Deworming dogs, both internally and externally, is becoming an increasingly common practice for caregivers and is already integrated into care routines, just like walking or vaccinating. But there are still people who are reluctant to establish regular deworming, because they consider that their dog does not need it or, simply, they are not aware of its benefits and, above all, of the problems that ignoring these treatments can bring.
Do you have questions about deworming? Below, on our site, we explain what happens if you don't deworm your dog and why the current recommendation is to deworm your pet.
Is it mandatory to deworm a dog?
The mandatory deworming of dogs depends entirely on the legislation of the place where you live or to which you travel. However, the usual thing is that it is obligatory to deworm the dog, at least once a year, and that this information appears in your veterinary record or in your passport.
Regardless of whether it is mandatory or not, it is advisable to carry out a correct deworming schedule in order to protect it from the different parasites that can affect it. We talk about it in the following sections.
Why is it important to deworm dogs?
First of all, you should know that dogs can be affected by both external and internal parasitesAmong the first we have fleas, ticks, lice, mites, but also mosquitoes or sandflies. For their part, in internal patients, worms, roundworms or intestinal worms stand out, but there are other worms of great clinical importance that lodge in the heart, lungs or eyes. We talk about them in depth in this article: “Worms in dogs – Types and treatments”.
Their mere presence will affect our dog's he alth and quality of life, since these parasites cause itching and irritation in the areas where they are found. They are not just an aesthetic problem. In addition, depending on the circumstances of each animal and the level of infestation, we can face more serious problems. For example, in puppies or otherwise debilitated dogs, heavy parasite infestation can lead to anemia. Intestinal intussusception can also occur, that is, part of the intestine folds on itself, rickets and even, in the most severe cases, death. In addition, there are more sensitive dogs that develop an allergic reaction to flea bites (DAPP). A single bite can trigger intense itching, alopecia, lesions that can become infected, inflammation, etc.
On the other hand, we must know that the parasites that we detect on our dog or that he expels are usually only a small number of those that are actually found in him, but also in the environment. It should be borne in mind that some of these parasites are zoonotic, meaning that they can also affect human beings, with children, the elderly and, in general, immunocompromised people.
There is still another fact that makes it important to deworm our dog regularly. And it is that many of the usual parasites are vectors of serious diseases that can affect both dogs and people. Examples are leishmaniasis or dirofilariosis. In addition, these parasitic diseases are considered to be emerging, which means that, thanks to factors such as globalization and climate change, they are becoming more common and spreading to more territories. All these data make clear the importance of deworming in dogs. With a simple gesture we can protect our dog, but also our family and, in general, the whole society, from the advance of parasites.
Consequences of not deworming a dog
Based on what we have explained in the previous section, the consequences of not deworming not only affect the animal, but also affect people and the environment in which the dog does its life. Thus, the parasitized dog will be helping to maintain and distribute the eggs and the different phases of the parasite's life cycle throughout the environment, which constitutes a risk of contamination and contagion for other animals and, in many cases, also for people. In other words, not deworming your dog allows the parasite load to remain high, increasing the risks of both transmission of parasites and the diseases they are vectors for.
In this sense, the dog can become a reservoir and, therefore, a source of contagion for other dogs or even for peopleThis is what happens, for example, with a spreading disease such as leishmaniasis. The dog with leishmanias circulating in its blood can be bitten by a mosquito that, in turn, bites another dog, but also a person, spreading the disease in any case. Hence, once again, the importance of deworming our dog throughout the year is demonstrated.
The veterinarian is the professional who can best advise us on the deworming treatment that best suits the needs of our dog based on its characteristics and lifestyle. However, more and more people are opting for the double monthly deworming because it is the most effective and quickest, since by means of a single tablet, very tasty and chewable, we protect the dog from internal and external parasites at the same time.
What happens if I vaccinate my dog without deworming?
In addition to the disorders and diseases that we have explained that a parasitized dog can suffer from or transmit, you should know that parasites affect the effectiveness of vaccinesIn short, the function of vaccines is to prepare the dog's immune system to deal with the different pathologies against which it is vaccinated.
But some factors, such as the presence of disease, are known to interfere with the effectiveness of vaccination. Among these diseases are parasites, although we do not detect any clinical sign of the presence of parasites in the dog. What happens is that for the immune system to react correctly to the vaccination the animal must be completely he althy If this is not the case, what occurs is a hyporesponse, which can lead to vaccine failure. This means that it is possible that, although the dog has been vaccinated, he is not really protected against the diseases for which we have vaccinated him. This is what explains why the current recommendation is to deworm dogs a few days before vaccinating. Even so, the veterinarian will have to check it to make sure that there is no evidence that an illness is in progress.
Now that you know what happens if you don't deworm your dog, what the consequences and recommendations are, don't hesitate and go to your veterinary center to administer the most suitable antiparasitic product.
