Ask questions via twitter! Message any question to @answers on twitter. We'll publish the question and send you a reply each time there's a new answer.
Next Question

Answered Question

drmatt drmatt
 
M$1 January 29, 2009 03:48 PM

Do we need to give our dog de-wormer or de-flea meds?

We have a new puppy (lab/bulldog mix... don't ask).  The SPCA has given her de-wormer and de-flea shots and there are pill forms of these as well.

We take her out to the park and some wooded areas, but we mainly walk her around a suburban neighborhood.

The de-flea meds might be useful (although our cat never had fleas, and he's a primarily outdoor cat), but I'm wondering about the de-wormer.

Any suggestions/thoughts?
Interesting Question?  Yes (0)   No (0)   
RSS
 
 

Best Answer  Chosen by Asker

bbrookin bbrookin
 
 January 29, 2009 03:57 PM

We give our dogs dewormer as necessary. We've never used de-flea meds aside the occasional flea shampoo.

The "as necessary" part of dewormer is whenever we see evidence (segments) of tapeworms or when we get the uneasy feeling they've been out ingesting things too disgusting to contemplate. We get the pills from the vet and administer them at home.

Since your pup has already been dewormed already, I wouldn't give him any additional/ongoing worm medications for awhile. And since your cat doesn't have fleas, and presumably the dog will be living in roughly the same areas, the deflea medications are probably not needed either. Save the cash for my needed vet bills and...lab cross, eh?...lots of chew toys! Have fun with the


Source(s):
Training dogs for 25 years

Asker's Rating:
• Excellent answer. "Above and Beyond" for continued attention to followup questions. Great service!


Helpful Answer?  (0)   (0)    Tip bbrookin for this answer
Permalink | Report
   Reply  
 
 
drmatt drmatt
 
January 31, 2009 05:25 PM
Will tapeworms be apparent? I have an aversion to poo and don't want to be digging around in it. I'm assuming they'll look like little worms coming out of the poo.

"The dead don't poo." - Kai from Lexx

Report
 
 
bbrookin bbrookin
 
January 31, 2009 05:57 PM
I totally understand your aversion to poo! I still don't clean kennels, much to my husbands annoyance.
But yes, tape segments usually look white grains of rice on poo OR around the animal's tail. Gross, yes. Our cats usually are more prone to tapes than the dogs, probably because they eat more rodents and birds. When I see the segments, I go to the vet to get meds and administer them at home. It's a dose-per-weight deal, given once per episode.

Report
 
 
drmatt drmatt
 
January 31, 2009 06:24 PM
Yeah... I think I remember when one of our cats got worms. "Hey! She's pooing rice! Wait... they're moving. Ewwww!" (That "ewww" may have been in a squeeky voice, but I was flexing my manly muscles when I was saying it.)

Report
 
 

Other Answers (1)

Sort By
vandal913 vandal913
 
January 29, 2009 04:07 PM
YES, give your dog de-wormer!

I just had to spend $50 at the vet for a single worming treatment because I thought the same thing as you: 'my dog is mainly an indoor dog other than the occasional park trip, why waste the money on preventative worm medication?' Well sure enough, the last time I took my dog to be boarded, I get a call a few hours later letting me know he has hookworm and has to be treated.

Honestly, despite how irritating the initial cost can be of paying for both flea and worm preventatives, the cost is much worse if you neglect to do so and have to get them treated at a vet. That $50 that I spent on a single treatment could have gotten me months worth of doses of preventative medicine.

Helpful Answer?  (0)   (0)    Tip vandal913 for this answer
Permalink | Report
   Reply  
 
 

Answer this Question

How tips and payments work

This question has already been resolved. You may add an answer to it but you will not be eligible to win best answer or any associated tips.

Related Questions

View All Dogs Questions

Ask a Question


140 characters left
Top of Page
Buy Mahalo Dollars with Credit Card or PayPal

Top Members

This Week All Time
  • buddawiggi
    buddawiggi
    2nd Degree Black Belt
    26207 Points
    M$761.64 Earned
  • kty2777
    kty2777
    Purple Belt
    4930 Points
    M$188.41 Earned
  • opher
    opher
    Purple Belt
    3450 Points
    M$146.42 Earned
   See All
 

Most Popular Tags

mahalo(1533)
twitter(938)
iphone(458)
music(448)
google(343)
food(303)
internet(297)
online(283)
beer(275)
money(257)
facebook(248)
apple(247)
movies(239)
aotd(235)
answers(215)
health(206)
dog(200)
video(199)
free(198)
windows(194)
   See All
 

Categories

Welcome New Members


 
 
Mahalo Dollars are the currency of Mahalo Answers.

Each Mahalo Dollar costs $1.

Once you earn more than 40 Mahalo Dollars, you can request to be paid via PayPal. Each Mahalo Dollar is currently worth $0.75 when paid out via PayPal. Learn More

 
 

Please log in to use this function.

Answers Home | Ask a Question | Earn Points | How Tips Work | Widget