home Endocrinology When and how to use anthelmintics for dogs? Proper deworming of dogs before vaccination Anthelmintic for a 3 month old puppy

When and how to use anthelmintics for dogs? Proper deworming of dogs before vaccination Anthelmintic for a 3 month old puppy

“A dog living in an apartment has worms – is this possible?” you might be surprised. Many people are convinced that only a street stray dog can become infected with worms. However, according to statistics, from 60% to 80% of indoor pets are “hosts” of certain types of helminths.

How dangerous are worms in dogs and how can you determine if there is an infestation? The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, primarily on the type of worms with which the dog is infected, its age and general physical condition. A relatively reliable and quick way to diagnose helminthiasis in a dog is to undergo laboratory tests, but only a small part of dog breeders do this regularly, and residents of small towns and villages often do not have this opportunity at all.

Common signs of worms in dogs

How to understand that a dog is infected if there is no opportunity to get tested for worms? There are a number of common symptoms that can help you understand that your pet needs urgent deworming:

Unstable stool (the dog’s diarrhea alternates with constipation);

Increased appetite due to weight loss, or lack of appetite for no apparent reason;

Hiccups after eating;

Sporadic vomiting in a dog;

Difficulty swallowing;

The dog “rides” on its butt, trying to relieve the itching in the anus;

Dermatitis and other skin diseases of dogs;

Deterioration in the general appearance and condition of the animal (dull coat, lethargy, anemia, etc.).

When a dog is heavily infested with worms in the feces and in the anal area, you can see individual “segments” or dead or living individuals, or worm eggs, and often with a severe infestation the dog vomits worms.

In small puppies, worms can be diagnosed by external signs such as a bloated abdomen and noticeably protruding ribs. Often, due to worms, puppies experience various deviations in eating habits: against the background of an increased appetite for normal dog food, the baby also eats various inedible objects and substances, while he still looks thin. If a puppy is heavily infected with worms, he loses his appetite, becomes lethargic and inactive. Later, if helminthiasis is not treated, the dog begins to vomit worms, and intestinal obstruction often occurs, which leads to the death of the dog. In cases where a puppy or young dog is only slightly infected with worms, the infestation often causes rickets and retardation in the development and growth of the animal.

Types of worms in dogs

Specific symptoms of certain types of worms in dogs

Helminth infections of dogs	Pathogen	Symptoms of worms in dogs
Ascariasis – Toxascariasis and Toxocariasis	Roundworms of dogs Tohosaga canis, Toxascaris leonina	Vomiting after feeding, hiccups, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, bronchitis, shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing in a dog, in the acute form - diarrhea with blood, pale mucous membranes, lethargy
Uncinariasis and hookworm	Nematodes of the family Ancylostomatidae	The same as for ascariasis
Dipylidia (cucumber tapeworm)	Tape flatworms – cestode Dipylidium caninum	Allergic reactions, intestinal obstruction and bleeding, perverted appetite, weight loss, “riding on the butt,” vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, sometimes cramps and drooling
Ancylostimiasis	Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala	Anemia, diarrhea, blood in stool, emaciation, sunken eyes, swollen legs, fainting
Esophageal (esophageal) worms in dogs		Difficulty swallowing, vomiting, emaciation, cough, choking
Heartworms in dogs		Increased fatigue after physical activity, cough, swelling of the legs, abdomen, etc., cramps, photophobia, “fixed gaze”

Prevention of worms in dogs

In modern environmental conditions, it is almost impossible to avoid infecting a dog with worms. Since helminth eggs are contained in the soil, even an indoor dog that does not go outside can become infected through dust and dirt carried from the street on people’s shoes. Thus, the only way to reduce or eliminate the risk of a dog becoming infected with worms is prevention.

In order to prevent severe worming in newborn puppies, it is imperative to deworm the bitch before mating. Lactating bitches need to wash their nipples if there is a suspicion that they may have gotten worm eggs. Newborn puppies are prevented from worming from 12-14 days of age. Adult dogs are wormed several times a year (read more about how to properly and how often a dog should be wormed).

In addition to carrying out routine deworming, preventive measures also include preventing free walking of domestic dogs (straying) - as a rule, such animals are more often infected with worms. You should not allow your dog to eat the feces of other animals, as they may contain eggs or larvae of worms. It is also extremely important to provide the dog with clean water and drink, do not allow it to drink from puddles and other bodies of water and pick up food from the ground or floor.

