Deworming your cat or dog is an essential part of their healthcare but it is so easily forgotten. We spoke to our vet, Dr Cooper, and asked her about the whys and hows of deworming.
Why is deworming your pet so important?
Worms cause many health problems in pets. They steal much-needed nutrients and can lead to conditions including:
- intestinal problems like diarrhoea
- anaemia (if the infestation is severe)
- skin issues.
Worms can also spread to humans, particularly children.
How often should a pet be dewormed?
This depends on many factors such as age and exposure but generally, puppies and kittens should be dewormed at each vaccination (8, 12, 16 weeks) as they are particularly susceptible to worms.
As puppies and kittens grow, they develop resistance to worms and you can then bring the treatment down to every three months. Some flea control products contain a mild dewormer (for example, Revolution). If using these products monthly, deworming can be stretched to every six months.
What products should we look out for?
Luckily deworming is a simple process with products such as Milbemax which come in the form of a tasty chew for dogs or a tablet for cats. Revolution also has properties that make it an effective mild dewormer (in addition to tick and flea control) and simply needs to be applied at the base of the neck in front of the shoulder blades.
If in doubt, ask your vet for his or her advice and then pop a reminder in your calendar to ensure the whole family keeps happy and healthy.