How Often To Worm Dogs In The UK?

Worms live in the body. In the UK, dogs are affected by many different types of worms, the most common being roundworms, lungworms, tapeworms, and other types.

Both tapeworms and roundworms live in the gut. They don't cause problems for adult dogs but they can make puppies sick. Some roundworms are also harmful to humans.

The lungworm problem is growing in the UK. It can cause serious illness to both puppies and adult dogs. Read more about lungworm here.

Deworming your dog with an effective wormer is important.

What Types of Worms Aaffect Dog's in the UK?

The following are some of the most common UK worms found in dogs:

Roundworm

Roundworms, which live in the intestines of dogs, can cause severe problems in puppies, including dehydration, blockages in the gut, and even death.

The worms can reach up to 15cm in length and look like spaghetti. They are rare, except when a dog has a heavy infestation.

Toxocariasis, a disease caused by the roundworm Toxocara Canis, is particularly dangerous for children.

Tapeworm

Like roundworms, tapeworms live in the small intestinal tract and can cause severe illness in adults dogs. However, they are more dangerous for puppies.

In feces, tapeworm segments look like rice grains. They can be seen crawling on the bottom of the anus during heavy infestations.

It's not common, but certain dog tapeworms can cause a disease called 'Echinococcosis" in humans.

Lungworm

The lungworm parasite is spread by snails and slugs. It is becoming a serious problem in the UK.

A lungworm infestation can cause a dog to become seriously ill and even die.

For more information, please visit our page on 'Lungworm In Dogs'.

Threadworms and Whipworm

Both of these are relatively rare in the UK.

How do dogs catch worms?

There are many ways in which a dog can catch worms:

Roundworm

Roundworms can be transmitted to puppies in utero (so they are born with roundworms) or by their mother's breast milk.

Round worms can be caught by adult dogs by eating contaminated soil, poo or raw meat.

Tapeworm

Infection with tapeworm is most often caused by dogs eating fleas, usually during grooming. Flea control can help prevent this worm.

You can catch them by eating rats, mice or carcasses from other animals, such as sheep.

Dogs With Worms Can Show These Symptoms

Be vigilant, and take action if you notice these signs:

Roundworm

• Weight loss

• Diarrhoea

• Vomiting

• Poor growth in puppies

• Pot-belly (most common among puppies) and bloating

• Blockage of the intestines that can be life-threatening (severe cases).

Tapeworm

• Anus (bottom) licked excessively or scooted

• Weight loss

• Itchy skin caused by fleas

What Treatment Is Available?

It can be difficult to choose the right dog wormer. The vets at PDSA have compiled some simple tips to help:

• Ask your vet/vetnurse which worms you should treat for your dog. This will depend on the age, lifestyle, and location of your dog in the UK.

• Purchase a prescription wormer to be effective against the worms that you want to treat. Prescription wormers are only available from your veterinarian or online (with a prescription). They are more reliable than nonprescription products.

• Choose carefully if you can't buy a prescription-only wormer and must use one. They vary greatly.

• Non-prescription worming is available in two types: NFA-VPS products and off-the-shelf products.

Only a person with special qualifications can sell 'NFA VPS' products. This could be a qualified pharmacist or shop assistant.

NFA-VPS can be purchased online. You will need to fill out a form which is checked before the product is sent. "NFA-VPS" products are more reliable than products that you can buy off the shelf (but not as reliable as prescription drugs from your veterinarian).

In a supermarket, you can buy 'off the shelf' products without having to speak to anyone or answer any questions about your pet.

However, we do not recommend using products that are available off the shelf because they are less reliable than NFA-VPS products.

How Often Should I Treat My Dog For Worms?

Worm treatment depends on the age of your dog and their weight. Here's a guide:

Puppies

It is important to regularly worm puppies in the first few weeks of their lives.

In general, the treatment should begin at three weeks and be repeated every two to three weeks up until 16 weeks. Check with your veterinarian because each product will have its own guidelines for treatment frequency.

Use a deworming product that is appropriate for the age and weight of your puppy.

Adult dogs

You can't prevent your dog from getting worms, but you do need to worm them every 1 to 3 months.

If your dog is a hunter or scavenger, he may need to be wormed more often.

Don't forget to protect your dog from intestinal (gut worms) as well as lungworms.

Dosage

Your dog's weight and age will determine the appropriate dosage of wormer.

Watch our video 'How to weight your dog at home.

Once Treated, What Should I Look For?

You may not see any worms after treating your dog - unless it had a heavy infestation. In that case, you might see dead worms in their faeces.

If your dog is unwell or has diarrhea following a worming pill, contact your veterinarian.

Take Away

Modern medicine makes it easy to treat worms that have infested dogs if they are not left untreated for too long.