The choice of deworming product for dogs largely depends on the age of the animal and where it lives. For example, in Russia, according to research results, newborn puppies and young dogs are most often infected with the nematode Tohosaga canis, so it is best to use an anthelmintic for dogs such as Drontal Junior, which is administered to puppies using a syringe without a needle through the mouth in the form of a sweet suspension . Prazicide, Trontsil, Prazitel, Pratel, Kanikvantel, Triantelm are also successfully used for worming puppies (for puppies up to 1 month - in the form of a suspension, for puppies from 1 month - deworming tablets for dogs).

It is recommended to give adult dogs a wide spectrum of drugs, primarily Drontal Plus, Azinox and Azinox Plus, etc. It is recommended to alternate drugs, since with prolonged use of the same drug, worms develop immunity to them.

In order for the treatment of helminthiasis to be successful, you must follow a number of simple rules, regardless of what kind of deworming medicine you use for your dog:

Consult with breeders, veterinarians and breed colleagues. It makes sense to purchase an anthelmintic for dogs that receives the greatest number of positive reviews from all three categories of “advisers.”
Buy anthelmintic drugs from good veterinary pharmacies. Be sure to check the expiration date when purchasing. Recently, cases of dogs being poisoned with counterfeit or expired deworming tablets have become more frequent.
Read the instructions for use carefully and follow them.
Check to see if there are any contraindications for using a particular brand of anthelmintic specifically for your dog. Some drugs are contraindicated for breeds such as collie, sheltie, etc.
When choosing how to treat a dog, you should take into account that different deworming agents have different mechanisms for destroying worms: some damage the outer shell, others paralyze the nervous system of helminths, and others destroy them at the cellular level. In fact, there are no drugs designed to kill all types of worms. That is why it is necessary to carefully read the instructions for medications, consult with doctors and, if possible, get tested before starting to treat your dog for worms.

How often should a dog be wormed?

You can often come across the opinion that an adult dog needs to be dewormed every 3 months. However, is this really necessary? Of course, deworming every quarter will most likely significantly reduce the risk of severe infestation, but does such a scheme take into account the harm that is caused to the dog’s body?

Deworming your dog before vaccination

How to get rid of worms for puppies

There are several points of view on the timing and schedule of deworming puppies. As a rule, before the first vaccination, puppies are given anthelmintic on the 14th and 28th days of life, after which the vaccination is given on the 42nd day.

Many breeders recommend worming puppies and adult dogs with the use of additional “protective” drugs that reduce the load on the liver and kidneys and minimize the impact of toxins that are released with dying worms. To protect the body, hepaprotectors such as karsil can be used; gamavit is also used (.05, ml per 1 kg of weight 1 time in three days, three times in total). Enterosgel is most often used as a sorbent (1 teaspoon per 10 kg of dog weight, 1 hour before meals, for 3 days).

An approximate schedule for worming a puppy: the first time at the age of 14 days, then at 1 month, for puppies less than six months old - once a month, then once a quarter. However, there are nuances in treating dogs of different breeds for worms, so before carrying out this procedure yourself, consult your breeder or veterinarian.

Mix the medicine with a treat. If the pill is allowed to be taken with food, crush the pill into a powder and mix it with a treat. As a treat, you can take a small slice of sausage or processed cheese, minced meat, chicken or beef liver, canned food, butter. The listed products overshadow the bitter taste of the medicine, so the dog will not notice the catch.
Set up a game. If your pet is suspicious and does not want to take the medicine, do something smarter. Crush the tablet into dust in a convenient way. Make several balls of minced meat mixed with butter. Now try feeding your animal treats in a playful way. Throw the treat up and let the dog catch it. It is not necessary to fit the entire tablet into one portion of minced meat; as a game, you will feed the tablet in several stages.
Blow into the animal's nose. To trigger a swallowing reflex and feed the medicine in its pure form, you need to resort to tricks. Place the capsule on the root of your pet's tongue, then gently squeeze its mouth. Hold your dog because he will start kicking. Blow lightly into your nose and you will feel your pet swallow the pill. You can also crush the medicine and mix it with warm water, then inject it into the animal’s mouth and blow into the nose.

If none of the suggested methods is effective, give your dog an anthelmintic by force. To do this, call an assistant, ask him to wrap the pet in a blanket and hold it. Mash the tablet into dust, dilute with water and apply with a spoon to the root of the tongue. Cover your pet's mouth and scratch its neck.

