My dog still has live worms after OTC dewormer. What's next?

I'm a bit confused by the description of the medication you used, as I'm not familiar with an over-the-counter powder praziquantel medication, and typically I give praziquantel for tapeworms as a single (tablet) dose, which in some cases is repeated several weeks later if needed. The product that is typically given as a powder daily for 3 consecutive days is Panacur, with an active ingredient of Fenbendazole, which only gets select species of tapeworms. So, a few thoughts to answer your questions. No, I would not recommend re-dosing if you just finished treatment 2 days ago. Sometimes it can take a few days for the parasites to be expelled from the system, and I wouldn't typically re-treat until at least 2 weeks later. Keep monitoring Buffy and see if those tapeworm segments continue to decrease, or if you still see them a week or two from now. Additionally, dogs tend to get tapeworms from ingesting fleas, so make sure Buffy is treated with an effective flea preventative. Finally, I strongly recommend having Buffy's stool sample checked by your vet, and rather than treating with something over the counter, get the medication your vet prescribes. Not all dewormers are created equally, and in my experience the over-the-counter meds are not nearly as effective as those available through a vet. Also, given your puppy's young age, it is very possible she may have other types of intestinal parasites in addition to tapeworms - tapeworms are the most visible, so they may be the ones you're seeing, but other types of worms are more often shed as microscopic eggs and wouldn't be detected unless you're using a microscope. So, I know that's a lot of information, but I want to make sure you're effectively treating Buffy's condition, and in order to do so it is worth getting the appropriate medication from your vet. I hope this helps!

Hi. Poor Gizmo. It is important to have fecal sample tested and get an exact answer of what the parasite is. It could be the over the counter medication doesn't cover the particular parasite. It is also common that the over the counter medications fail at treatment. I suggest you get a proper prescription from your veterinarian.

Those look like tapeworms, which requires praziquantel to treat. That is a prescription medication, so you will need to take Kiko into the vet to get Drontal (which contains praziquantel) to treat it.

What you are seeing are likely dead or dying intestinal parasites. It is common to see parasites in the stool after deworming. You may need to repeat the deworming in 2-3 weeks to kill any remaining parasites that were not developed at the time or the first deworming.

Great question! I would get Ginger an OTC treatment now. You can give her Panacur, it's an excellent dewormer that kills roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. It's a three day course of treatment and you will need to give her a second round of it two weeks after the first to kill all the worms. She should then be dewormed monthly until six months of age, and then every three months thereafter. I hope this helps :-)

Great question! You are correct that Sassy could have tapeworms based on your description. Tapeworms require praziquantel to treat, which is available by prescription only from your vet. The OTC deworming treatments won't have that medication in it, so that's why it isn't working. I would have Sassy seen by a vet tomorrow to get Drontal (it contains praziquantel). It is an excellent deworming treatment, and also kills roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms in addition to tapeworms. Sassy will need another Drontal two weeks after the first treatment to kill all the tapeworms, and then she should receive it every three months. I hope this helps!

You can give Jack Panacur, which is an OTC deworming treatment. It's a three day course, and follow the instructions on the package. He will need another deworming treatment with Panacur two weeks after he finishes the first course to kill all the worms.