Best of Breed

How often should I worm my Dog?

Heartworm Heartworm prevention should begin at 12 weeks of age and must continue the whole of the dog's life. Older dogs who are not on heartworm prevention must have a test before going onto the tablets. Vetafarm offers a monthly Heartworm preventative called Heartgold Chewable.

Intestinal worms All dogs over 3 months of age should be wormed for intestinal worms (Roundworm, Hookworm, Whipworm and Tapeworm) every 3 months.

As pups are infected before birth, they should be wormed at 2, 3 and 4 weeks of age with puppy worming syrup. They should then be wormed with an effective broad-spectrum wormer at 6 weeks of age and again at 3 months of age. If heavy worm burdens exist, more frequent worming may be necessary.

Pregnant bitches should be wormed at 6 weeks pregnant, 3 weeks after whelping and at weaning. This will minimise the chance of infection of the pups.

'All wormer" Products
It is important to carefully read the labels of 'all wormer' products, as they may not control all of the relevant worms. 'Intestinal' all wormers will only control Roundworm, Hookworm, Whipworm and Tapeworm, they do not control heartworm, the labels of these products will contain the statement 'does not control heartworm in dogs'. Therefore when using these products, additional medication is required to control heartworm.