Doggy Q’s

How do dogs pick up worms?

The dog’s environment can remain a continual source of re-infection. Worm eggs and larvae are passed in the faeces and as such they survive in areas where dogs are exercised and areas where dogs are kept.

In the case of common flea tapeworm, the larvae are carried by fleas and dogs can become infected when grooming themselves. It is essential to maintain effective flea control to protect against flea tapeworms.

How do I protect my dog and my family from worms?

The solution is to worm your pet with an effective, fast-acting treatment that is easy to administer. One of the products available and proven effective for eradicating worms is Drontal Chewable for dogs. Dogs actually enjoy eating it – in clinical studies 98% of dogs ate the entire treatment.

Drontal controls all intestinal worms effectively with a single dose. Drontal contains a patented combination of three active ingredients to control worms.

Praziquantel is considered the gold standard for tapeworm control. It acts directly on tapeworms in the dog’s gut where it paralyses the worms within 30 seconds of contact. The dead worms are not passed as they disintegrate in the dog’s gut.

Pyrantel and febantel target roundworm, hookworm and whipworms. The combination of these two active ingredients, which is unique to Drontal, have a synergistic effect, attacking the parasites on two fronts. The combination has outstanding efficacy against roundworm, hookworm and whipworms.

Drontal Chewable for dogs is available from vets, pet shops and produce stores.

How prevalent are worms in Australia?

Unlike fleas and ticks, which are easily seen on a pet, intestinal worms are out of sight and may not be something you think about much. Yet, disturbingly, up to 80% of Australia’s dogs carry intestinal worms.

How tasty are Drontal Chewables?

Drontal Chewables are made with real liver that dog’s love. In trials, 98% of dogs ate the Drontal Chew within 3 minutes.

Will Drontal Chewables work if my dog swallows the chew without chewing it?

There is no problem with underdosing if Drontal is swallowed whole. Drontal chews are unique as they contain a special additive known as a disintegrant. The disintegrant is specially designed to overcome the problem of incomplete digestion. This allows rapid and complete breakdown of the formulation under the action of stomach acids allowing maximum absorption of the active ingredients.

When should I treat my dog with Drontal Chewables?

Drontal is extremely effective at killing worms that are present in the intestine at the time of treatment. However, it does not act like a vaccine to protect against future infection. That’s why regular treatment is essential to maintain your dog’s health. Dogs can be reinfected from the environment and contact with other pets.

  • Puppies: Puppies should be treated with Drontal at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age and then at 4, 5 and 6 months.
  • Adults: Adult dogs should be treated every 3 months.
  • Breeding/lactating bitches: Treat 10 days before mating, 10 days before whelping, and 2 and 4
    weeks after whelping to decrease infection in puppies.

Why are intestinal worms dangerous to your family?

Whilst most people love and care for their dogs, many are not worming their pets as regularly as they should. Not only could this seriously affect the health of your dog, it also poses a significant health hazard for your family.

Toddlers and young children love to cuddle and kiss dogs, and dogs love to lick their faces. In this way, unfortunately, dog worm eggs and larvae can be transmitted to humans and swallowed. This potentially leads to diseases that result in cysts in the liver and lungs and serious damage to eyes – a real risk to your family’s wellbeing.

Zoonoses is the name given to diseases that can be transmitted between animals and man. Many people are ignorant of the fact that dog intestinal worm species can be transmitted to people.

Why are intestinal worms dangerous to your Dog?

Gastrointestinal parasites represent a recurring health problem for dogs and pose a threat to human health, especially children.

Pets, particularly young animals, can become seriously ill or even die from gastrointestinal worm infections. Signs of worm infestation are not always easily detected, and therefore you may be unaware that your pet has worms.

The main signs of a worm problem include:

  • Anaemia – paleness of skin and gums. This is due to the blood sucking activity of hookworms.
  • Diarrhoea – caused by irritation to the wall of the gut by worms.
  • Dehydration – seen as a dry skin/coat.
  • Pot-belly appearance – occurs commonly in young puppies with a heavy roundworm infection.
  • Weight loss – can occur even while the dog is showing a ravenous appetite.
  • White segments in droppings/coat/around anus – occurs with tapeworm, especially the common flea tapeworm.
  • Tail skidding – dogs with tapeworm infection will often sit and rub their rear end along the ground.

Therefore regular treatment against worms, especially in young pets, is essential. Dogs and cats can be re-infected from other pets and from the environment.
It is extremely important to use the correct worming dose for each individual animal.