Deworming your dog or puppy is highly recommended to get rid of those nasty little parasites even though many resources we have talked to vary in their overall schedule time. It is very important to note that ALL puppies will have intestinal worms during their life. Below is a suggested deworming procedure to follow with all your dogs and puppies.

Because of this one tiny fact it is very true that all puppies should be dewormed aggressively – starting at about three to four weeks of age with treatments repeating about every 2 weeks at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. It is also a good idea to continue the deworming process on the puppy afterwards at least once per month until the puppy is at least 6 months old.

Deworming Small Puppies

* Begin treatment at 2 weeks of age; repeat again at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. For a puppy that is at increased risk, such as an abandoned or orphaned puppy, also treat the puppy at 10 and 12 weeks of age, and then each month until the puppy is at least 6 months old. Afterward, use a heart worm preventive medication that is also effective against roundworms and hookworms as prescribed by your vet.

Deworming Nursing Dams

* Treat her concurrently with the puppies.

Deworming Newly Acquired Pets

* Assuming the dog is in good health, worm them immediately, after 2 weeks have passed, and then follow all recommendations listed above.

Deworming Adult Dogs

* Treat these dogs regularly for preventive reasons. Also monitor and eliminate parasites in your pet’s environment.

Dog Deworming Schedule

Later on, as the puppy matures, it is a very good idea to put the puppy on a heartworm preventive medication that is also effective in treating hookworms, roundworms and other types of worms.

Just so you’ll know, infected puppies shed roundworm and hookworm larvae continuously in their feces. Later on, if the puppy happens to dig or play around in the same area where they pooped previously, they will then reinfect themselves. It is very good to know that roundworms and hookworms can be treated easily enough with a good quality overall dewormer.

If your puppy or dog lives in an area where exposure to various kinds of worms is very high it is a good idea to deworm your dog or puppy every three to six months throughout it’s life just because. Also, it is important if your dog eats poop from ANY kind of any animal that it should also be treated for hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms as often as every three months.

There are many other kinds of worms that your dog may become infected with such as whip worms and the like. To be sure exactly what kind of worm infestation your pet has, you will need to take you dog (or a stool sample from it) to the veterinarian for a fecal exam.

If you have a puppy or dog and have not wormed it in some time please consult your vet for more information about deworming your dog. If you’d like you can follow the suggested worming schedule listed above. As always, please contact your veterinarian with any questions that you may have concerning deworming your dog.

Author Bio: Debbie Ray, owner of http://www.pedigreedpups.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com, is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast. Interested in more dog information? Training and health tips? Thinking about getting a purebred dog? A German Shepherd? Check out my websites for more information.

Category: Pets
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