Worming your pet

If your pet appears to be in good health it’s easy to become complacent about worming. Why go to the expense and hassle of treating them every few months if they seem to be perfectly fine?

The answer is simple. Tapeworm, roundworm, lungworm, hookworm, heartworm, whipworm and eyeworm – they're all just as nasty as they sound. Just because you can't see worms living inside your pet doesn't mean they're not there.

These worms can live off your pet for weeks or months without your pet showing noticeable symptoms yet during that time they can be doing lasting damage to your pet’s respiratory, cardiovascular and digestive system as well as other internal organs. They can even prove fatal.

How often should pets be wormed?

Worming treatments don't offer long term protection so it's an aspect of their health that you really should keep on top of, if you want to protect your pet, and your family.

Regular worming is vital: Experts recommend that you worm your pet at least four times a year¹, however certain pets may require worming more regularly. There are lots of factors that affect this, from age to tendency to scavenge to where you live.

Don't forget that some parasites, such as tapeworm, are transmitted by fleas so do make sure you use an effective flea treatment regularly too. If you don't control a flea problem at the same time as worming, cats in particular are almost certain to be re-infected.

Which wormer to use?

All wormers are not the same! It is worth talking to your vet to see what they recommend and can prescribe. These are the key criteria you may wish to discuss:

Ease of administering the dose
Wormers come in various forms - ask your vet for advice about products that could make worming your pet less stressful and most suited to you and your pet's lifestyle.
The parasites a given treatment covers
For the best level of protection, your vet will probably recommend one that they need to prescribe – these prescription only products tend to cover the broadest range of parasites.
Need for isolation period
Some spot on wormers (and flea treatments) state that you need to keep your pet away from other pets or family members immediately after giving the dose to prevent the liquid contacting humans and causing problems. This includes sleeping on beds.

Bathing and swimming restrictions
Some products have instructions with restrictions on when you can bath your pet or let them swim. These MUST be followed to prevent product washing off leaving your pet unprotected and potential contamination of the environment.
Minimum ages for puppies and kittens
Some wormers are suitable for puppies from 2 weeks and kittens from 6 weeks. Talk to your vet about the most appropriate wormer in young pets. Always dose your pet correctly for their age and weight.
Suitability for your pet
It is important that breeding or lactating bitches and queens are treated as they are one of the most high risk groups for Toxocara. Not all products are licensed for these pets so always discuss with your vet first.