Worming

[maximum]

Hello All - as this is my first post, I should introduce myself. My name is Annie and my puppy, Max, is a 20 week old poodle/maltese cross. I know that this is a pure breed forum, but I'm having a lot of trouble finding reliable information on line and in my experience (owning 3 purebred cats), breeders are usually the best people to speak with about all things animal! Although I love my vet, I sometimes find they have a vested interest in promoting some products more than others...enough said about that!

Max is a real cutie and to date, I've had very few issues with him. Although I've grown up with dogs (poodles), Max is the first puppy I've ever had that's completely my own and boy, has it been a learning curve! *LOL* When I bought him, I thought "Puppy, kitten - how much difference can there be? I'm sure the pup will be similar to raising a kitten". Hahaha - WRONG! I'm still amazed at how much more you have to do for dogs versus cats. Not that I'm complaining - I absolutely adore Max and I actually like having such an 'involved' life with my dog.

Anyway, I should stop crapping on about stuff and get to the point! I'm wanting some advice on worming.

Max has been wormed with Drontal so far and each time, he's had a fairly full-on reaction, worsening with each dose. A tummy upset, diarrhea with occasional vomiting that usually quietened down within 24 hours. It didn't seem to affect him in any other way - he was still going mental running around the house, annoying the cats etc. Just being a puppy!

However, the last time I wormed him, the diarrhea continued for 5 days. I spoke by phone to my vet several times during the week and when the runny bum wouldn't cease after fasting Max for 24 hours, he asked me to bring Max in. Max had an antiobiotic shot at the vet, then was on 2 different antiobiotic tablets twice a day for several days afterwards, plus some pink liquid stuff that seems similar to Mylanta, Gaviscon etc. I can't remember the name of it, but it's for diarrhea in horses and dogs. His tummy cleared up within 36 hours, after medicating him and feeding a bland diet (scrambled egg and steamed chicken).

Anyway, the vet said I should change Max's worming medication, but we kind of got lost in conversation afterwards and he didn't end up recommending any particular medication. He did say that Max may be one of those dogs that's 'sensitive' to medication. But that was about it.

Would anybody be able to give me some advice on a gentle to the stomach worming option? Many thanks in advance!

Cheers

Annie

[poodlefan]

Ring your vet and get a recommedation.

I don't use them but I understand that there are some topical (spot) treatments that cover intestinal worms. One of these may be the go.

[Ceilidh]

How often are you worming him? You should have only wormed him once (assuming he was 8 weeks old when you got him), at 3 months, and he will be due again at 6 months. He should only be getting half a 10kg tablet.

Maybe this is the problem. Drontal is usually a very good product.

[maximum]

How often are you worming him? You should have only wormed him once (assuming he was 8 weeks old when you got him), at 3 months, and he will be due again at 6 months. He should only be getting half a 10kg tablet.

Maybe this is the problem. Drontal is usually a very good product.

Hi and thanks for your advice.

I'm doing what it says on the Drontal packet, which is WAY more than you've suggested and WAY more than I've ever wormed an animal in my life! Here's what the packet (and my vet) says:

"Worm at 2 weeks of age, if greater than 1.5kg, and then at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age.

After 12 weeks of age every month until 6 months of age.

Thereafter every 3 months except in hydatid tapeworm areas when every 6 weeks is recommended, or on veterinary advice."

According to this schedule, Max was wormed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks, then 16 weeks which was when he ended up at the vet. I'm now paranoid about giving him his next tablet!!! If I follow the Drontal schedule, he should be wormed this week and I can tell you, I'm NOT looking forward to it!!

As I live in an apartment and Max only goes outside when he's with me (and I watch what he puts in his mouth when we're outside), I'd think that the chances of picking up intestinal worms would be less than a dog who spent his days in the backyard. But I'm no expert.

Your thoughts on whether I'm worming him too often would be appreciated!

[Starkehre]

The pink stuff you used would have been more than likely Peptosyl. Brilliant product. Of course must be used with care. There are numerous "All Wormer" intestinal worm products on the market. It will not hurt to try any of these, of course only when pup is due to be wormed. There has been much talk of some owners choosing to alternate different branded products in case the worms are growing resistant to these, but of course that is not the issue you are having concerns with. I have always used Drontal, as I do find it to give my dogs the best and most thorough worming. I have never had any problems with vomitting or looseness. However, what I tend to do with my guys, (is give them a small bland 2x2 dog biscuit about half to 1 hr before I worm. This way I am not worming on a completely empty stomach (has been known to cause tummy uoset), nor I am worming on a full tummy (can be known to dilute product affectiveness).

Another thing I do when worming (and this probably once again is not a concern to you, as you seem to only have the one dog, and several cats), is I worm each dog consecutive days. That way, if there is a vomit or loose stools, and I miss who has done it, then I am fairly sure it will be the dog that has most recently been wormed, and we can reworm or keep a close eye or both (using my disctretion). Just a tip.

I am sure you will find a wormer that suits your pups tum tum. if it the chewables you are using, it may even be the preservative or coloring in the wormer that is disagreeing with him and not the active worming ingredients.

Good Luck :D

[Miranda]

I don't think you're overworming, young puppies are frequently born with roundworms which pass to them from the dam and they don't acquire any immunity to them until about 6 months of age. I worm every two weeks from 2 weeks of age until 12 weeks, then every month until 6 months of age then every 3 or 4 months.

I usually use the Canine All Wormer tablets from Vet-N-Pet direct, (I think you get 40 x 1 per 10kg tablets for about $70.00) and only occasionally use Drontal. If I were you I would definitely try another wormer and if your dog still gets diarrhoea you may have to change to one of the spot on products.

