Even if you don’t initially think about it when you gaze into a whelping box full of adorable little puppies, from birth, these little rascals can be infected with worms. This not only poses an immediate threat to their health but can also negatively influence the growth of some organs and weaken the immune system to the extent that the puppy might die. For this reason, it’s crucial to deworm puppies as early as possible and regularly.
How Do Puppies Get Worms?
You’re probably wondering why innocent puppies can have worms so early? Most female dogs carry encapsulated roundworm or tapeworm larvae that become active during the hormonal changes in their bodies during pregnancy, entering the mother’s uterus. There, they can infect the embryos in the uterus. Since a heavy infestation can jeopardize the health and growth of the puppies, breeders must deworm them. This process begins at the age of two weeks and continues at regular intervals.
Why Worms Are So Dangerous for Puppies
Puppies are at risk of getting worms due to possible infection in the mother’s uterus and the fact that worm larvae can also enter the digestive tract of the puppies through mother’s milk. But what makes worms so dangerous for puppy health? If the breeder doesn’t treat the puppies for worms in a timely manner, parasites can multiply quickly in the little dogs, posing a serious threat.
A severe worm infestation can have dire consequences for the puppies, damaging the lungs or liver or causing severe gastrointestinal disturbances, which weaken the tiny dog bodies to the point that they might die. In adult roundworms in the intestines, a severe worm infestation often leads to a life-threatening intestinal blockage. Additionally, worm infestation poses a risk to humans, especially young children, providing another good reason to deworm puppies.
Deworming Puppies: How to Rid Them of Parasites
To prevent life-threatening complications due to worms in puppies, it’s advisable for the breeder to deworm the puppies as early as two weeks of age. There are specific deworming treatments for puppies that you can administer following the veterinarian’s instructions. Deworming is repeated every two weeks and continues until two weeks after weaning from the mother.
Use only veterinary-prescribed medications for deworming puppies. Alternative herbal remedies are not recommended for deworming puppy dogs. You can also deworm the mother dog to protect the puppies, but there are no approved veterinary drugs for this purpose in the United States.
Since it has been proven that deworming the mother dog makes sense, consult your veterinarian on this matter.
Why Deworm Puppies So Frequently?
You might wonder why puppies need to be dewormed so often. This is due to the repeated potential for infection through mother’s milk. For this reason, deworming puppies every two weeks is recommended, with an additional deworming session two weeks after the last intake of mother’s milk. After that, it’s sufficient to deworm the dog every three months.
Are Worming Agents Dangerous for Puppies?
Worming agents are controversial among dog owners as they are chemical substances that kill living organisms, namely worms. However, modern deworming agents are designed to specifically target the unique structures of the worms to eliminate them, structures that cannot be found in the organisms of other living beings.
For those who want to reduce deworming in their adult dog, it’s advisable to bring a stool sample to the vet for examination for worm infestation (more on this in the deworming guide). This is not possible for puppies.
Today’s deworming agents for puppies and dogs undergo many clinical tests and have few side effects. The products for nursing bitches and puppies are meticulously examined for their safety before being approved for the market. Considering the harm that worms can cause to puppy dogs, the risk of side effects from the medication is considered low.
Possible side effects that occasionally occur include gastrointestinal disturbances, which soon subside. For healthy growth and a robust immune system for the little dogs, early and regular deworming is indispensable. Therefore, adhere to the recommended deworming schedules for puppy dogs and ensure a healthy start for the puppies in life.
