What Is The Best Way Of Changing The Worming Schedule

[Tilly]

Currently our older dog is wormed on the 16th of March, June, September and December. The youngest is wormed on the 5th of January, April, July and October. They both get heartgard monthly with the older the 16th of each month and the youngest is the 5th of each month.

I want to bring them both onto the same schedule so they are wormed and given their heartgard on the same days.

What is the best way of going about it?

The oldest was wormed this month and the youngest is due next month ... would it be a big issue if I wormed the older boy again next month when I worm the youngest.

Or would it be better to wait until June and worm the youngest a month early?

[Sandra777]

Have you had a fecal exam done to even suggest the dogs need intestinal worming so much? If so, or if you live in a an area with a high risk of feral animal poop passing on hook worm, then I'd just extend one dog's intestinal treatment by a month and shorten the other one by a month then next time by a fortnight each and the intestinal wormers are on the same day for both. Heartworm, again depends on the risk but doing one 5 days early and the other 6 days late wouldn't be an issue, so they could be evened up immediately. Not sure I'd want to give them heartworm medication and intestinal worm medication on the same day but if you're fine with this remember that the dosage suggested has a huge margin for error (unless one of the dogs is allergic/sensitive to the chemicals) so you don't have to be too freaked about the dosage for anything over a 10-15kg dog.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Sandra777

[aussielover]

What worming product are you using?

sentinel, drontal, interceptorn and milbemax dog only last in the body system for 24 hrs. So it is ok to give your dog a tablet once a month. In fact, for most intestinal worms (roundworm and hookworm) the pre-patent period for infection is 3-4 weeks, so you would actually be better off doing monthly worming.

I would recommend you use sentinel spectrum as this does all intestinal worms plus heartworm and is a once a month chewable tablet.

Perhaps next time you are at your vets, they can recommend a program for you?

[woodbyne]

When we bought a new pup she came with the full array of worms....... so for the past 6 months all 4 dogs have been wormed monthly to break the cycle with no ill side effects (well for the worms it was huge side effects ) > next month we will do another faecal sample to see how we are going she had every worm you can think of we live in a hydadid area so wil continue worming every 6 weeks at the moment its costing me a fortune every 4 weeks worming them but better than having worms. The vet diagnosed a severe worm burden in the pup when she started with chronic diahrea at first i thought parvo but that was negative and the faecal test was horrendous. We have to worm them all to ensure they are worm free including the 2 cats.

[Tilly]

They get the monthly Heartgard chews (silly things think they are getting a treat) and the Paragard all wormers. We went through the initially monthly worming and it was a pain but I find the 3 monthly even worse because I keep forgetting when they are due.

I ended up doing a schedule and sticking that to the fridge but some days I even forget the day and month .... good thing my phone has reminders set.

I was going to change them but after hearing about some dogs having reactions to some different products I am reluctant to change because they have been fine on these products.

[poodlefan]

Talk to your vet. Rumour has it most monthly heart worm preventions are good for 6 weeks.

Unless you're in an active mozzie area, I'd just shift both heartworm tabs to the first of each month for convenience of memory.

Mine get heartworm on the 1st of each month and an allwormer on the first of each month divisible by 3 (like yours)

[Nic oh lah]

I just started mine on 1st day of the month so I dont forget.

[Rebanne]

I give mine heartworm preventative every 6 weeks so there is no problem you switching one or the other though I would do one the few days late rather than early. Also the same with worming switch the older one to be in line with the younger but do it so it is later rather than early. I prefer to do these things on different days but lots don't.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Rebanne