Deworming your dog or puppy is highly recommended even though many resources we have talked to vary in their overall scheduling time. It is very important to note that ALL puppies will have intestinal worms during their lifetimes. Below is a suggested procedure to follow when deworming your dog and puppies.
Because of this one small fact it is very true that ALL puppies should be dewormed starting at about three to four weeks of age with treatments repeating about every 2 weeks again 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 puppy, also treat the puppy at 10 and 12 weeks of age, and then monthly 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 will 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 know exactly what kind of worm infestation your dog or puppy has, you will need to take your pet (or at least a stool sample from it) to the vet for a fecal exam.
If you have a puppy or dog and have not wormed it in some time please consult your veterinarian for more information about deworming your dog or perhaps follow the suggested worming schedule listed above. As always, please contact your vet with any questions that you may have concerning the entire deworming process and your dog.
