Worm Treatment for Dogs

While many dog owners have heard of heartworms, there are a host of other intestinal worms that your dog is likely to come in contact with. Some varieties of worms are transmitted from mother to puppy, so most dogs will require worm treatments at some point in their life. Worms can also be transmitted when your dog eats or licks items that are infected, such as fleas or other animal waste.

Most worming medication sold in stores can treat a range of worms including their eggs and larvae. Before starting a worming medication, your veterinarian should perform a stool sample. Many worms are unable to be seen with the naked eye, so leaving this to a professional is important. There are also types of worms that require medication not sold in stores.

Avoiding the infestation of worms is ideal. Cleaning and properly disposing of dog waste as soon as possible is important. Carefully monitoring your dog when at a dog park, or in other areas with animal waste, can greatly reduce the likelihood of worms. Another very common transmission of worms comes from fleas. Fleas eat the worm larvae and eggs, passing them into your dog when ingested. Using a flea prevention method can greatly reduce your dog’s likelihood of getting worms.

It is important to treat worms as soon as possible. Worms can be transmitted from dogs to humans, with children at the greatest risk for infection. Yearly stool testing is recommended in households with children.