How to Deworm a Dog: Fleas, Ticks, and Worms

Parasites feed off their hosts, causing serious health problems. That's why it's very important to properly deworm/parasite-treat our dog throughout their life, to keep them from causing serious health issues.

There are many types of parasites, which we can split into two groups: internal parasites (which can live in the intestines, blood, or other organs) and external parasites. Let's see how to spot and prevent them.

How to treat a dog for external parasites

The main external parasites we need to worry about are fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, which feed on the dog's blood and can transmit serious diseases.

These vectors are intermediate hosts for various internal parasites in your pet. What's more, they can leave eggs around our home and cause a really serious infestation. That's why it's essential to always keep our dog protected.

There are more than 2,000 flea species, but our dogs at home are generally infested by Ctenocephalides canis (dog flea) and Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea). The adult flea lays its eggs on the dog, which fall to the ground and go through different stages (larva, pupa, adult flea). This whole cycle can take 2-4 weeks depending on the humidity and temperature they develop in.

On average, a female flea will lay 27 eggs a day. This enormous rate of reproduction needs to be kept in mind, since for every adult flea we see on the dog, there are 95 developing in the environment.

Can you imagine how bothersome it must be for your four-legged friend to have so many flea bites at once? The itching is so intense that many dogs injure themselves scratching. What's more, these bites can cause them different types of dermatitis.

As for the cat flea (which also affects dogs), as we saw above, this is in our view the most dangerous one, since it acts as an intermediate host for an intestinal tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum).

This tapeworm causes dysfunction in the intestinal crypts, ranging from mucousy (phlegm-filled) and bloody stools, listlessness, and loss of appetite, which, if untreated, lead to progressive weight loss along with weakened immunity (becoming susceptible to other infectious agents).

This whole clinical picture, if not treated in time, can lead to dehydration and, in many cases (especially in puppies weaned early), death. As for ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), besides sucking our dogs' blood and causing skin abrasions, they also transmit the bacterium Ehrlichia when they bite, which settles inside our dog's blood cells, causing serious health problems.

Just as important are infections with leishmaniasis and heartworm, which our pets could develop in the summer months as a result of a mosquito bite carrying these agents.

Knowing all the harm these vectors cause our pets, we'll all agree on the need to regularly see the vet to set up the appropriate deworming/parasite-prevention schedule.

Preventive products against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes

There are many options for keeping our dogs protected. Here are some of the most common:

• Anti-parasite collar (can be natural or chemical-based).
• Protective spot-on treatments.
• Chewable tablets against fleas and ticks.

Anti-parasite collars generally protect for an average of four to six months against fleas and ticks; there are others aimed at mosquitoes that offer up to 12 months of protection. Spot-on treatments, on the other hand, usually last one month for ticks and three months for fleas, similar to chewable tablets.

Ideally, several of these methods should be combined, especially if you live in a rural area or livestock zone — it would be a good idea to use at least two of the preventive methods mentioned.

How to deworm a dog internally

There are so many types of internal parasites that it's actually necessary to first know which parasite is involved in order to apply the most suitable treatment. It's also worth considering other factors such as age, size, and where you live.

Most intestinal parasites are eliminated with a tablet available at vet clinics, which should be given to our dog every three months. These come dosed based on your pet's weight.

But other parasites, like the well-known Giardia or heartworm, need prolonged treatment with antibiotic-based medication.

Types of internal parasites

We can identify many kinds of internal parasites, but these are generally the most common:

• Intestinal worms.
• Giardia.
• Heartworm.

Intestinal worms (Ascaris, or roundworms) live in your pet's intestine, once the dog has been infected after sniffing or licking substances on the ground or another infected dog's feces.

There are other digestive-system parasite species, which your vet will diagnose through tests and, based on that, put together the right therapy. In the case of puppies, if the mother was infected, it's very likely the puppy is too.

Heartworm, also known as the "heart parasite," is transmitted through mosquitoes. They can grow up to 30 cm long and settle in the cardiorespiratory system.

Each of these parasites needs a completely different treatment to eliminate them and keep our dogs protected. It will always be our trusted vet who provides the right medication.

How to prevent parasite infection?

Every dog ends up getting parasites at some point — some a few times in their life, others many. Even puppies can become infected while still in their mother's womb.

But to keep them from getting infected constantly, we can follow these simple tips:

• Keep our dog from licking or eating other animals'/people's feces.
• Bathe them at least once a month with a dog-specific soap.
• Check them over thoroughly at least once a week (including the ears).
• Get regular veterinary check-ups.
• Keep them from eating spoiled food.
• Don't let them play with dogs that have parasites.
• Keep control over their surrounding environment, through pest treatments, especially during the summer months.

And if our dog already has parasites, always wash our hands after touching them to avoid getting infected ourselves too.