tablets, the more difficult it is to feed them to a large dog. Therefore, the drug is controversial in terms of convenience.
Pratel is prohibited for puppies, but is relatively effective for adult dogs. Can only kill roundworms and tapeworms and is completely ineffective against round nematodes.
Polyvercane are sugar briquettes that easily dissolve in water and are also easily consumed by dogs.
Dehinel Plus - tablets for puppies of large and very large breeds, dosage starts from 10 kilograms, but the drug is mild. It is used from 3 months of age, but has a number of allergenic restrictions.
Drops:
Inspector Total S - almost magical drops into the withers from almost everything, even ticks. Sold in dosages for different weights of dogs.

Deworming of cats, worming of cats

If your pet suffers from chronic diarrhea, you should not give it different pills for “everything.” It is required, at least for prevention purposes, to worm it. Deworming cats for worms is a hot topic for many veterinarians, since some breeders believe that pets, without leaving their homes, are not able to pick up a pathogenic infection. The opinion is erroneous, since helminths can enter the body with food. If you follow all the rules and do not ignore the problem, the animal can be saved from acute indigestion.

Is it necessary to worm a cat before vaccination?

The first vaccination of a kitten takes place at the age of 8-12 weeks (in the second month of life), but after another 3 weeks a repeat vaccination is required. Before taking such a preventive course, deworming is necessary before vaccinating kittens. This golden rule does not apply to adults, but it is better to adhere to it and not experiment with the health of your pet.

At what age should a kitten be wormed?

Before feeding an animal from a common table, it is recommended to worm it. Otherwise, the risk of infection cannot be excluded after the first adult meal. Then it will not be easy to remove worms from a kitten using folk remedies and official ones; the risk of complications increases. The optimal age for deworming an animal is 5-6 weeks, but you can wait up to 8 weeks.

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When does a pet need to be wormed?

You should not wait for symptoms indicating the presence of parasites. Deworming must be carried out regularly - not only to combat infestations, but also to prevent their occurrence.

There are developed schemes that determine the frequency of procedures, and unscheduled moments that require mandatory treatment of the pet:

Both partners should be dewormed 2 weeks before mating. The safety and development of future puppies depends on this.
They try not to worm pregnant bitches again, but after giving birth the procedure must be carried out for both mother and babies, adhering to a certain scheme.
Before each vaccination (7-10 days before), it is necessary to expel parasites, otherwise the vaccination will not work on your pet. Quite the contrary: strong drugs introduced into an organism weakened by worms can cause the death of the animal.

The dog is dewormed every 4-6 months thereafter, starting from the age of one, adjusting the schedule to the vaccination schedule.

If the pet is accidentally lost, then after being found it is subjected to an additional deworming procedure.

Anthelmintic for cats

It is important to choose not only a convenient form of release of the drug, but also to purchase a truly reliable drug with a targeted effect on the site of pathology. All existing cat deworming products can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy, but it is difficult to cover them when studying reviews. Therefore, it is better to immediately contact a specialist for practical advice and exclude superficial self-medication. The following medications have proven themselves to be effective in deworming:

Prazitel;
Dirofen;
Polyverkan;
Kanikquantel plus;
Profender;
Dironet;
Alben S;
Milbemax;
Azinox Plus;
Milprazone.

How to recognize helminths

It is easy to identify helminthic infestations by noticing undesirable symptoms. The dog will fidget on its tail. This unusual behavior is provoked by itching in the anus. The presence of parasites can be recognized by rashes on the skin. After eating, the dog suffers from hiccups. The animal's appetite noticeably decreases.

This state of affairs leads to weight loss. The sick dog suffers from gastrointestinal disorders. The presence of helminths is manifested by vomiting and general weakness. You may also notice bloating and stunted growth. At the first manifestations of negative symptoms, it is necessary to take the dog to a veterinary clinic in a timely manner.

Human deworming

You can become infected with worms even if you hand feed a sick kitten. This is especially true for restless children who are ready to help any street animal. In this case, it is necessary to deworm the person at home, which is an effective prevention of helminthiasis. Contact with sick animals makes a person a member of a risk group, and the first relapse can be detected after the incubation period of the pathogenic flora has expired.

Infection occurs not only through unwashed hands and contact with infected animals, but also through consumption of food without prior heat treatment. Parents should also scald an apple or tangerine with boiling water before giving it to the child. Otherwise, the risk of infection and spread of infection increases, and treatment is not always productive.

Deworming of children

The problem of worms more often occurs in childhood, because a naughty child puts dirty hands or foreign objects into his mouth and does not follow the rules of personal hygiene. You can get sick from unprocessed food. Deworming is carried out for the purpose of treatment and prevention, and is especially relevant for preschool children who attend kindergartens. For example, you can take a portion of Decaris and forget about worms forever. The medicine is inexpensive, but it has been effective for deworming for decades.

Other medications are also used for deworming in children, including:

Levamisole;
Naftamon;
Mebendazole;
Optisalt.