Video: how to give a pill to a dog

Deworming: Frequently Asked Questions.

What is deworming?

At what age and how often should an animal be dewormed? In what case is repeated deworming needed 10 days after the main one?

Periodic deworming is best started at 3 weeks of age. For this purpose, use preparations marked “For kittens” and “For puppies”. The rest of the angelmints are designed for more mature individuals - such products are best used no earlier than 1.5 months, or even 2 months of age.

The frequency of preventive deworming varies depending on age. It is recommended to deworm young pets up to one year old at least once a quarter (3 months). It is customary to deworm adult animals once every six months.

What types of angelmints are there?

For preventive deworming, you choose the type of drug that is suitable for your animal’s age, as well as the most convenient to use and calculate the dose.

For example, now the vast majority of anthelmintic tablets for dogs are designed for 10 kg of animal weight. But how many microscopic parts will the tablet have to be divided into if you have a Chihuahua weighing 950 grams? In such a case, it is more convenient to use suspensions for small breeds of dogs - they come in a dosage of 1 ml per 1 kg of weight. Or even use drops on the withers (spot-ons). Simple arithmetic!

Now there are various dosage forms of angelmintics on the market: tablets, suspensions, drops on the withers. You choose the drug that will be easier/more convenient to set. If in doubt, consult a pharmacist at your local veterinary pharmacy.

Isn't this dangerous?

It should be noted that anthelmintic drugs are poison in a prophylactic dose. This means that their active ingredients (praziquantel, fenbendazole, albendazole, piperazine, ivermectin, pyrantel, etc.) in doses specified by the manufacturer are safe for the health of the pet.

Two basic safety rules for the deworming procedure:

My animal does not leave the house, should it be dewormed?

Necessarily. If a pet does not go outside, this does not mean that it cannot be infected. Animals that do not leave the apartment are dewormed according to the general scheme: up to a year - once every three months; after a year - once every six months.

If your animal does not go for walks, but eats raw meat, offal, minced meat, and fresh fish, it should be dewormed once every 3-4 months.

Why do veterinarians insist on deworming the animal before vaccination?

We veterinarians often hear:

“We have a “clean” animal, we don’t go for walks anywhere, we have no need to worm!” or

“We would have noticed his discomfort!”

Dear owners:

Just like in order to contract a viral infection, an animal does not necessarily need to go for a walk. Most of your pets are infected in early childhood, from a mother who was not wormed before mating; It is also important to remember that YOU walk down the street - and bring all sorts of things on your shoes. There is also a risk of infestation from raw meat if you feed your pet natural food.

Understand, the term “preventive deworming” would not exist if it were not necessary.

It is necessary to deworm the animal 7 - 10 days before vaccination to achieve the best effect of vaccination and the formation of strong, lasting immunity.

Is it possible to give angelmints to pregnant and lactating animals?

The annotation for most drugs states that it is not recommended to anthelmintize lactating and pregnant females. And this is true, because the drug, being absorbed into the blood, enters the fetus, having an embryotoxic effect, or ends up in the milk that the cubs feed on. The result is developmental disorders or severe poisoning.

To protect the expectant mother and her offspring, it is recommended to deworm the female 10-14 days before the intended mating; subsequently, the cubs are wormed 3 weeks after birth.

However, manufacturers of some drugs allow deworming of pregnant and lactating animals; but many veterinarians are skeptical of such claims and stick to the old scheme.

But there are critical situations: for example, you picked up a pregnant cat, and then realized that she had worms. What to do? Take emergency measures. If there is no choice, you can trust drugs whose annotations indicate their harmlessness to the fetus; Or you can wait until the birth, and immediately after it, worm the animal, neither earlier nor later. There is an option to combine these two methods. But in any case, this is done after carefully weighing all possible consequences!

CONCLUSION:

1) preventive deworming is an integral part in the process of maintaining the health of your pet;

2) kittens and puppies are dewormed no earlier than 3 weeks of age once every 3 months; Upon reaching the age of one year, young animals that do not go outside and consume ready-made food are dewormed once every six months. It is recommended to deworm street animals every 3-4 months.

3) deworming of animals is mandatory 7-10 days before the expected date of vaccination;

4) deworming of pregnant and lactating animals is prohibited to avoid toxic active substances entering the fragile body of the fetus;

5) choosing the form of anthelmintic is not a fundamental question, boiling down to what exactly will be easier to ask the animal.

