Mary Allen
Worm in the stomach and intestines of the dog means that it has both a weakened immune system and is weakened, in addition, it can feel quite disgusting. But how often is deworming really needed?
Small puppies, which are often affected by roundworms, should be dewormed first before they are three weeks old (the bitch as well) and then repeated up to three months of age. The interval differs depending on the preparation. But when it comes to adult dogs, it all depends on how they live, if you have not discovered worms in the stool or around the anal opening, they look a bit like small grains of rice. The dog can also vomit up worms, tapeworms can look like spaghetti.
Some other signs that the dog may be that it seems to have itching in the buttocks, coughing, have diarrhea and vomiting, swollen abdomen and that the coat becomes dull. The risk of becoming infected as a human is small for roundworms, and non-existent when it comes to tapeworms.
You Probably Never Need to Deworm
If your dog basically only eats dog food and you know that it does not eat dead animals in the wild, you will probably never need to deworm it as an adult. In the past, it was done casually, but deworming can take quite a toll on some dogs, it is a strong preparation, and overuse of deworming agents can also in the long run lead to the worm becoming resistant. Instead, you should, perhaps once a year, buy a so-called “draft test” at Apoteket, for example, “Check the mask” and send in some of the dog’s poop for analysis. Then you not only find out if the dog has a worm but also what type of worm it is. It is important for you to be able to buy the right kind of deworming agent.
A dog that runs free and often eats small rodents is at risk of ingesting the serious dwarf tapeworm. The dog can then infect people who can become seriously ill. Even if the risk is not so great in Sweden, the dog should in that case be dewormed about once a month with a special worming agent, praziquantel. You can read more about this on the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s website.
Sensitive to Large Doses
If you have a “collie type” dog (Collie, Border Collie, Sheltie, Australian shepherd, etc.) it can be more sensitive than other dogs to dewormers that contain ivermectin. It is not found in Swedish deworming medicine for dogs (however, for horses and sheep, do not let the dog eat their poop!). A similar substance, milbemycin oxime, is found in, for example, the deworming agent Milbemax. Some dogs may be sensitive to large doses, but at normal dosing, there should be no danger. But if you want to avoid worrying, choose another brand, talk to your veterinarian or pharmacist.
If you plan to go abroad with the dog, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway require that the dog be dewormed upon entry. For entry to Sweden, deworming may also be required from certain countries, check before the trip.