Deworming scheme

This procedure is carried out in several successive stages, which helps to effectively and permanently get rid of a characteristic health problem. The basic rules of deworming help not only to get rid of unpleasant symptoms, but also to eliminate the root cause of the characteristic illness. You should focus on the following points:

If worms are present, it is too late to do a preventive vaccination; the first step is to destroy the pathogenic flora using conservative methods.
Deworming involves not only taking medications, it is additionally required to follow a diet, a therapeutic diet, and undergo a special course of treatment.
The choice of medication is made by the attending physician, containing toxic substances to destroy the membranes of larvae and adults.
Allowed foods for deworming are greens, fiber, nuts, berries; prohibited food ingredients - coffee, marinades, alcoholic beverages, yeast.
Deworming is mandatory for all family members, and it is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene.

How to deworm a person

The first symptoms of helminths deprive the patient of sleep and rest, so it is important to act immediately. Carrying out deworming includes the productive elimination of the inflammatory process in the intestines, the extermination of pathogenic flora, and the restoration of systemic digestion. For humans and animals, the choice of medications has the following classification - chemical and natural remedies.

In the first case we are talking about the products of modern pharmacology, in the second – about recipes for alternative medicine. Additionally, you need to eat right, take probiotics, regularly observe personal hygiene rules, and avoid contact with potentially infected animals. Deworming with medications is carried out only on the recommendation of the attending physician.

Should a dog be wormed if it won't leave the house?

Even if your pet is not walked and does not come into contact with yard animals, there is a risk of contracting ectoparasites.

Possible routes of infection are:

a new pet appeared in the house, which they did not have time to worm;
if the dog is fed natural products, then worms can enter the gastrointestinal tract with raw fish or meat;
You can also become infected from a person who pets a dog or cat on the street or picks up an object from the ground that has parasite eggs on it.

Sandboxes in which children play and animals often use as toilets. It is enough for a child to put his dirty hands in his mouth, and the worms will enter the body, then spread to the domestic dog.

To avoid infection, outdoor pets also need to be periodically wormed. But you can do this once a year.

Deworming scheme

You shouldn't wait until your dog is older. It is necessary to start deworming from an early age, strictly following the schedule.

Dog deworming scheme

Deadlines	Peculiarities
3 weeks after birth	The breeder carries out the first procedure. An anthelmintic drug is also given to a nursing female.
10 days after the 1st procedure (on the 31st day from birth)	The same drugs are used as in the previous case
At 7 weeks of age	Deworming before the 1st vaccination
At 10 weeks	The procedure is carried out 2 weeks before the 2nd vaccination, which already includes the rabies vaccine

From 3.5 months the dog can be walked. And from this moment on, deworming is carried out every 3 months - up to a year.

At 12 months the dog is vaccinated again (with preliminary worming). Further – 2-3 times a year or once for a pet.

If you are planning to travel with your four-legged friend, then 3 weeks before departure he will be vaccinated, and a week before that he should be given an anthelmintic.

Broad-spectrum anthelmintic for people

When choosing medications for deworming, it is important to remember that such drugs contain toxic substances that not only destroy the membranes of potential pests, but also, if the dosage is violated, cause general intoxication of the human and even animal body. The choice of medication should be selective, taking into account the fact of systemic exposure. When choosing anthelmintic drugs for human treatment, it is recommended to pay attention to the following medications:

Albendazole;
Helminthox;
Pyrantel;
Vermox;
Nemozol.

New recommendations may conflict with vaccine instructions

Practicing veterinarians and pet owners often worry that the recommendations of the WSAWA guidelines conflict with the recommendations made in the vaccine instructions (or “summary product characteristics”, as the instructions are commonly called in Europe).

An instruction or brief description of a medicinal product is a document created during the registration process of a specific vaccine. The instructions contain detailed information about the quality, safety and effectiveness of the drug and, in the case of vaccines, describe the minimum duration of immunity provided by the drug.

Duration of immunity is determined based on experimental data (i.e., how long after vaccination an animal will be protected from infection or disease based on experimental challenge with a virulent infectious agent) and is a minimum value and does not necessarily reflect the true duration of immunity provided by the vaccine.

For most core vaccines for small pets, until relatively recently, the minimum duration of immunity was 1 year, based on which annual booster vaccination was recommended. In recent years, many of these vaccines have been relicensed to have a minimum duration of immunity of 3 (or sometimes 4) years.

In fact, in many countries, most core MLV vaccines are now licensed for revaccination of adult animals once every three years . However, there are many other countries that still specify a minimum duration of immunity of 1 year for the same vaccines. The only reason is that the manufacturer did not apply to change the recommendations contained in the instructions for the drug, or that the country's licensing authority did not give permission to make changes. This unfortunate situation leads to confusion among doctors in such countries.

The most important thing to remember is that even the 3-year licensed duration of immunity is the minimum for core vaccines, most of which are likely to have a much longer (perhaps even lifelong) true duration of immunity in the majority of vaccinated animals.

Deworming with folk remedies

You can also be treated with alternative methods. For example, garlic enemas and drinks help remove helminths using folk remedies without harm to health. To prepare a medicinal infusion, you need to boil 2-3 cloves of garlic in a glass of milk, then leave, cool and give to children and adults to drink for worms. Deworming is effective if you use the following recipes:

Prepare onion tincture using the classic method. Take half a glass when cooled throughout the week.
Nettle tincture also protects against helminths and is a preventive measure for contact with sick animals.