6) Two basic safety rules for the deworming procedure:

Strictly act in accordance with the instructions for the drug: follow the dosage, regimen, frequency.
Do not deworm weak, sick, exhausted, or recently operated animals. In this case, the pet’s body is weakened, and the additional toxic effects of angelmintics can lead to disastrous results.

7) Be sure to deworm the animal 7 - 10 days before the intended vaccination; this helps to achieve a better vaccination effect and the formation of a healthy, viable immune system.

8) Deworming of lactating and pregnant females is not recommended. Deworming should be carried out 10-14 days before the intended mating. Cubs are dewormed no earlier than 3 weeks of age.

Babies are dewormed for the first time at two months of age, before their first vaccination.

Puppies are wormed for the first time at two months.

Should be as vigilant as possible , since it is unknown how a small organism will behave in response to the administration of an unknown drug. There are a number of rules that you need to know before the event:

disinfection of fur;
The medication should be taken on an empty stomach;
it is forbidden to increase the dosage;
it is forbidden to give the drug again;
taking an immunostimulant;
two hours after the manipulations, take the adsorbent;
bowel movement after six hours.

The wool should be treated to eliminate possible insects seven days before manipulation. You can use drops that should be applied to the withers area.

For greater effect, deworming should be carried out on an empty stomach. . Thus, the medicine will not be “lost” among the feed masses. Under no circumstances should the prescribed dose be increased to avoid poisoning.
Even if the puppy regurgitates the medicine, you should not try to give it again. . The dog received everything it needed, and the next dose should be no earlier than two months later. To support the body, it is recommended that animals consume an immunostimulant - gamavit.
It is recommended to use the adsorbent two hours after taking the medicine; you can give activated carbon. If the pet has not had a bowel movement after six hours, it is possible to use a laxative - mineral oil or Duflac. Provide the animal with free access to clean and fresh water, as the deworming agent provokes irrepressible thirst and dehydration.

After two hours since the puppy has taken the medicine, you can give him activated charcoal.

Types of anthelmintic drugs

The drug Dosalid is often used among dog owners.

Today, there are a lot of different products designed for comfortable use. Types of funds:

pills;
suspension;
drops on the withers;
drops on the tongue;
injections.

Most often, dog owners resort to tablets.. The greatest demand is: dironet, dosalid, febtal combo, dirofen, canikquantel plus, pyrantel . For each individual medicine, a regimen of use has been developed, which must not be violated under any circumstances. It can be fed to the animal either in its pure form or together with food. Can be diluted with water.

Suspensions

Suspensions are mainly used for babies. Each package contains a measuring syringe with which the medicine is administered. The most famous suspensions at the moment: drontal junior, prazitel, helminthal, dirofen, prazicide.

Drops on the withers

Another positive thing about the drops is that you don’t have to figure out how to administer the necessary medicine to your pet. In addition, the product is also effective in the fight against fleas and ticks. The most famous are dana, prazicide.

Indications and contraindications

There is an opinion that deworming should be done every three months.

However, such a measure is needed only in cases where the dog is constantly at risk, that is, it is often in places where there are many other animals, walks through landfills, and eats raw meat. In other cases, the event should be held at intervals of six months.

An animal should not be subjected to the procedure if any pathology is present or the body is weakened or exhausted. . Worming is prohibited during pregnancy and the lactation period, as it can harm the offspring.
Mandatory procedure before vaccination. At the same time, it is important to make sure that the event was successful, since using the vaccine on an organism weakened by worms can provoke adverse reactions. In such cases, hyperthermia is noted. Among other things, the vaccine simply will not work and will not happen.

Riding on your butt is one of the symptoms of having worms.

Visible signs of the presence of helminthiasis are: hiccups after eating, the dog chokes while swallowing, fidgeting on the ground on its fifth point.
Skin rashes are possible.
Changes in taste preferences, increase or loss of appetite.
The dog suddenly loses weight, despite an increased appetite.
Alternating diarrhea and constipation. Nausea and vomiting occur. There may be worms in the vomit. There is apathy, drowsiness, an increase in the size of the abdomen,...
There are worms in the stool. The baby is lagging behind in development and growth.
There may be a rise in body temperature, presence or sneezing.
Nasal and eye discharge.
Itching in the anal area progresses.
In more advanced cases, anorexia and signs of rickets occur.

