CANINE WORMING SCHEDULE
Worms can be one of the most common and frustrating ailments of puppies and kittens but often can be the easiest to fix. Hookworms and roundworms are by far the most common. Roundworms compete with your pet for food and can cause malnutrition or intestinal obstruction. Hookworms live on intestinal blood and can cause anemia.
Strategic De-worming Guidelines: Strategic de-worming is a practice recommended by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Puppies
Treat every 2 weeks until 3 months of age, starting at 2 weeks old.
Once a month from 3 to 6 months of age
After 6 months, follow adult recommendations. Also after six months, use a heartworm preventative medication that is effective against hookworms and roundworms.
Adult Dogs
Treat regularly, considering potential exposure to parasites (example: four times a year)
A continued surveillance of parasite prevalence in your area is recommended.
Females
Once prior to mating
Once at birthing
Lactating dams should be treated concurrently with puppies.
Newly Acquired Animals ~ Immediately; then repeat after 2 weeks, then follow guidelines above.
Note: Obtain the de-worming history of the new pet from previous owner.
~~~~~~~~~~TYPES OF WORMERS~~~~~~~~~~
Round worms: Strongid T (pyrantel pamoate) - yellow liquid given once, and then 2 weeks later. In a stubborn case, treat 3-5 days in a row, and then repeat the same in 2 weeks. If you have a litter of puppies, the first worming should be at 2 weeks of age, repeated every two weeks until 8 weeks of age. The mother should be treated at the same time.
Hook worms: Strongid T (pyrantel pamoate) - yellow liquid given once, and then 3 weeks later. In a severe case, treat 3 days in a row, and then repeat in 3 weeks. Drontel is another medication prescribed for hookworms. It comes in pill form, and is also used to treat tapeworms.
Tape worms: Droncit, Drontel, or Centex - serrated tablet given once, repeat if tapeworms reappear.
Round worms, Hook worms and Whip worms Panacur (fenbendazole) - a white liquid used for 3 consecutive days. Fenbendazole (often abbreviated "FBZ") is used in both large and small animals. In dogs, it is useful against roundworms, hookworms, and the more difficult to treat whipworms. It is effective against the Taenia species of tapeworm but not against the Common tapeworm Dipylidium caninum. It is also effective against giardia, a protozoan and several species of lungworm and even some flukes.