My dog has parasites and won't eat. How do I give her medication?
Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Peggy has a large worm burden (lots of worms) then she likely feels sick and doesn't want to eat, and likely won't want to eat until the worms are gone. If the medication that your vet gave is a dewormer (typically a liquid called Panacur/Fenbendazole), then you can give it without food. This might clear out the worms and get Peggy eating again. If the medication is an antibiotic (Metronidazole, Amoxyclav), then this needs to be given with food. You can also talk to your vet about trying an anti-nausea medication to see if this helps with the appetite. If Peggy has abdominal pain, or is vomiting, please have her seen right away as high worm burdens can lead to a very life-threatening condition called intussusception. Best of luck with Peggy, I hope she feels better soon!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025