# Worming dogs - is it necessary?



## FrodoBeutlin (15 September 2010)

I am always fascinated by the 'cultural differences' when it comes to dogs (see vaccinating puppies, in Italy it is the breeder's responsibility to do all three jabs, in the UK it's the new owners').

Another thing seems to be worming. In the UK I have always seen wormers for sale and reading AAD it seems to be routine to worm your adult dogs. In Italy, every single vet I have ever spoken to has *always* said (when asked - they wouldn't mention worming otherwise!) that it's completely unnecessary for house dogs to be vaccinated (yes for bitches after they finish giving milk, and obviously yes for puppies, or stray dogs who have now found a home etc etc). The reasoning is that they don't *need* it (unless there is something wrong with them) and it's best to avoid chemicals etc.

So, do they (my dogs for instance - who live in the house and eat what I give them) REALLY need it? Whenever I am in Pets at Home (in the UK) I am tempted to buy some and give it to my dogs myself, purely because everybody in Britain seems to do it, but then I think of my vet(s) and it seems such an unnecessary expense.

Opinions? Is it simply a question of a big chunk of curriculum missing from Italian vet schools???


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## fatpony (15 September 2010)

If your dogs scavenge or hunt (rats rabbits or birds) then yes they need to wormed 
If you have small children then the dogs need to be wormed due to the risk to the children not the dog
If you have a pregnant bitch or a pup then they need to be wormed up to six months
If your dog gets fleas they can pass on a particular type of worm (in the uk) so need to be wormed
I am a vet and my dog is wormed only if I see worms or he scavenges or if he has diarrhoea that isnt clearing up - If i had children he`d be wormed every 3 months

Worms in Europe may be differant - differant lifecycles / differant hosts etc so may not be as much risk of transfer


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## Puppy (15 September 2010)

Well I've been giving the puppies their wormer at the recommended number of weeks old and it's pretty gross what comes out (yes, worms!) so I hate to think what it would do to them if I left those in them...  

For me, my dogs and I live in the middle of town, and Popple goes to the local park every morning for a big social gathering/play time there  and with that amount of interact with other dogs I feel all protection available is best. I have heard of vets who don't believe in vaccinations before though.


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## CorvusCorax (15 September 2010)

I haven't wormed mine as adults (awaits flaming).
I try and keep them away from rotting dead things, fox poo, slugs and snails etc.
Our old bitch had roundworms but that was about 20 years ago.


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## Spudlet (15 September 2010)

Henry has an on the spot combo wormer and flea treatment monthly, and a top up of tapeworm wormer every six months. Given his eating habits, this seems best!


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## camilla4 (15 September 2010)

Mine is wormed every three months - she's a Lab and eats everything:  animal poo; long dead creatures; grass plagued with slugs and snails etc.  so I take no chances!


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## EAST KENT (15 September 2010)

All of mine get a three day panacur course every four months ..to cover lung worm,giardia ,the lot.BUT of course we have lots of dogs ,and need to do so as the ground must be fairly worm eggy.


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## BBH (15 September 2010)

Its an odd one cos I always worm my ponies but not the adult dog. He isn't a scavenger and doesn't get into contact with anything likely to pass on worms but I've noticed my new bullmastiff girl snuffles across the floor when on walks so will be worming her so might aswell worm the bully at the same time.


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## mollichop (15 September 2010)

Having seen what came out of Paddi when I wormed him shortly after picking him up as a pup, I habitually drontal mine every 3 months 

Pluse mine do catch/eat allsorts.

Not sure why it should be different in Europe but fatpony's reasonings make sense.


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## Puppy (15 September 2010)

CaveCanem said:



			I try and keep them away from rotting dead things, fox poo, slugs and snails etc.
		
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I *try* to do that with Pops, but with her being a mix of terrier & spaniel, it's a bit futile  

Seriously, when Pops was having her jabs last summer I complained to my vet about how often I had to treat her for fleas and he said (Dutch accent) "yes, well you will do, if she keeps associating with hedgehogs"    (I'd just told him the story of her catching a hare )

Obviously with the beating she does as well, then I am quite wary about Pops & worming.


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## itsme123 (15 September 2010)

I do, because I have children and even though I pick up the poo in the garden I'm aware that traces can be left and I'm paranoid!

I wish you could get worm counts done on dogs. 

That said I buy my wormer from the local feed merchant. I pay about £1.80 for three tablets (panacur) so the cost is minimal. 

The cats cost a fortune to worm as they have to have different wormers at different times and seem to be prone to tape worms.


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## Paddydou (15 September 2010)

I do mine. They eat raw meat (rabbits etc that they catch), they fertle in hedgerows and do all sorts when they get the chance. I dread to think what goes on in their stomachs and judging by some of the smells they are so proud of that come out the other end I don't think I do want to know!!!


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## FrodoBeutlin (15 September 2010)

Puppy said:



			Well I've been giving the puppies their wormer at the recommended number of weeks old and it's pretty gross what comes out (yes, worms!) so I hate to think what it would do to them if I left those in them... 

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Yes, which is why I specified *adult* dogs - in Italy all puppies are wormed!

Ok given the answers, it doesn't really seem so necessary then for adult dogs who live in a child-free house and do not eat raw?


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## Cop-Pop (15 September 2010)

I havent wormed Yellow Dog in over a year.  If we give him tablets he throws up everywhere and when he had a spot on stuff his hair fell out around the area it was applied!  I dread to think what will happen if he had the injection.  He doesnt scavenge - he catches rabbits but doesn't eat them but the vet said he can get them from other animals if he gets too friendly (given where he sticks his tongue this probably equals too friendly  ) so the vet said she could run tests to see if he had worms if we wanted to.


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## Puppy (15 September 2010)

FrodoBeutlin said:



			Yes, which is why I specified *adult* dogs - in Italy all puppies are wormed!
		
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Yes, sorry, my point was, until I wormed the pups you would have no idea what was in them - they looked so healthy (everyone comments on how shiny they are!) and with that in mind I would be too wary about leaving adults not wormed. 




			Ok given the answers, it doesn't really seem so necessary then for adult dogs who live in a child-free house and do not eat raw?
		
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My concerns are also about the other worm risks my dogs are expose to (1) in the countryside, and (2) in the centre of town at highly populated doggie play areas. This is somewhat reinforced with how much/frequently I have had to treat Pops for fleas.


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## soloabe (15 September 2010)

Nope I don't worm mine they get a fecal every year. I also don't vaccinate them after 3 years old.


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## echodomino (15 September 2010)

Ours get wormed now and then but it's not regularly as such. I only worm the horses twice a year too. 

And the dogs only have their initial vaccinations as puppies they don't have boosters except for when they used to go into kennels


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