Worms are an unfortunate nuisance that all puppy parents must deal with regularly. Deworming for a puppy is a necessary part of caring for your little four-legged baby. Adult dogs and puppies can both contract worms from contaminated sources such as faeces, dirt, and water, among others. However, newborn puppies can also contract worms from their mother during pregnancy and while nursing. The presence of worms in your pets’ bodies can cause symptoms such as vomiting, weight loss, diarrhoea, anaemia, and other maladies. Therefore, it is very important to regularly take care of deworming for a puppy to keep them healthy, happy, and growing well.
How often to deworm a puppy?
Most experts suggest that the first deworm of the puppy should take place as early as possible. You may want to carry out this treatment when your puppy is around two to three weeks old. Thereafter, one must form a puppy deworming schedule for continued and effective treatment of worms. Deworming for puppies is not only key to protecting their health but also goes a long way in protecting you and your family. Some types of worms can be passed on from pets to humans. Thus, an effective puppy worm treatment plan not only helps protect your pet from diseases and other symptoms but also ensures the safety of your loved ones.
Puppy deworming schedule
Preparing a puppy deworming schedule is one of the most important practices that will ensure good health for your pet. The initial treatment must ideally take place once the puppy is two or three weeks old. After this first puppy worm treatment session, you can deworm your pet once every alternate week. This practice must be continued until the puppy is roughly 12 weeks old. Following this, future sessions of deworming for a puppy must take place once every three months. For a more thorough and personalized puppy deworming schedule, consult a qualified veterinarian. They can help guide you with the right medication and demonstrate how to deworm a puppy.
How to deworm a puppy?
Not sure how to get rid of worms in puppies? Follow the below steps to deworm your pet:
Step 1: Consulting a veterinarian
Veterinarians are qualified to guide you on how to properly care for your pet and help detect and diagnose any health problems early. If you have recently adopted a puppy, a thorough consultation with a vet is a must. They can prescribe the right tests, medication and any additional treatment required to carry out deworming for the puppy. If required, the vet may also prescribe a stool test that can help determine the presence of any microscopic worms in your puppy’s faeces. Based on the results, the vet can then prescribe a specific medication for the deworming of your puppy.
Step 2: Selecting a deworming medication
Usually, generic deworming medication is effective on most types of worms such as tapeworm, hookworms, roundworms and more. Generic deworming medication is easily available at specialty pet stores and animal clinics. In some cases, a specific type of medication may be required to get rid of a certain type of worm. Before using a different medicine for deworming for a puppy, do call up your vet to make sure you have got the right product.
Step 3: Administering medication
Deworming medication is commonly available in the form of tablets and syrup that can be administered orally. If you are unsure about the choice between tablets or syrup, the first deworm of the puppy may help you understand which type of medication they are comfortable with. Another important factor to remember is your puppy’s weight. This helps you give the puppy the right amount of deworming medication for their body weight.
Common mistakes while deworming
As a first-time pet parent, you may make a few mistakes while deworming your dog. The hustle and bustle of our busy lives can cause us to forget the puppy deworming schedule, or perhaps make us consider skipping a trip to the vet. However, we must be careful and avoid such mistakes in order to keep our beloved pets healthy and strong. Here are some common mistakes that pet parents can sometimes commit during puppy worm treatment.
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Only deworming your pet once in six months or once a year
Deworming your puppy regularly, and at the right time, is absolutely important. Skipping or delaying doses, not deworming at the right time, and believing that pets don’t require deworming as often when they grow older are some very common and avoidable mistakes. Your pets must be dewormed at the right time and at regular intervals throughout the year. This ensures their safety and good health which can keep them feeling happy, active, and cheerful.
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Not deworming all your pets, or not deworming them simultaneously
This is another common mistake that puppy parents may find themselves making. When you have multiple pets, only deworming one or some of them at one time can be detrimental to their health. Worms in dogs are contagious and can be transmitted from one pet to another through faecal matter, contaminated food, or water and even via mosquitoes. It is, therefore, crucial for pet parents to deworm all their pets at the same time to ensure that each one of them is worm-free and safe.
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Medicating your pet without consulting a vet
Pet parents may believe that having prior experience with pets qualifies them knowing the right medication for deworming or any other ailments and injuries. However, it is best not to medicate your precious pets without consulting a qualified professional. This will not only help you avoid any mishaps, but also identify any unfortunate problems or additional medication that may be required.
