Does my dog need regular deworming, or only after a vet test?

Hi, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If the pups are on a monthly heartworm prevention those typically include prevention for intestinal parasites as well and is the better option for parasite control. Otherwise, I suggest having a fecal sample checked by a vet to ensure there are no parasites in their stool. Piperzine (the active ingredient in WormEze) dose not treat for all parasites that a puppy may have.

Is Captain Jack Sparrow on heartworm prevention? This is the monthly pill that prevents against heartworm disease. It also prevents against the most common intestinal parasites. If he is on heartworm prevention I would just recommend yearly stool samples to make sure he didn't pick up an intestinal parasite that the heartworm prevention does not cover. If you do not give heartworm prevention then I would recommend yearly stool samples to make sure that Captain Jack Sparrow doesn't have intestinal parasites. You can deworm him with a general dewormer like Pyrantel every 6 months also. Understand Pyrantel doesn't cover every intestinal parasite. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Intestinal parasites can be ruled out quickly with a fecal test. Once your vet determines the type of parasite, they can recommend the appropriate dewormer. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any questions you have!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sophie. A dog her age only needs to be dewormed every three months. I would give her a deworming treatment now, another in two weeks, and then every three months thereafter. I recommend Drontal. I hope this helps!

Treating for worms depends on Dino's risk for acquiring them. Normally, deworming only needs to be done once or twice a year. However, some dogs may have a more or less frequent schedule. It's best to take a stool sample to your vet for testing. They can tell if he has any worms and can advise you how often he should be dewormed. Below is a link to an article with more information about this. https://www.petcoach.co/article/fecal-exams-worming-schedules-for-dogs/ I hope that helps and all is well with Dino.

It is a good idea to either go ahead a deworm periodically or check stool samples. Dogs are often asymptomatic for intestinal parasites and some parasites like hookworms and roundworms can potentially cause problems in people as well. I would recommend following your veterinarian's recommendations in your area.

He definitely seems low-risk if he's usually inside. However, Florida's climate is very favorable to parasites and the infective stages can live in the environment for a few months. Depending on where he eliminates and his contact with other dogs, he may be more at risk. In the past (and sometimes still today) vets would recommend a regular deworming schedule. This is no longer advised, or appropriate, because we don't know for sure if the schedule is appropriate, which can lead to resistance to the deworming medication. The current recommendation is to have your veterinarian test the stool for the presence of worm periodically and give treatment as needed. You can have this done six months from now and then your vet will advise from there. For more information, I recommend you read the article at the link below. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/internal-parasites-in-dogs I hope that helps and all is well with Harley.