Worms are very common in dogs but there is no need to worry as there are plenty of deworming treatment options available. But once you’ve found the right worming products, just how long does it take for dog dewormer to work?
Deworming is an effective solution for getting rid of your dog’s worms. If you’ve recently wormed your Cavapoo, then you should expect to start seeing worms in your puppy’s poo pretty quickly, post administering the deworming medication.
In order to know if your dog’s worms are gone for good, it is important to understand what happens over the next few hours and days. Here we explain what to expect once your Cavapoo has been wormed.
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Check that your dog has taken their worming tablets
It is important to make sure that your pet has actually digested the worming treatment as some dogs have a tendency to spit them out or hide the tablets in their cheeks. It is also not uncommon for some dogs to vomit after taking the medication.
If any of these situations occur and your Cavapoo has failed to swallow or properly consumed their dewormer tablet, then you should contact your vet for further advice.
How long do you have to wait for dog worming treatments work?
Providing your dog has digested the intestinal worms treatment, then you should start to see rapid results. The deworming process starts immediately and within 2 to 6 hours after administering, your dog is likely to start passing worms.
Be warned, however, that it can take anything from a few days to up to two weeks in total for your Cavapoo to be worm-free, depending on the severity of the infestation and the type of worms you are trying to treat.
What happens if I see worms in my dogs poo?
The most common way to pass worms is through a dogs stool, so if you see worms in your pet Cavapoos faeces post-treatment, then don’t be alarmed!
In fact, some puppies and even adult dogs with chronic cases of worms can eject them by throwing the worms up. If this is the case then you will need to seek proper medical care. Contact your vet so that they can make sure that all the intestinal parasites have been treated and exterminated.
Different deworming tablets have different side effects. Some deworming treatments paralyse and kill the worms – so you are likely to see them when collecting your dog’s poo – whilst other products simply dissolve the worms. If this is the case, then you won’t see whole worms wrapped up in your dog’s faeces, you’ll see bits of intestinal worms instead!
If you can, try and get a look at the worms found in the faeces, as you want to check that you have been treating your dog for the correct type although you can get all-purposes deworming products that are capable of killing more than one species of worm.
Tapeworms and Roundworms are the most common, however, Lungworms, Hookworms, Whipworms and even Heartworms (USA only), can also be prevalent in dogs and puppies.
It’s never nice to notice worms, but it is much better that they pass through your dog than remain inside as this can cause health problems including weight loss, diarrhoea and in some cases even death! Additionally, an improvement in overall health and physical appearance can indicate that your dog’s dewormer is working and that worms are leaving her body.
FAQs on dog worms
“Should dog worms be dead or alive after treatment?”
I recently noticed that having dewormed our puppy, that she was passing live worms. Although they weren’t wriggling for freedom, they did have a definite flicker to their tail.
Again live worms can be totally normal, as having finally left your puppies intestines, they will go on to eventually die.
“How can I tell if the wormer has worked?”
You should notice a significant improvement to the overall health and wellbeing of your Cavapoo once they have been successfully dewormed. If however, your dog looks bloated, is lethargic, dehydrated and has a loss of appetite, then you should seek veterinary advice.
It is also important to note that puppies, after deworming, may not be free of worms. Depending on where they are with their vaccinations will determine how many rounds of dewormer are required over a set period of time.
This is why puppies are not allowed to socialise within the first 3 weeks of their life as they are more susceptible to becoming reinfected. If, however, after a number of passings you notice that the worms are still bright white in color and are moving, then this could indicate that the medication hasn’t worked and it is worth checking with your vet.
Top tips for keeping your Cavapoo healthy post worming
Although your vet will recommend that you worm your puppy at two and four weeks of age, and then monthly until they reach 6 months, whilst adult dogs require regular deworming every 3 months; your Cavapoo is always at risk of catching worms.
This is because most worming products can only target and kill the adult worms that are already inside your dog.
As most Cavapoos are incredibly inquisitive, they are likely to pick up new worm infections through eating soil, stones and other debris. Therefore you should make sure that keep an eye on your dog, especially when out of the home as you do not want them picking up and bringing home any more parasites.
Conclusion
So to summarise…although deworming products for dogs may start to take effect almost immediately by killing or breaking down the intestinal worms, it can take anything from a few days to two weeks for your dog to be totally worm free.