If your dog does not have any signs of a worm infestation should you de-worm your dog? The answer is certainly yes if you live in an area where there is heartworm.
In other areas the answer is probably yes for adult dogs, and definitely for pregnant and nursing dogs, and young puppies.
The recommendation of both the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP), and the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) is that there be regular use of a product that is effective against worms.
However, many vets, particularly in areas where heartworm is not considered a problem, often do not recommend de-worming adult dogs in the absence of evidence of an active infestation.
For all pregnant and nursing dogs, and their puppies de-worming is strongly recommended.
It is estimated that over half of the puppies born have a roundworm infection from their mother.
Not only do puppies spread worms but the presence of worms can affect the growth rate and proper development of a puppy.
Your vet will recommend a schedule and tell you medications are suitable.
Could your dog have an infestation of mature worms but no symptoms? Very likely for several types of worms.
For instance, if a dog is healthy and has a single tapeworm, it is easy to miss the signs.
A light tapeworm infection is usually only discovered by noticing that the stool looks like it has grains of rice in it, or noticing that there are small rice-sized tapeworm segments in the fur under the tail.
If your dog is newly infected, then there may not be any obvious symptoms for a while.
A dog with a heartworm infection does not have symptoms for many months.
Often by the time there are symptoms there are full grown worms in the lungs and heart.
Once a dog has been infected with roundworms or hookworms, dormant larvae can be reactivated When a dog gets a roundworm or a hookworm infection, in addition to adult worms in the gut there are immature forms (larvae) that move out of the gut and enter various tissues such as muscle and the liver.
The larvae stay inactive in these tissues, for months or years, but can be reactivated, move to the gut and mature into adults and start laying eggs.
Therefore, once a dog has got a roundworm or hookworm infection, even though the adults in the gut may have been killed by de-worming, if larvae are reactivated they move to the gut and this results in more adult worms in the gut.
Roundworms are the most common worm of dogs.
Since over half of puppies are born with a roundworm infection, then the vast majority of adult dogs are going to have roundworm larvae in their tissues.
Therefore, there is a strong possibility that your dog has roundworm.
Many heartworm medications kill other worms If your dog is on heartworm medication then your dog is being de-wormed monthly for heartworm.
Different heartworm products have different ingredients and many of these will kill some other types of worms.
Check out your heartworm medication to see which other types it kills.
De-worming can help control the spread of worms Regular de-worming will help to make the length of time that a dog is able to infect other animals shorter than if only de-wormed when there are symptoms.
This will help slow the spread of these parasites.
So - Should you de-worm your dog at intervals? All pregnant and nursing dogs, and puppies should be placed on a de-worming schedule in consultation with your vet.
If your dog is sick, or already has a high number of worms talk to your vet before starting any treatment.
Your vet will recommend precautions and advise as to the best products and schedule to use.
If your dog is on heartworm medication then your dog is being de-wormed monthly.
Check to see which worms are killed by your heartworm medication.
What if your dog is not on heartworm medication? That is your decision.