INTESTINAL WORMING DOGS & CATS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How often should I worm my dog or cat?

In the first 12 weeks of life you pup or kitten should be wormed every 2 weeks starting from 3 weeks of age.

In the next 12 months we recommend your pup or kitten should be wormed every month.

After the animal is over 15 months of age we recommend you worm your animal every 3 months.

Can I get a yearly injection for intestinal worms?

No. There is no “yearly injection” that is registered in Australia at this time. A lot of owners get confused with the yearly injection that prevents heartworm. Heartworm is completely different to intestinal worms.

My dog rubs its bottom on the ground – is this from worms?

No. In nearly all cases this rubbing is associated with anal gland impaction that is causing the dog to develop an itching backside. Humans do not have these glands so we are not aware that dogs and cats do have glands on either side of their anus (backside). These glands are used for the animal to “mark its territory”. But sometimes these glands get blocked and the sac inside continues to get bigger until the animal has to rub along the ground to express the gland.

I have a dog – how often should I worm myself and my family?

The worms your dog gets cannot form adult worms inside a human. The worming tablets for humans can only kill adult worms. Therefore it is useless worming your family. Dog and cat worms develop larvae that can infest a human. These larvae can travel around in the human body and cause damage. Every year there are some humans how develop brain damage or eye damage from larvae from dog or cat worms. To prevent this from happening it is important to give your animal a regular worming tablet.

What product is the best to worm my dog or cat?

For dogs we only recommend Drontal. For cats we recommend Drontal or Popantel.

My cat eats lizards – is there a worm that the cat can catch?

Yes, there is a large tapeworm called Spirometra that the cat can get from eating lizards. To kill Spirometra the owner has to use a special dose of a tapeworm tablet – normal tapeworm dosages does not kill Spirometra. When you come to our animal hospital to get your worming tablets, our staff will ask if your cat “hunts”. If the cat does eat lizards then our staff will give you the appropriate worming tablets to kill Spirometra.