Internal and external deworming are decisive to preserve the good health of our dog. However, we do not always know by what method to opt for the most effective.
From Dogsis we show you the keys to internal and external canine deworming through the use of pills, thus avoiding the classic poisons in the form of a pipette or necklace.
Index of contents
- 1 Prevention is always better than cure
- 2 Pills for internal deworming
- 3 Tablets for external deworming
- 4 Do you know how to give it to him?
- 5 Don’t forget about hygiene
Prevention is always better than cure
Antiparasitic treatment, both preventive and corrective, must integrate hygiene, daily brushing and regular hair and skin revision to complete its effectiveness.
Chewable tablets or pipettes will be useless if you neglect your pet’s hygiene routines.
Many times, infestation occurs from a flea bite or tick, as well as the ingestion of grass full of larvae or parasitic eggs. Once in the canine’s digestive tract, these endoparasites pass into the bloodstream where they have moisture, heat, and nutrients to reproduce.
From there, they spread to the different tissues and can damage the liver, kidneys or heart, in the case of heartworm disease. Their eggs are expelled through the faeces that will hatch in contact with the surface and restart the cycle.
These parasites are classified into endoparasites and ectoparasites. Let’s see the difference:
- Endoparasites they live inside the dog’s body. There is a wide diversity of them. The cestodes are flat (the tapeworm) while the pneumatodos, the most recent, are round (the ascaris).
Vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, weight loss, cough, listlessness, or itching in the perianal area are some of its most obvious symptoms.
Not tackling the infestation in time can lead to anemia, an intestinal obstruction and even neurological disorders.
- Ectoparasites they are present in your pet’s hair. Ticks, fleas, lice, mites or mosquitoes act as transmitters of certain diseases (leishmaniasis, filariasis, ehrlichiosis or babeosis, among others).
Pills for internal deworming
Among the options currently available on the market (necklaces, pipettes, ultrasonic devices, deworming shampoos, sprays …), when it comes to destroying and preventing infestation of earthworms and intestinal worms you can choose between pills, chewable tablets and syrups.
You should know that its active ingredient is afoxolaner and that no deworming pill can end the entire spectrum of endoparasites, since given their diversity some are very effective with pneumatodes, for example, but not so much with protozoa or with cestodes. .
Therefore, you should be guided by the recommendation of the veterinaryn, who also knows in detail the history of your dog’s diseases and will know how to prescribe the most convenient.
As a general rule, it is advisable to resort to pills against internal parasites 3 or 4 times a year. That is to say, you should administer these pills every 3 or 4 months throughout a year.
The proper dose depends on several factors:
- Dog’s weight Your age. In the first weeks of a puppy you will already be able to parasitize it internally, but you will have to wait a little longer to do the same against ectoparasites.
- Your state of health (if you are sick, pregnant or lactating).
- If you live in an urban or agricultural area. The time of year (in summer with heat parasites proliferate and you should increase the frequency of deworming).
- Your lifestyle habits (if you make frequent trips to the field you must also redouble your efforts).
Don’t forget that these techniques are for adult dogs. The deworming of a puppy It is totally different, since these pills would be very strong for him.
Tablets for external deworming
In the same way, there are also chewable tablets that will help our dog to stay free of fleas and ticks, in addition to certain mites.
These types of pills are different from the previous ones since their active principle is focused on external parasites and not on internal ones. exist two types of pills, those that are administered monthly (once a month) and those that are administered every three months (quarterly).
Its effectiveness is as good as that of any pipette or collar, with the difference that we will not leave our dog impregnated with poisonous chemicals. Without a doubt, it is the most recommended option to keep our dog dewormed.
Do you know how to give it to him?
If you have never had to give him a deworming pill, do not worry, it is very simple. You should raise your dog’s head, open its mouth, insert the pill as deep as you can into its throat, and close its mouth while keeping it like this with your head slightly elevated. When you are sure that you have swallowed it, open your mouth to check it.
Once ingested, it will reach your digestive system and then pass into the bloodstream, which will be in charge of distributing the drug, killing the parasites.
You can also try camouflage them in some food that you know that it suits you, how between your usual food, a piece of cheese, rolled in a little turkey breast, etc …
Don’t forget about hygiene
As we said at the beginning, hygiene is essential to optimize the use of the protective effect of deworming treatment. Therefore, to conclude we provide you with some tips that will be of great help:
- Wash your pet once a month. If you live in the country or it is very hot, do it every 15 days.
- Brush it daily and check the condition of your skin and hair.
- Shake and wash your bed weekly.
- Look at their feces, you could discover small white balls. They are the eggs of the parasite.
- Look at their skin, you should not find small black spots moving (fleas) or ticks.