Worms in dogs

There are still dog owners claiming that their dog is "home", with vaccinations, so the dog has no worms. Experienced breeders will smile in return. They already know that there are worms in dogs, they will be and will be. Regardless of whether the house is a dog, or "courtyard" from the street.

Worms in adult dogs should be etched every three months, puppies have a slightly different schedule (it will be described below). This procedure can not be ignored, since heavily infected dogs are inactive, poorly eaten, their immunity is weakened. In addition, the owner (and all his households) run the risk of being infected with virtually all types of worms, the carrier of which may be their pet.

Worms in dogs. Symptoms

Infected dogs quickly lose weight, wool without shine (matte), a white eye with a bluish rim. Often there are violations in the work of the gastrointestinal tract: diarrhea, constipation. Worms may appear with a stool, and sometimes even whole balls.

Worms in a puppy are especially dangerous: the baby grows poorly, almost does not gain weight, its natural immunity can not cope with viral diseases. In an infected puppy, the stomach rumbles after eating, the abdomen is swollen, and the liver is often enlarged. As in adult dogs, vomiting, diarrhea (or constipation), with the release of worms with vomit or with feces (but not always) is possible. The tongue is pale, with a blue (in healthy dogs it is pink). If a puppy infected with a worm is vaccinated, it can die.

Worms, releasing toxins, are able to bring the puppy to paresis and seizures. Larvae that travel throughout the body can enter the lungs and cause inflammation. An infected dog may have dermatitis and allergies. In addition, the worms can cause blockage of the intestines, which causes severe vomiting and the dog quickly dies.

Worms in dogs. Treatment and prevention

It is important to start fighting worms at an early age (until reaching five weeks). The larvae get to the puppies with the mother's milk and migrate throughout the body, returning as a result to the intestine and begin to multiply: lay eggs, grow up, again migrate. The process can be endless until the dog dies. Especially vulnerable are female puppies: during migration, some of the worms can get into the uterus and stay in it. In this case, the cure is no longer possible. The adult dog will remain the carrier until the end of life. The glistonous preparations will only expel adult individuals, and the larvae will remain.

How to get rid of worms? The ideal solution will be going to the clinic and taking the tests. They will determine which worms the dog has and recommend the corresponding drug.

There are preparations of a wide spectrum of action (from different types of worms):

- oral administration (powders, suspensions, tablets): "Azinox", "Pratel", "Prazitsid", "Albendazol", "Kanikvantel", "Alben-S", "Dironet", "Prazimek-D", "Dirofen" , "Prazitsid-suspension" and others;

- Drops (spot-it, drip on the withers): Stronghold (USA), Advocate (Germany), PRASIZID-COMPLEX (Russia);

- injections.

I especially want to highlight "Stronghold" and "Advocate", because I have been using these drugs for years. Reviews are only positive. It is remarkable that the action is combined: the dog will be spared from all nematodes that live in the intestine and is protected from ticks of demodex, withers, sarcopthoid (Otodectes cynotes, Sarcoptes canis, Notoedres cati).
"PRASTICID-COMPLEX" did not use, but the reviews heard positive. This drug, in contrast to the above, acts on the cestode.
When purchasing any of the listed products, check the expiration dates and carefully review the instructions. Not all drugs are suitable for puppies. Be sure to specify in the clinic whether the chosen drug can be used in your case (name the weight and age of the dog).

Usually the puppies receive the first helminths in the fourth week of life (on the 25th day). We use the drug "Pirantel" for the fourth year already. Honestly, veterinarians are not enthusiastic about this, but we do not have any complaints about this drug yet (it acts gently, is easily transferred, acts on different kinds of worms, according to the instructions, you can give the drug to even the smallest children). It is sold in ordinary pharmacies for people. Dosage is calculated based on the weight of the puppy: for 1 kg of weight, we take 0.3 ml of the suspension into the syringe (important: no more and no less) and give for 20-30 minutes before feeding. After 10 days - repeat. Further - already usual veterinary preparations.
It is impossible to avoid helminth infection. The dog can catch even without leaving the apartment. Larvae of parasites can be found on the owner's shoes, in meat, fish, even in drinking water. Fleas can become carriers of and infectious agents. Therefore, it is very important not to forget about planned deworming and treatment from fleas for your own safety and for the good of your dog.