Since our pets are constantly exposed to parasites through various sources, it is nearly impossible to prevent them from coming into contact with worm eggs or larvae. Worming is important both for your pet’s health and for lowering the risk of contaminating the environment and infecting the family (zoonosis).

Regular worming is vital if you want to prevent worms from endangering your pet’s health. In order to provide protection for your adult dogs, it is recommended to worm him at least once every three months or up to once a month. Recommendations for worming schedules vary based on your pet’s routine and environment.  Talk to your veterinarian for specific advice.

Your pet needs worm protection from an early age. Puppies can be infected before they are even born. Larvae can be passed on from the mother through the womb, or through contamination of the mother’s milk. Puppies lack any established immunity to worms and so are vulnerable to heavy parasite infections. That's why experts recommend starting treatment with Milbemax™ from 2 weeks of age (as long as they weigh at least 0.5 kg) and then treat again at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age. Nursing mothers should be treated at the same time as their puppies.  

You may not be able to tell if your pet has worms because they don’t always show obvious signs. That is why it is best to have a vet check your pet for worms regularly. However, there are some signs that may indicate that your pet has worms:

• rubbing their bottom on the floor
• vomiting
• diarrhoea or abnormally smelly stool
• a dull coat
• loss of appetite
• lack of energy
• a swollen belly i.e. pot-belly - particularly with puppies
• breathing difficulties
• coughing
• any unusual behavioral changes

If you look closely, you may occasionally see worms in your pet’s stool.  Worm eggs are microscopic, so they can’t be seen in your dog’s poo.

Pets can be infected with various types of worms. Dogs are susceptible to roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworm.

The most effective way to treat your dog for worms is by using a wormer with efficacy against the worms that are most common in New Zealand. Milbemax^TM is a wormer that is highly effective against roundworms, hookworms*, whipworm, and tapeworms.

*Efficacy against Uncinaria stenocephala has not been established

Milbemax^TM is effective against all the main categories of intestinal worms that can be found in your pet. Milbemax^TM treats roundworms, hookworms*, whipworm, and tapeworms.

*Efficacy against Uncinaria stenocephala has not been established

 Absolutely! You can use Milbemax™ worm tablets for your dog in conjunction with products such as Seresto^™, to ensure protection against intestinal worms and fight fleas, ticks and lice in your dog. Or, you can also combine Milbemax™ use with Advantage^™ to ensure protection against fleas and lice as well as intestinal worms.

Unfortunately, yes.  Kids and immunocompromised people are at higher risk of infection. Infection can take place if the microscopically small worm eggs are accidentally swallowed, for instance, because they have ended up on your hands by way of the floor or from contact with contaminated dirt. Roundworm larvae can be a problem as  they have the potential to crawl through the human body from the intestines. If, for instance, the larvae end up in your eye, you could become blind. This is a very rare risk, but if it occurs the consequences are devastating.  

Likewise, hookworm larvae can cause problems for people. If the larvae come into contact with bare skin, they burrow into the body, causing cutaneous larva migrans (CLM). Once they are in the skin, the larvae crawl around, resulting in itching, irritation and visible lesions or tracts on the skin.

Even if it is uncommon, people can also be infected with tapeworm if they swallow an infected flea.

This is why it is so important to minimise these risks by worming your dog regularly with Milbemax^TM and using regular flea control. Adequate hygiene measures e.g. washing hands, regularly picking up your dog’s poo etc. also form an important part of protecting your family from these nasty parasites

That is just the problem: In many cases you will not be aware that there are worms living in your dog’s intestines.

There are a few signs to look out for: vomiting, diarrhoea, scooting, a dull coat, decreased appetite, listlessness and, especially with puppies, a swollen belly.

With tapeworm infection you may notice your dog passing what looks like grains of rice in their stools. These are known as tapeworm segments which are released by adult tapeworms living in the intestines. These segments are filled with eggs and can cause itching around the pet’s bottom.

It is usually not obvious that your dog has worms as it often takes a high level of infection for symptoms to be obvious. However, most pet owners feel that their dogs are probably happier and healthier without parasitic worms in their bodies! Moreover, we need to reduce the risk of transmission of parasitic disease to humans.
So, if you take good care of your dog, and worm it, this will help protect you and your family as well.

While you can’t totally eliminate the risk of your dog from becoming infected with worms, there are several practical measures, such as regularly picking up their poo, preventing them from hunting, regular flea control etc. that can help reduce the risk.  Another crucial way of protecting your dog is by regularly using an effective worming treatment like Milbemax^TM. This will ensure that your dog is adequately treated to protect from uninvited guests.

Yes, picking up your dog’s poo’s regularly lowers the risk of reinfection considerably. One female roundworm (Toxocara canis) can lay up to 200,000 eggs per day¹! Every time an infected dog poops, those eggs come out into the open. If droppings are not regularly disposed of, those eggs remain in the environment so that other dogs, and even people, can become infected.