What can you expect after deworming your dog?

Dogs are curious animals, and they encounter much of the world with their noses and mouths. Unfortunately, this means that intestinal worms are a common threat. If you’ve discovered evidence of worms in your dog, using a worming treatment can quickly and effectively address the problem. Here’s what to expect in the hours and days after giving the treatment.

There are many options available to help you treat worms in your dog, the most common being tablets and spot-on treatments. Once you’ve found the right product for your dog, administering it is easy. Here’s what to expect in the first hours and days after giving a treatment.

The first few hours after a worming treatment

Many worming treatments begin to work immediately.

If you use a tablet or chewable based worming treatment, make sure your dog completely swallows it. Some dogs may try to spit out the wormer immediately or even several minutes after you have administered it. Dogs can occasionally vomit shortly after taking the dose and may bring the tablet back up again. If this happens, ask your vet’s advice about when and how to reworm, or call our Customer Care Line 1800 678 368.

The deworming process after a few days

Different worming products act in different ways. You may be surprised to see worms in your dog’s droppings after deworming them, but rest assured that this is normal. Some dewormers paralyse and kill the worms, which may be visible in your dog’s faeces after the treatment has started to work. While this can be an unpleasant image, it is actually a good thing as it means the worms are no longer living inside your pet!

Wormers kill and break up the worms so you are less likely to see whole worms in the faeces. However, if there are large numbers of worms present, seeing whole worms in faeces is still possible.

If you are concerned about any of the signs your dog is showing following treatment, call our Customer Care Line, or your vet.

Prevent worms in the long term

Worming your dog once may not be enough to fully protect them from worms. In the case of some wormers, once the treatment wears off, your dog may be re-infected. Many wormers only kill the adult worms that are in the gut at the time of treatment. Advocate is different. When used monthly, Advocate keeps killing worms in the gut and larvae that are moving around the body of your dog, preventing re-infection. Remember that regular treatment is the best defence against worms and other parasites. Regular worming throughout your dog’s life will help keep your dog healthy and happy.