Deworming

Most dogs carry intestinal worms at some point, and most adult dogs show nothing. Puppies are the ones at real risk: they can be born with roundworm and fall seriously ill from a heavy load. A few of these worms pass to people, children most of all, with one that matters around livestock. Regular deworming keeps them out of your dog and out of your home. Here is how it is usually done; your vet sets the exact plan for yours.

What they are

Roundworm is the common one, and puppies often have it from birth through the mother, which is why they are wormed so early. Hookworm is the dangerous one in pups: it feeds on blood and can cause a sudden, serious anemia, so pale gums and a dark stool are a red flag. Whipworm lives in the large bowel and its eggs survive years in soil, so a contaminated yard stays a source. Tapeworm comes from a swallowed flea, or, where dogs reach raw offal, from livestock, and that second kind is the one that can harm people.

The schedule

Puppies are wormed early and often: every two weeks from around two weeks old until a little after weaning, with the mother treated alongside. From there it settles by how the dog lives. A dog that stays home and eats no raw meat may need worming only a few times a year; one that scavenges, hunts, is raw-fed or lives around livestock needs it more often, up to monthly for tapeworm. Your vet will land on the right rhythm.

In Egypt

Worms are more common here than the global average, and the eggs survive well in warm soil and sandboxes, which is what makes the household side matter: wash hands after the garden and after handling the dog, and keep children's play areas clean. Around sheep, goats and camels, or with dogs that reach raw offal, the hydatid tapeworm is worth a specific word with your vet. None of this is cause for alarm, just the reason the routine is worth keeping.

Choosing a wormer

A wormer is matched to what your dog needs covered: roundworm, hookworm and whipworm, with tapeworm added when fleas or offal are in the picture. Only one kind covers the hydatid tapeworm, so name that risk to your vet. Ask what is stocked locally and right for your dog's weight. Dosing is by weight, some herding breeds are sensitive to certain wormers, and a dog should never be given a cat's wormer without a vet's say.

When to see your vet

A routine fecal test once or twice a year, sooner if you see worms or rice-grain segments, persistent or bloody diarrhea, or poor growth in a pup. Pale gums, weakness or a dark tarry stool in a puppy is an emergency, see a vet straight away. If anyone in the home develops an unexplained eye, skin or abdominal complaint, mention the dog to your doctor.

This is a starting point, not a prescription. Every dog is different, and your veterinarian chooses the right products and timing for yours. We are always glad to point you the right way.