[Ceilidh]

Sorry, didn't realise you bred the dog. Then yes, worm at 2,4,6 & 8 weeks (I use a puppy suspension) then with Closasole at 3 months and every 3 months for the rest of its life. I have never had problems with wormy dogs.

[Starkehre]

I also worm according to Miranda's frequency.

[maximum]

Sorry, didn't realise you bred the dog. Then yes, worm at 2,4,6 & 8 weeks (I use a puppy suspension) then with Closasole at 3 months and every 3 months for the rest of its life. I have never had problems with wormy dogs.

Sorry - I didn't mean to infer that I bred Max. I was just quoting the Drontal packet. But when I bought him at 8 weeks, they gave him a tablet and advised me to follow the Drontal schedule. So did the vet.

But thank you, it seems I'm doing the right thing. I just have to find a wormer that doesn't upset his tummy!

[maximum]

The pink stuff you used would have been more than likely Peptosyl. Brilliant product. Of course must be used with care. There are numerous "All Wormer" intestinal worm products on the market. It will not hurt to try any of these, of course only when pup is due to be wormed. There has been much talk of some owners choosing to alternate different branded products in case the worms are growing resistant to these, but of course that is not the issue you are having concerns with. I have always used Drontal, as I do find it to give my dogs the best and most thorough worming. I have never had any problems with vomitting or looseness. However, what I tend to do with my guys, (is give them a small bland 2x2 dog biscuit about half to 1 hr before I worm. This way I am not worming on a completely empty stomach (has been known to cause tummy uoset), nor I am worming on a full tummy (can be known to dilute product affectiveness).

Another thing I do when worming (and this probably once again is not a concern to you, as you seem to only have the one dog, and several cats), is I worm each dog consecutive days. That way, if there is a vomit or loose stools, and I miss who has done it, then I am fairly sure it will be the dog that has most recently been wormed, and we can reworm or keep a close eye or both (using my disctretion). Just a tip.

I am sure you will find a wormer that suits your pups tum tum. if it the chewables you are using, it may even be the preservative or coloring in the wormer that is disagreeing with him and not the active worming ingredients.

Good Luck

Thank you for all the advice. Yep, Peptosyl sounds familiar - it looks like that American product, Peptobismol (probably wrong spelling). And it seemed to do the trick with Max, although he HATED the taste of it!!

I'll try the not worming on an empty stomach thing. He's not having the chewables, just the regular tablet. And I actually under dosed him last time - the pack said up to 3kg give one tablet, over 3kg give two. Max was only 3.2kg and knowing what reaction the tablets have, I only gave him one.

I'll keep looking for a suitable wormer!

[Starkehre]

The pink stuff you used would have been more than likely Peptosyl. Brilliant product. Of course must be used with care. There are numerous "All Wormer" intestinal worm products on the market. It will not hurt to try any of these, of course only when pup is due to be wormed. There has been much talk of some owners choosing to alternate different branded products in case the worms are growing resistant to these, but of course that is not the issue you are having concerns with. I have always used Drontal, as I do find it to give my dogs the best and most thorough worming. I have never had any problems with vomitting or looseness. However, what I tend to do with my guys, (is give them a small bland 2x2 dog biscuit about half to 1 hr before I worm. This way I am not worming on a completely empty stomach (has been known to cause tummy uoset), nor I am worming on a full tummy (can be known to dilute product affectiveness).

Another thing I do when worming (and this probably once again is not a concern to you, as you seem to only have the one dog, and several cats), is I worm each dog consecutive days. That way, if there is a vomit or loose stools, and I miss who has done it, then I am fairly sure it will be the dog that has most recently been wormed, and we can reworm or keep a close eye or both (using my disctretion). Just a tip.

I am sure you will find a wormer that suits your pups tum tum. if it the chewables you are using, it may even be the preservative or coloring in the wormer that is disagreeing with him and not the active worming ingredients.

Good Luck

Thank you for all the advice. Yep, Peptosyl sounds familiar - it looks like that American product, Peptobismol (probably wrong spelling). And it seemed to do the trick with Max, although he HATED the taste of it!!

I'll try the not worming on an empty stomach thing. He's not having the chewables, just the regular tablet. And I actually under dosed him last time - the pack said up to 3kg give one tablet, over 3kg give two. Max was only 3.2kg and knowing what reaction the tablets have, I only gave him one.

I'll keep looking for a suitable wormer!

You are most welcome maximum.

Don't underworm. It will not work, and then you are risking upset tummy for nothing. Worm at full dose rate, but with a different wormer perhaps next time.

[saram]

If you go to one of the online pet stores they will have all the wormers there that you can compare.

We were tossing up between revolution (put on the back of the neck) and sentinal (chewable tablet) It's hard as neither of them cover everything. Our vet gave us a sample pack of the revolution when we brought our puppies home? Maybe you could ask if they have any samples?

[maximum]

If you go to one of the online pet stores they will have all the wormers there that you can compare.

We were tossing up between revolution (put on the back of the neck) and sentinal (chewable tablet) It's hard as neither of them cover everything. Our vet gave us a sample pack of the revolution when we brought our puppies home? Maybe you could ask if they have any samples?

Hello there

I had a discussion with the vet last Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, it seems that the Revolution spot on treatment no longer treats for worms - there are separate tablets in the box for worming.

I have to be a bit careful with spot ons, because I live in a paralysis tick area and need a treatment that does ticks as well as fleas. And I can't use Advantix because I have three cats (it's lethal to cats).

The vet gave me a few sample worming medications and said that quite often it's the coating on the outside of the Drontal pill that puppies have a reaction to.

So, I'm going to try different meds and see how Max goes.

Thanks for your note and good luck with the pups!