1. All puppies have worms.
Worms have evolved over time to be pretty creative in the ways that they propagate their species. One of those ways is to hide out in the muscle tissue of mother dogs (no matter how well cared for they are) and then the hormones of pregnancy will trigger them to reactivate and become infectious to the puppies. Pretty dastardly, huh?
2. Over-the-counter dewormers may not be effective and you need a veterinarian’s help.
Deworming preparations found in pet stores and over-the-counter options might not cover what ails your dog. Even if they contain the correct active ingredient, the approved dose for OTC sales may be inadequate for your dog’s particular parasite burden.
Please, for the safety of your dog and everyone’s dogs, ask your veterinarian to help you choose the best deworming choices for your dog. Indiscriminate use of pharmaceuticals allows pathogens to develop resistance and deworming drugs are no different. Be safe and ask your vet!
3. Some common intestinal parasites cannot be treated by readily available deworming products.
We think of intestinal parasites as worms and it is true that many of them look like worms, but there are other destructive parasites that are microscopic and not visible without a special solution, a microscope, and a trained eye. When your veterinarian asks for a stool sample, these little guys are part of the reason why. These parasites are not phased by regular deworming and must be targeted with products directly aimed at their eradication. You might think you are treating them, but they can make your dog very sick if you waste time on the wrong medicine. Let your vet help.
4. Some of your dog’s parasites can be infectious to people.
As absolutely gross and scary as it might seem, some worms and parasites are zoonotic (infectious from pets to people). For example, roundworms become a threat when the eggs are ingested from a contaminated environment. Small children who put environmental items or soil in their mouths are most at risk. These worms have been known to cause permanent blindness when they migrate in ocular tissue and multiple other organ systems may be damaged depending on where the larvae travel. Make sure your dog is on a regular deworming program that covers roundworms to protect you both.
5. Worms are not just for poop.
Dogs can get parasites in their heart and lungs and their intestinal tract and in their bladder. It is important that you talk with your veterinarian about a comprehensive deworming program. It is not good enough to buy a product labeled as a dewormer from the feed store because many of these worms must also be directly targeted and treated with prescription only products.
6. Deworming is never “one and done”.
If a rescue group or breeder tells you a puppy has been dewormed, they do not mean that the puppy is completely “worm free”. They mean that they have started the deworming process and it is up to you to complete it with the help of your veterinarian. Pets always need to be on a regularly scheduled deworming product. This is usually a part of your dog’s heart worm prevention product, but ask your vet to be sure what the recommendations are for your area.
7. Ringworm is not actually a worm.
My clients always seem confused about this, but “ringworm” is just a slang term for a certain fungal infection of the skin. It was probably named “ringworm” because it forms a circular lesion on human skin. On the skin of a dog, it might not appear circular, but is usually inflamed (red) and has hair loss. Because it is not a worm, deworming products do not prevent or treat it and you will need a veterinarian’s help to diagnose and manage this.
Toledo, United States.
