
As a pet parent, keeping your puppy healthy and happy is essential. Regular deworming is crucial to their well-being, as worms can cause discomfort and anaemia and even be fatal, which is why understanding puppy deworming is important.
Understanding Worms in Puppies
Types of worms:
Puppies can contract various worms, including roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, and whipworm. Each type of worm can affect your puppy differently and require a specific deworming treatment.
Symptoms of Worm Infestation
Worms in puppies can cause various symptoms, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, bloated belly, and weakness. However, some puppies may show no symptoms of worm infestation. A vet can conduct a faecal examination to check for worm infestation. It's essential to get your dog examined regularly for an expert opinion.
Deworming Schedule:
Age of the Puppy: Deworming should begin at 2 weeks and be repeated every 2 weeks until the puppy is 12 weeks old. Following that, deworming should be done every 3-6 months.
Types of deworming medication:
Oral medication: The most common and effective way to treat worms in puppies is through oral medication. Your vet can provide a prescription and guide you on administering it correctly.
Topical medication: Topical deworming medication comes as a liquid or topical solution. However, it is not as effective as oral medication.
Deworming precautions: Keeping your puppy's environment clean is vital to prevent worm infestation. Puppies can get worms from their mother, other puppies, soil, and animal faeces. Make sure to avoid areas where other dogs defecate and keep your puppy away from dead animals. Maintaining Good hygiene and washing your hands can help reduce the risk of worms.
Additional precautions
Traveling with Your Puppy
Depending on the country's regulations, extra deworming treatments should be administered when travelling abroad with your dog. Some certification is also required for flying with your dog, which the vet provides.
Essential to prevent re-infestation
Deworming your puppy is not a one-time solution. Maintaining good hygiene, avoiding high-risk areas, and keeping up with your puppy's deworming schedule is essential to prevent reinfestation.
Comments