There are several parasites that can affect dogs, causing some serious he alth problems and even transmitting diseases with a high mortality rate. Therefore, when a bitch is pregnant, it is logical to ask if it is possible to apply an antiparasitic.
If dog handlers usually express doubts regarding the basic care of their companions, such as the aforementioned deworming, these questions increase when we are faced with delicate or simply different situations. Among these we count old age, the first months of life, illness or pregnancy, which is the state that we are going to deal with in this article on our site to resolve a very frequent question: " ¿ Can I deworm my pregnant dog?" We answer!
Most common parasites in dogs
We can distinguish the parasites that affect dogs into two large groups, which are the following:
- External parasites: these are fleas, ticks or lice, which can occur in different stages (from egg to adult individual). Generally they do not cause serious disorders, but in sick, weakened or stressed animals they are capable of wreaking havoc. These situations can also activate dormant larvae. As if that were not enough, fleas can transmit other parasites such as tapeworms, while ticks are responsible for inoculating parasites that sometimes cause serious diseases such as babesiosis, which is potentially fatal. There are multiple preventive products on the market to control the presence of these parasites and with various presentations such as pipettes, collars, sprays or pills.
- Internal parasites: are intestinal, pulmonary or cardiac parasites, such as tapeworms, strongyles or filaria. As was the case with external parasites, they should not cause great damage but, as we mentioned, we must not lose sight of the state of the animal or the intensity of the infestation. As in the case of external parasites, we have various products on the market to combat these unpleasant hosts and in different presentations such as pills, syrups or even pipettes. In the case of these parasites, these products do not offer a period of protection as in the case of external antiparasitics, but their use at the marked intervals (every 3-4 months) does contribute to the control of infestations.
As we can see, it is important to keep both internal and external parasites at bay and, therefore, deworming is an essential action that we must incorporate into our dog's care routine. And, if we periodically apply this type of product, the question if our dog is in a state is going to be inevitable. So, Can a pregnant dog be dewormed?
Should I deworm my pregnant dog?
The answer to the question of whether our pregnant dog can be dewormed is yes. Moreover, it is not only due to her, but is recommended to protect her, but also the puppiesthat she bears. That said, it is important to know that, before deworming our pregnant dog, we must consult our veterinarian because not all the products that we use for this purposeare recommended during pregnancy. As some could harm the integrity of the puppies, we should always ask our veterinarian which is the best antiparasitic for a pregnant bitch, to administer it safely to the future mother. For this reason, even if we have the products we have always used at home, during the months of pregnancy it is mandatory to confirm with our veterinarian that their use is appropriate for the condition of our dog.
When to deworm a pregnant dog?
We have seen that a pregnant dog can be dewormed, so in this section we are going to detail when it is recommended to do it so that the puppies can also benefit from it. The guidelines to follow are as follows:
- Maintain the usual external deworming, as we have said, confirming with our veterinarian that the product we have is suitable.
- If we are going to breed our bitch (think of the large number of dogs in need of homes before bringing new puppies into the world), before the mountwe must deworm it, regardless of when it was last dewormed.
- Towards the end of pregnancy, during the last two weeks, we have to deworm her again. With this last administration we intend to protect the puppies from the most common intestinal worms, although it is likely that they will be born infected, which is why it is also important to start their deworming schedule after 15 days of life. It is also recommended to deworm the dog during lactation You have to know that the little ones are going to be in contact with parasites present in the environment but also through the placenta and your mother's milk.
- If we pick up a pregnant dog whose he alth status we do not know, we must check if she has parasites (the veterinarian will observe a stool sample under a microscope that can be taken from the anus using a thermometer). If the infestation compromises her he alth and that of her puppies, we will have to deworm her, regardless of the stage of her pregnancy, always, we insist, according to veterinary advice, after having assessed the advantages and disadvantages.
