My puppy's tapeworm medicine isn't working. What should I do 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!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Maeve. Praziquantel is a pretty safe drug and if you aren't sure she ate it, you can give her another dose now. Just make sure she does eat it. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, certainly sounds like Roxy is passing tapeworms based on your description. The most common tapeworm is flea transmitted like you discuss. There are over the counter medicines and the drug you would want to use is called Praziquantal. It is available under many brand names but that is the drug that we use in the States to treat most tapeworm infections. Good luck with Roxy

It could be that Roscoe has tapeworms, which requires praziquantel to treat. I'd see if the deworming medication you gave him contains praziquantel; if it does not, that's why he's still pooping out the worms. Drontal is an excellent deworming medication that contains praziquantel, and you can get it from your vet. Give him a dose as soon as you get it, then another in two weeks to kill all the worms. If the medication does contain praziquantel, give him another dose of the deworming treatment two weeks after the first. Because of the life cycle of intestinal worms, two treatments given two weeks apart are needed to kill all the worms. Best of luck, 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!

Hello and thank you for using pet coach. Tapeworms are typically treated with a drug known as praziquantel. The drug that we use at our Clinic to treat tapeworm is called drontal Plus. Only a single dose with drontal Plus is typically required. A follow-up dose 1-3 weeks after the initial treatment may be given if needed. I hope this helps! Please do not hesitate to contact me with any other questions or concerns that you may have. I am also available via consultation if needed

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This worm looks like a tapeworm. Cassie should be treated with a deworming medication such as Panacar (fenbendazole) which treats roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. This treatment is generally once daily for 3 days. Then, this same treatment should be repeated again in 3 weeks, and again in 3 months. This is done to ensure that all lifestages of the worms are treated by the medication. If there are any other pets in the household too, they need to be treated/dewormed too! I hope this is helpful!