They may look like perfect, fluffy teddies, but puppies can harbour all sorts of parasites and disease, which you need to address right from the start. Not only do puppies lick and mouth everything, leading to hygiene issues, but worm infestations can be fatal to them. Puppies are often born with worms, as roundworm can be transferred from the mother either in the womb or via the milk, and they are highly susceptible. So, it’s vital that you know how often to worm a puppy – which is more frequent than you might think.
How often do you need to worm a puppy?
Consult your vet for advice, but general advice is to start worming puppies when they are two weeks old, and repeat every two to three weeks until they are 12 weeks old, then monthly until they are six months old. At that age, puppies can move on to an adult worming programme, which is typically every six months. However, vets sometimes advise certain dogs, those that have been staying in kennels, or are living in particular locations – such as where there has been a lungworm outbreak – to be wormed every three months.
Some schedules recommend worming puppies weekly until they are 12 weeks. However, bear in mind that there is no obvious benefit to worming beyond the necessary amount, and it may even cause your puppy to build up tolerance to the worming medication. Any medication when taken in the incorrect dosage can be unsafe.
How to worm a puppy
Look out for wormers that treat roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms. In some areas, your vet may advise using a product that covers lungworm as well, which is not available over the counter. How much wormer you give will depend on the puppy’s weight. Always use a product which is registered for use in young puppies as regards the minimum age.
There are various ways you can get the wormer into your puppy:
- Tablets tend to have tasty flavours and most puppies eat them quite happily.
- Paste is useful because you can easily administer the correct dose, whereas tablets are trickier to split.
- Powder can be sprinkled on your puppy’s food.
- Liquid suspension can either be syringed directly into the mouth or added to the food. The syringe makes it easy to ensure the correct dose.
- Spot-on topical treatments are squirted directly on to the skin at the back of the neck.
Drontal Oral Suspension For Puppies | Viovet.co.uk
Suitable for use from two weeks of age and weighing over 0.6kg. Targets roundworms, whipworms and hookworms, and can be given directly or mixed with feed.
Johnson’s One Dose Wormer | Viovet.co.uk
Safe for use from 12 weeks, this wormer caters for all sizes of puppy.
Signs your puppy has worms
Assuming your puppy has been wormed regularly according to your vet’s recommendation, it is very unlikely to have a worm infestation. But it is still handy to know what signs you should look out for.
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight – or pot belly
- Poor growth
- Diarrhoea or ill-formed stools
- Vomiting
- Dull coat
- Scooting (dragging bottom on the ground)
- Coughing
- Spotting worms in their stools or vomit
Do not be surprised if you still see live worms in your puppy’s mess after he has been wormed. This is a normal reaction as the dead worms are expelled from your puppy’s body. You can be relieved they are no longer wreaking havoc inside!
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