In this article on our site we are going to explain why deworm our dog every month The importance of external deworming is enormous and internal for the he alth of our dogs, but there are many caregivers who still do not know the basic information about parasites and antiparasitics, which leaves their dogs exposed to infestations that cause discomfort, illness and even death. Some of these parasites can affect humans, so keep reading and discover the importance of deworming dogs
Most common external and internal parasites in dogs
The main objective of antiparasitic products is to prevent and treat the appearance of parasites in our dogs. Some of them are designed to act only on external parasites, others against internal parasites and others combat both types. This last group, corresponding to double deworming, is the most effective and recommended, since with a single product we manage to prevent the animal from suffering a possible infestation which, as we will see in the following sections, can be very serious for its he alth.
In general, the most common external parasites in dogs are fleas and ticks, much more frequent during hot weather although present throughout the year. As for the internal ones, intestinal worms, lungworms and heartworms stand out. All of them can cause more or less serious damage to the host animal and For this reason, it is so important to carry out a correct deworming in dogs, with monthly being the most effective. So, don't hesitate and ask your vet for double monthly deworming and deworm your pet
Why is it important to get rid of fleas on dogs?
They are small hematophagous insects, that is, they feed on the blood of the dog extracted by stinging them. They need warm temperatures for their reproductive cycle, but the environments we maintain in our homes allow them to reproduce all year round. The visible fleas on our dog are a small percentage of those found in the environment in various stages of maturation. As if this were not enough reason to understand why deworm a dog every month, fleas can transmit some intestinal parasites and even cause anemia in small or weakened animals, if the infestation is large. Also, our dog may be allergic to its bite. A single one triggers a reaction with itching, scratching, alopecia and wounds, especially in the lumbosacral area. This is known as flea bite allergy dermatitis
Ticks, transmitters of serious diseases
Depending on the geographical area in which we find ourselves, they can infest our dog in any month of the year, since they have the ability to survive above 8 degrees of ambient temperature. They are mites that feed on blood, for which they insert their mouth organs under the skin. In this way they can transmit diseases such as babesiosis, which causes hemolytic anemia that can lead to to the death. This explains why deworming our dog every month is so important.
Ticks resist in the environment for long periods of time until they have a chance to jump onto an animal. Once in the dog, they take a few hours to transmit diseases, if they are infected, so if we discover any, we must remove it quickly and carefully so as not to leave its head inside. Antiparasitics are capable of eliminating them before they transmit diseases, hence the importance of respecting the frequency of use.
Intestinal parasites in dogs and their consequences
Most are able to keep their eggs alive in the environment for prolonged periods of time. Dogs can become infected by sniffing or licking infested areas. Mothers can also pass them on to their puppies. Unlike what happens with external antiparasitics, which maintain their effect for weeks, the internal ones eliminate only the parasites that are found at that moment during their transit through the digestive system, which explains por what to deworm our dog every month, twice a month while he is a puppy.
Although these infestations generally do not show symptoms in he althy animals, in the case of puppies or immunosuppressed animals we can see diarrhea, weight loss or anemia Our A veterinarian examining a stool sample under a microscope can identify the type of worm and prescribe the appropriate antiparasitic.
Symptoms of lungworms in dogs
Lungworms affect the respiratory systemThese worms reach our pet after eating snails or slugs infested with larvae of this parasite. The dog will have a cough and it will be difficult for him to exercise. The parasites can be observed in the feces, since, when coughing, the dog ingests them, passing them to his digestive system. Deworming our dogs every month is a basic welfare measure.
Heartworms in dogs, symptoms and consequences
The filaria is the worm that lives in the pulmonary arteries and, at the end of the disease, in the heart, causingthromboembolism and pulmonary hypertension , causing vena cava syndrome , its clinical signs are dyspnea and murmur with possible death of the animal.
The filaria reaches the dog through a mosquito that contains it in its oral organs. When biting the dog, the parasites enter the body, where they undergo different maturations that end with their migration to the pulmonary arteries and the right heart. The female filariae release microfilariae into the bloodstream If a mosquito bites an infested dog, it can ingest them and, by biting another dog, transmit the parasite. Symptoms include cough, exercise intolerance, and even syncope. Due to the location of these parasites they can cause the death of the dog. Its treatment also has risks, since the dead parasites could cause obstructions in vital organs. The consequences of canine filariasis explain why deworm our dog every month, since prevention is the best weapon.
How to deworm your dog?
We must focus on prevention against parasites, consulting our veterinarian It is important to know what are the common parasites in our area of residence and what is the season of greatest risk. In the market we find antiparasitic in the form of a pipette, which are generally applied once a month in the withers area. There are also pills, most of them palatable. In smaller animals we can use sprays. In addition, we find collars, which usually maintain a preventive action for months. We also have products with a simultaneous effect against internal and external parasites, as we said at the beginning of the article, which offer a double deworming
Although the most recommended is to opt for monthly internal and external deworming, it will be our veterinarian who will advise us on the most suitable deworming schedulefor our dog, so don't hesitate to go to him to ask about this option. Once the treatment is established, we must comply scrupulously to keep our dog free of parasites. The damage they can cause is so considerable that they justify why we deworm our dogs every month.
