“Why should I deworm my cat or dog? They look healthy and I do not see any worms in the feces.”
Truth is . . . your pet can look healthy and completely normal on the outside, but the parasites can still be there.
Some parasites can pass from dogs and cats through the environment or directly through sources of contamination to affect your pet and family.
For the most part, it takes a heavy worm burden to cause severe problems that you will notice, such as weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea or a poor coat quality, but it can take as little as 30 days for eggs to develop into enough worms to cause these problems. Don’t wait till that happens. Start on a good prevention plan for your family and pet’s protection.Â
“But my dog never leaves the house?”
Worm eggs and larvae are everywhere. Your pet can be exposed in your garden as well as anywhere you may go for a walk. Eggs and larvae are present in soil or sometimes in raw meat.
“But I thought my dewormer was already in the tick and flea medication?”
Not all tick and flea preventatives cover intestinal parasites and those that do may not cover all those that your pet and family need protection against.
Certain products, such as Revolution will deworm some parasites and protect against fleas and ticks but often additional tapeworm medication is needed.Â
It is important to note that not all parasites are covered in a topical application.
Set up a regular deworming protocol
We suggest that our clients set up a schedule for treatment of intestinal parasites as well as ticks and fleas.
As a starting point we recommend deworming your pets every 3 months and at the same time controling ticks and fleas with a product such as Bravecto. In this way you have your pets on a three month schedule for both treatments
If your pet is at higher risk or has had issues with parasites in past, we recommend monthly, especially for those active cats that love to hunt.
Milbemax is one of the most trusted and popular dewormers.
It has a broad spectrum, excellent safety profile and comes in a chewable tablet making it easy to administer.
If used monthly, it can protect against another parasite called Spirocerci Lupi which can cause severe damage to the vessels of the heart. We suggest if you travel a lot or are concerned, it may be best to deworm monthly because we have been seeing more confirmed cases of Spirocerci Lupi in the Western Cape.
People and pets moving around more pose a higher risk for spreading this parasite.Â
Speak to your vet if you feel your pet’s situation may not fit the general advice or if you want guidance on what products to use.
Deworm every month
- Your pet has had problems with parasites in the past
- You and your pet travel often
- You have small childen in the house
- You want to protect against Spirocerci Lupi
- Your cat is active and hunts
Deworm every 3 months
- If your pet is otherwise healthy
- You and your pet do not travel often
- You do not have small childen in the house
- Remember to treat for ticks and fleas every 3 months as well