Video about how often to worm a dog

Helminths are very dangerous and can lead to the death of the animal. The larvae of worms, entering the body, penetrate the blood and blood vessels, striking the:

As soon as the larvae arrive at their place of “residence,” they begin to grow and produce new offspring, which are also distributed throughout the body.

Important rules for deworming

The first anthelmintic is given to a two-month-old puppy, before the first vaccination. This is an important period because the baby is exposed to it, and it is unknown what reaction he will give to the administration of the drug. For everything to go well, it is important to follow the rules:

A week before giving the dog anthelmintic tablets, it must be treated for fleas; for this, special drops must be applied to the animal’s withers so that it cannot reach them with its tongue.
Deworming is carried out in the morning before meals; it is more effective than at other times of the day.
The dose of the anthelmintic cannot be increased; the drug must be given strictly according to the instructions.
The medicine should not be given a second time, even if it is not completely ingested, or the pet spits out the tablets. In this case, deworming can be carried out a second time no earlier than after 70 days.
Before taking an anthelmintic, it is better to give the dog an immunostimulant, for example, Gamavit.
1.5 hours after the administration of the drug against worms, it is better to give the puppy an absorbent, such as activated carbon.
6 hours after the administration of the anthelmintic, the dog should go to the toilet and have a bowel movement. If she doesn’t succeed, then you can give her a mild laxative, for example mineral oil, Duphalac.

After taking an anthelmintic, the puppy must have constant access to clean water because the anthelmintic causes extreme thirst and dehydration.

Types of anthelmintics

Now there is a wide variety of anthelmintics, and in different forms of release.

Pills

The most common remedy that is in demand among dog breeders. The most widely used tablets: Dironet, Dosalid, Febtal combo, Dirofen, Canikquantel plus, Pyrantel. The medicine must be given strictly according to the instructions; in no case should the dose be increased or decreased.

To give anthelmintic tablets, some owners use tablet holders or hide them in a piece of meat or sausage. If the puppy is less than two months old, then he may not swallow the tablets, then they need to be crushed and given in the form of a powder dissolved in water. To do this, you can use a syringe with a previously removed needle.

Suspension

Deworming with this form works well for puppies that cannot swallow tablets. The suspension is administered using a syringe with a measure included in the package. Common suspensions: Drontal Junior, Prazitel, Helmintal, Dirofen, Prazicide.

Drops on the withers

The newest type of anthelmintic. This product enters the animal's body through the skin. The advantages of this remedy: it does not need to be given forcefully, like tablets, it does not harm the dog, but it copes not only with worms, but also with ticks and fleas. The most common drops: Dana, Prazicide.

You cannot buy unknown medicines, and before use you must check the expiration date of the drug.

How to properly give anthelmintic to a dog

Deworming before vaccination is carried out 10–14 days before vaccination. If this procedure is performed for the first time for a puppy, it is better to consult a veterinarian, since only a professional can accurately recommend tablets and calculate the required dosage. If the drug or dosage is chosen incorrectly, the puppy may experience complications.

40 minutes after administering the medicine, you can give the puppy Vaseline oil to drink for better absorption of the anthelmintic; take 3 ml of oil per 1 kg of animal weight. Vaseline oil improves the effect of the anthelmintic drug, protects the puppy’s intestines from dysbacteriosis and complete intoxication.
If a puppy has traces of worms in his feces, then the infection has already gone far, and it is unknown how many of them are in the body. It is necessary to take tests to identify the type of helminths, on the basis of which treatment will be prescribed.
If an animal cannot drink medicine on an empty stomach, then anthelmintics can be given 3 hours before meals or 2 hours after feeding.
To make deworming more comfortable, before and after it, the dog should be given medications that support the liver and kidneys. It is these organs that bear the brunt of the toxins caused by dying helminths. Only a veterinarian can tell you what type of product to give to an animal, but most often they use hepaprotectors, for example, Karsil; you can give sorbents, for example, Enterosgel.
If it is known that the animal is infected with helminths, and their traces are noticeable in the feces, then before the vaccine is administered, the dog must be dewormed twice, maintaining an interval of 14 days. It is important to vaccinate every 10 days.

The vaccination should not be given to an organism weakened by helminths, since the administration of the vaccine is stressful for the animal, and it is not known how the drug will affect the pet’s condition.

The following symptoms will help you understand that your pet has worms:

If your dog has diarrhea after taking an anthelmintic, you should contact your veterinarian, because this may be a sign of intoxication. In this case, you cannot carry out treatment yourself, otherwise you can only worsen the situation.