Why and how to apply a dewormer to dogs?

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1 Why and how to apply a dewormer to dogs?

Deworming is an essential antiparasitic for the good health of your dog… and yours! It helps eliminate worms from your pet’s digestive tract. Is this really useful in your case? How and when to apply it? Here is everything you need to know about deworming in dogs.

It is therefore specific to internal parasites. It should be accompanied by flea and tick repellent to completely protect your pet. Intestinal worms feed on the nutrients found in the dog’s digestive tract. They deprive him of the substances necessary for his proper development and make him weak. In puppies, worms can also stunt growth.

This is especially true for children with immature immune systems. In the most common cases, only digestive disorders are noted. However, the larvae can also migrate to other parts of the body and cause much more serious ailments. Some have already been found in an eye, in a muscle or even in the brain. Deworming in dogs is therefore essential for all dog owners.

A worm measures a few millimeters to several meters.

When they are still in the larval stage, the worms can wander around in the body of their host. They are thus capable of seriously damaging organs. As adults, they attach themselves to the dog’s intestine and lay thousands of eggs there. The latter leave the body at the same time as the excrement and thus spread into nature.

How does contamination occur?

Orally: in most cases, contamination occurs through the mouth. All it takes is for the dog to eat food containing eggs (such as prey or undercooked meat), lick a parasitized animal, or eat feces to come into contact with worms. It is also through ingestion that humans are contaminated. The child, always on all fours, tends to put everything in his mouth. Particular attention should be paid in public playgrounds and when interacting with an animal.
Through a host: Your dog can also get worms if he is bitten by a tick or flea.
During pregnancy: if the mother is contaminated, she will transmit the parasitic worms to her puppies even while they are still in her womb.
When breastfeeding. Again, a parasitized dog will transmit the worm through her milk.

The seals are soft, and your pet tends to have diarrhea.

Your canine rubs its hindquarters on the ground after doing its business. This behavior is explained by the presence of worms that make it want to scratch.
It is at a young age that the puppy needs to be most protected. At this point in his life, his immune system is immature. It is therefore less resistant to parasites.
If you intend to breed your dog, it is best to deworm her a little before mating, then two weeks before term and finally two weeks after delivery. This way, she will pass on her antibodies to her puppies. Note that there is a specific dewormer for pregnant dogs.

Which dewormer to choose?

There are dewormers specific to each type of worm (flat or round). If you are deworming your dog as a preventative measure, it is best to choose a broad-spectrum antiparasitic that will treat both types of worms. Deworming comes in several configurations.

Tablets: this is the form that is most frequently used. The tablets are available in a very small format and have the advantage of being easily hidden in food. They are also found in the form of treats with a pleasant taste for the dog. It has never been easier to give a medicine!
Pipettes: Pipettes are also very common, especially for applying flea or tick repellent. This is a small amount of liquid to be administered to the dog’s skin, between the hairs. The product should be applied to the back of the neck to prevent the animal from licking itself. In fact, avoid giving your dog a bath in the days that follow. This solution is easy to use, especially for owners of dogs that are difficult to handle.
Graduated syringes: these are much less used but nevertheless very practical. Graduated mouth syringes allow you to deworm a puppy while controlling the quantity, according to its age and weight.
Injections: this is a solution that is rarely considered since it specifically treats one worm or the other. However, it may be recommended by the veterinarian in some cases.