Tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms are common internal parasites in dogs. And although any worm infestation can make your pet uncomfortable, some, like hookworms and lungworm can be fatal, especially in puppies.
Puppies should be wormed three times before they go to their new homes, generally at 3 weeks, 5 weeks and 7 weeks with a specialist puppy wormer. Adult dogs should be treated 4 times per year, but there may be instances when more frequent worming is advised with cats that hunt and eat mice, or have a flea problem. Advocate was recently registered for treatment of Angiostrongylus vasorum (Lungworm) in dogs in Europe. A recently published efficacy study showed an efficacy of 85.2% for Advocate and 91.3% for fenbendazole, with no statistically significant difference between them. All dogs still positive on Baermann testing which then received a further dose of Advocate were subsequently found to be Baermann negative, thus the efficacy in dogs receiving a second dose of Advocate was 100%1 and larval shedding was reduced in the remaining patients.
This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the advice provided by your veterinarian. |