Deworming Dogs: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Deworming is a crucial factor in maintaining your dog’s overall health. As a pet owner, you must keep your dog free from parasitic infestations. Most people don’t like the thought of their dear pets being infested with slimy parasites. These parasites are capable of causing illnesses to both humans and the dog itself.

Parasites are categorized into two: internal and external parasites. For external parasites, it is possible to see them and take appropriate measures. For internal parasites like worms, dogs do not always show any discernible signs of infestation. For this reason, it is often not possible to know when your pet is infested. That’s why you are advised to deworm your dog regularly to avoid serious complications.

There are plenty of over the counter spot-on and chewable deworming products like Interceptor Plus will help your dog maintain good health by preventing heartworms and intestinal works.

In this article, we’ll discuss the common mistakes committed during deworming and how to avoid them.

Administering the Drug Even Though You Don’t Know Your Dog’s Weight

Do you know your dog’s weight? Most people forget to weigh their dogs before administering the anti-parasitic drug. But what’s the importance of knowing your dog’s weight? It will help you avoid administering an underdose or, worse, overdosing your dog.

As a pet owner, you should always keep it in mind that the total dose depends on a dog’s weight. Sometimes it may not be possible to weigh your dog; make sure you use drugs with weight range classifications. It ensures that you administer the correct dosage for the effective elimination of parasites.

You don’t have to go to the vet to figure out your dog’s weight if you have weighing scale at home. Simply start by taking your weight first, note down your number. Then lift your dog up gently to support its entire weight and step on the scale again. Just subtract your weight from the figure and you get the dog’s weight.

Thinking that All Anti-parasitic Drug Will Eliminate All Species of Parasites

We have several brands of anti-parasitic drugs which deals with different species of parasites. Some can destroy heartworms, while others will eliminate intestinal worms such as roundworms. Using ‘broad-spectrum’ antiparasitic is so far the assured method to deal with multiple species of parasites by killing larvae and adult worms. They work by preventing these parasites from settling on your dog. We all know that prevention is better than cure, so it is crucial to prevent your dog from getting sick due to parasitic infestation.

Not Deworming Your Pets All at Once

How are you supposed to deworm all your pets? It is common for people who have more than one pet to deworm only one pet or deworm them all but in different periods. This will lead to ineffective deworming as others who are yet to be dewormed will become a source of contagion, risking your dog’s health or even the family members.

Medicating Your Dogs Without Vet’s Approval

It is one of the most common mistakes made by most pet owners. Most of you know the importance of deworming your pets, but most people buy any available antiparasitic without having their dogs examined by the vet. During the examination, your vet will outline your dog’s physical condition, life habits, weight, etc.

Now using these factors, the professional can suggest an anti-parasitic drug suitable for your dog. So, for effective deworming, your vet might recommend antiparasitic medicines with specific ingredients. If you pet has trouble having chewable medications, vets may recommend spot-on treatments. They can be applied to the skin where they are absorbed into the body.

Always speak to your vet about how to protect your pet from parasites and be up to date on your dog’s deworming schedule to keep it protected all year round. 

Believing that Dogs are Dewormed Once Every Three Months, Six Months or Even Once a Year

You may have noticed; pets will interact more with other animals within the squares or even the park. It now becomes necessary to administer anti-parasitic drugs regularly. This will help avoid endangering your pet’s health as well as your family members. These parasitic diseases can be transmitted to human beings due to a closer bond people share with your pets. Thus, you are advised to deworm your dog more often.