Monday, December 10, 2012

Let's Talk About Worms




I’ve talked about many different health issues affecting dogs, and Dobermans in particular, on this blog so I thought today I might zoom in on a particular problem: worms. Not a nice thing to think about but, thankfully, something we can avoid if we do.

After some research on the topic, I’ve come up with some top tips to help keep your dog worm free.

See your vet regularly
A good vet should keep an eye out for symptoms of worms, and even check their stools once in a while. If they find evidence of a worm infection, they’ll be able to advise you on what kind of dog wormer is best for your pet.

Make your dog’s business your business
It’s not the most pleasant of jobs for us dog owners, but when you’re cleaning up after your dog look for evidence of worms. Basically, anything stringy or irregular should set off alarm bells. If your dog is having trouble going, it might mean a build-up of worms in his gut as well so get him checked out.

Monitor your dog’s behaviour
Keep an eye on your dog’s appearance and behavior. If his energy levels or appetite changes, or if you notice his belly looks bigger than usual, these could be signs he’s battling a worm infection.

Treat worms before they happen
They say prevention is better than cure. I’ve got one word for this: petmeds. It’s so important to keep your dog in good health and that includes a regular dog worming treatment. Adult dogs should be wormed every three months. After each treatment, make a note in your diary to ensure your pet is never put at risk by being unprotected.  

Fight fleas
Dogs can catch fleas easily, and fleas spread tapeworm, so if you give your dog anti-flea treatments, you’re less likely to have to deal with worms.

Keep his nose out of it
Don’t let your dog sniff around other dogs’ mess. This is one of the prime ways worms can be transmitted.

Be responsible
While you may be a responsible dog owner, unfortunately not everyone is. You can’t always know if other dogs have flea or worm infections, but when you do, keep your pet away from infected animals.

Hopefully these top tips will help keep your dog healthy and worm free, but if in doubt, speak to your vet about protecting your dog from unpleasant – and avoidable – infections.



Note: This post was sponsored by http://www.vetvits.co.uk/

11 comments:

  1. Thanks for this post Elka - my mom is always on worm-watch-patrol if I have done my "business" ;o)

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  2. Ugh! I hate worms. I posted a picture of them in the first months of my blogging and it's scary and gross, but someone's gotta do it, right?

    Some puppies coming from homes that don't have sanitary conditions often have really bad worm infestation. I know because I've tried saving two to no success :(.

    Huggies and Cheese,

    Haopee

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  3. A good post! It's so important to monitor health and prevent those things you can.

    I remember the first time I saw worms. It was from a new rescued addition and her first bm at home...yikes! Off to the vet of course. All the pack take heartworm and flea & tick prevention which covers things like worms too.

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  4. I've never gotten the worms, butts it doesn't sound nice. Thanks for the info on what to look for, I'll let Ma look at my business, Thank you. BOL

    Kisses,
    Ruby

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  5. Those are some great tips. Thanks! My dogs are rarely around other dogs' business. But I do worry that they eat chicken and duck poo, though, far as I can tell, my birds are healthy creatures.

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  6. We deworm at least once a year. With three dogs it is important. Of course the only one who ever actually got worms was the cat...lol.

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  7. Such an important topic and more common than people think! I have the dogs stool checked a few times a year just to stay safe!

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  8. Great post! Fred and Gloria take Advantage Multi 100 which is for heartWorm, fleas and other worms.

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  9. Does the heartguard work against worms? I usually bring a sample in when we have their annual check up but my vet has never advised me to do anything other than that.

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  10. Perfect post...glad you wrote it. Worms are a nasty thing and my mum is always on the look out and its true about not letting us sniff other dogs poo either, it can transfer!
    Maggie

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  11. I deworm at least once a year & sometimes twice. My english setter has a sysmptom you didn't mention - he gets gassy. Not actually farty but just his stomach gurgles (which kind of perplexes & scares him). Quick OTC dewormer & he's right as rain. oh & also, I've never actually managed to see the worms even when my guys obv have them - so don't trust your eyes & deworm regularly prophylactically.

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