How to deworm my dog

Do you think your dog can have parasites ? There is some evidence that may indicate that our best friend is suffering from this condition. Depending on the type of infection you are suffering (internal or external) the signs may be vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite or you can not stop scratching the body; In any of these situations it is advisable that you start with the deworming task to get the dog to recover and feel much better. Therefore, below we are going to tell you how to deworm a dog by telling you about the veterinary forms that there are to do so as well as the natural remedies that will help you to settle the infection.

Parasites in dogs

Many dogs suffer from internal or external parasites and this is because these animals live around us and may end up damaging our health or that of our animals. In fact, the most common is that at the moment of birth, the puppies are already affected by these parasites and, if not, usually catch the first infection at a very early age causing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or, in the most serious cases, it can cause the death of the animal.

For this reason it is important to deworm a dog from the first moment and thus protect it from these infectious agents that can seriously endanger their lives. To know the vaccination calendar you will have to go to the veterinarian since it will be who, depending on the characteristics of the animal (breed, weight, age, etc.), will determine the appropriate age to start deworming, although, as a rule, you should never spend 6 weeks of life.

Internal parasites

To be able to deworm a dog if it is infected by internal parasites you will have to go to a veterinarian to prescribe a medication that will help combat this infection. The most obvious symptom that the animal is going through is that you see it apathetic, not wanting to eat, with diarrhea and decay; All these signs can denote that something is happening inside the dog and that it should be treated.

To proceed to deworming, there are many medications, some of them depending on the animal that has been housed in our pet. Syrups or pills, usually with two intakes, are suitable for the elimination of parasite and our trusted veterinarian will indicate what is most convenient for our pet.

In general terms you should know that the drugs that are most effective are those that contain components such as pyrantel pamoate, fenbendazole, praziquantel and metronidazole. It is not necessary to have them all but at least 2 of them do so that the disinfection is effective and definitive. These products are administered orally and it is recommended that they are prescribed by a veterinarian .

Once clean, you will have to follow some hygiene guidelines that will help your dog not to catch this infection again; In this article we tell you what to do so that a dog does not have internal parasites.

External parasites

The hair and skin of our pet can also be infected by parasites . Frequent brushing is a good formula to avoid them although it is difficult to keep our pet free of parasites, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.

To get your dog dewormed from this type of infection, you must also use specific medications for this purpose and it must always be indicated by a veterinarian. Among the most common methods there are, we highlight the following:

  • Pipettes : the application of this canine antiparasitic is perfect to deal with the infection that is currently affecting you as well as to prevent future infections.
  • Antiparasitic collars : You can also buy collars that are placed on the neck of the animal and contains a medication that is able to eliminate parasites that live in your body and also prevent the proliferation of another infection.
  • Injection : depending on the condition of the dog, it is also possible that the veterinarian recommends a more effective and drastic treatment: a subcutaneous injection. With this, it is possible to immediately establish the infection and get the animal to stop feeling the discomfort and itching of this condition.

You should know that the most common parasites that usually harm the health of the dog are fleas, mites, lice and ticks, the latter are also very dangerous because they can infect our animal with diseases such as piroplasmosis. For this reason, you should not only deworm the animal when it shows symptoms of being infected, but you will have to do so to prevent infection .

In this article we tell you how to know if a dog has parasites so you can learn to detect the most common symptoms of both internal and external. Thus, you can help your best friend in the fastest way possible.

Deworm a dog naturally

In addition to these two methods that we have just indicated, there are other more natural options to be able to finish with the parasites of the animal and improve their quality of life. In order to correctly attack the infection that is suffering, it is important that we know what kind of parasite we are talking about and, thus, we can eliminate them effectively.

  • If the dog has ticks

In the event that the infection is ticks you should know that apple cider vinegar is an ideal option to combat this condition. Think that the acid contained in this product is corrosive to ticks and will kill them effectively.

To carry out this remedy you will only have to mix in a 1/2 liter of water and 1/2 of apple cider vinegar (you have to make sure that the quantities are always the same); Afterwards, you will have to bathe the dog with this mixture or, failing that, moisten a cloth and pass it through all the parts of the body of the animal.

  • If the dog has fleas

If the parasites that are affecting your dog are fleas, then the best way to settle the problem is by applying lavender oil on your body because the aroma of this plant works as a natural repellent for these animals. To do so, it will only be enough to mix a little water with this oil and pour it in a sprayer; spray the fur of the animal with this mixture and you will kill the fleas and, in addition, you will provide a very pleasant smell to the animal.

  • If the dog has intestinal parasites

In case you detect that the animal is suffering from internal parasites, then you will have to administer an oral remedy to directly attack the stomach infection and improve the life of the dog. In this sense, cod liver oil is a perfect choice because it is rich in vitamin A, a nutrient that helps eliminate parasites.

In order to carry out this remedy, you will only have to mix this oil with your food so that the animal can eat it when eating. In case you are very reluctant, you can administer it orally with a syringe by inserting it directly into your mouth and waiting for it to swallow. It's a good way to make sure the dog has swallowed it.

If you want more natural tricks, we invite you to consult our article about home remedies to deworming dogs.

How much deworming a dog

The first thing we need to know is when we should start deworming our dog. As a general rule, before the puppy reaches its first six weeks of life, we have to start and do a booster shot two weeks later. Throughout his later life, we will have to carry out the process every three or four months, depending on whether the dog has a higher or lower risk of being infected, due to living in a flat or, on the contrary, in a place with a garden, in contact with other animals.

All these indications will be given by the veterinarian, who will establish the vaccination schedule according to the lifestyle of your pet. If you want more detailed information, we encourage you to consult our article on how much to deworm a dog so you can know exactly this information.

Tips
  • If you are not sure what medication to use, go to your veterinarian since a parasite can go a long way in complicating the health of your pet.