As a dog owner, part of your responsibilities is making sure that your furry friend is always in good health. One of the ways you can ensure this is by giving him a worm treatment specifically designed for dogs.
Like fleas and ticks, which can be treated with a flea and tick treatment for dogs, worms can easily multiply if left unattended. The problem gets even worse since they are inside your dog. For that, you’ll have to use the best dog dewormers to purge those parasites from your dog’s body.
In this article, we’re going to review some of the best deworming brands on the market. But before we begin, let’s first have a look at the important factors you have to consider when buying a dog dewormer.
Top Picks
[amazon box=”B000FPH2FQ,B0002DHCHO,B07252DVYJ,B00KL9RLH0,B00PXM1ONW,B07CXWHH1S,B0030DH1VA,B002GJZVCK,B01B5NO5BU” template=”table”]
How to Choose the Right Dewormer
Due to the number of deworming products on the market, choosing the right one for your canine friend can be a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, it’s not that hard as long as you know what to look out for. Without further ado, here are the things you have to consider when choosing the right dewormer:
Active ingredients
Each dog dewormer comes with a number of active ingredients which are designed to purge the worms from your dog’s body. These ingredients can be used alone or mixed with others. However, not all deworming formulae can be effective against every worm type. For example, a dewormer with fenbendazole as its active ingredient isn’t effective against tapeworms.
To make sure that the dewormer you purchase has the active ingredients designed to deal with the specific parasites in your dog, you have to ask your vet about it. Ask him which particular anthelminthic is best to use on your pet.
Ease of use
Different types of dewormers can be used in different ways. Among the most popular come in the form of chewable tablets and liquid drops. Keep in mind that each of them has its own benefits and drawbacks; therefore, you need to choose one which you think is a lot easier and more convenient to administer to your dog.
Additionally, you have to consider palatability since it can actually affect the administration. If your dog finds out that the dewormer has a peculiar or awful taste, he will most likely spit it out.
Effective time
On average, deworming your dog will take around 2-3 weeks for it to really take effect. However, this only applies to mild infestations. If your dog suffers from moderate to severe infestation, it may take a little while to purge those parasites from his body. This is especially true if those worms have already reached his other organs including the heart, liver, even the brain. In such cases, consulting your veterinarian could be really important so he can properly evaluate other options.
Your dog’s age and weight
Deworming products are labeled in accordance with the age and weight of your dog. You can actually find a number of options for puppies who are as young as two weeks old. Meanwhile, there are products meant for dogs who are 12-weeks old and beyond. By using a dewormer specified for your dog’s age and weight, you’ll be able to increase the chances of purging those parasites successfully.
8 Best Dog Dewormers on the Market
Excel 8in1 Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer for Dogs
The Perfect All-Around Dewormer
First on the list is the 8in1 dewormer from Excel. Due to its effectiveness in purging worms inside your dog’s body, it can keep off any parasitic infestation in your dog for around 6 months. Moreover, it’s a huge pack, with each pack capable of treating 40 pounds, making it the ideal option if you have more than one dog.
Aside from that, it’s safe to use on puppies aged 6 weeks and beyond, pregnant dogs, and even those who are infected with heartworm. It can eliminate several types of worms including roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.
Why We Like It:
- Comes with fenbendazole as its active ingredient
- Ideal for use on puppies and pregnant dogs
- Its effect can last for a long time
What We Don’t Like:
- May not be effective against tapeworm larvae
Pfizer Nemex 2
An Effective Roundworm and Hookworm Killer
Containing Pyrantel pamoate as its only active ingredient, the Nemex 2 dewormer from Pfizer is effective in dealing with two types of hookworms and roundworms. You can easily administer it to your puppies aged 2-weeks old and beyond as it’s available in liquid form. Moreover, it’s guaranteed to be palatable, so your dog won’t have any issues with its taste.
Why We Like It:
- Effective in purging roundworms and hookworms
- Can be administered to young pups
- Comes in liquid form
What We Don’t Like:
- The effect is only limited to roundworms and hookworms. It’s not capable of purging other types of worms.
Bayer Quad Chewable Dewormer
Easy to Administer in Chewable Tablets
Safe and effective, the Quad Dewormer from Bayer Animal Health comes in chewable form to help get rid of worm infestations inside your dog while making it really easy to administer. It comes with a number of active ingredients namely praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febantel.
Giving just a single dose on your dog is enough to take care of the infestation problem. Aside from that, it even comes in beef flavor, so your dog wouldn’t have that much of a problem taking it. In fact, he might associate it as a chew treat.
Why We Like It:
- Easy to administer as it comes in chewable form
- Can be used on puppies 3-weeks old and beyond
- Only requires a single dosage to take effect
What We Don’t Like:
- Not capable of dealing with protozoans
Panacur C Canine Dewormer
An Effective Powder-Based Dewormer
Available in powder form, the Panacur C is an effective deworming that contains fenbendazole as its active ingredient. That said, it’s really effective in dealing with a variety of worms including hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. Aside from that, it’s a really excellent over-the-counter product for treating infestations in puppies and adult dogs.
Although it can be administered on puppies 6-months old and above, it shouldn’t be used on sick animals. It’s best to consult your vet about it first just to be sure.
Why We Like It:
- Easy to administer as it comes in powder form
- Can get rid of worm infestation in your dog pretty quickly
- Can be used on 6-months old puppies and pregnant dogs
What We Don’t Like:
- You have to properly sprinkle the powder on your dog’s food for it to be really effective
Bayer Tapeworm Dewormer for Dogs
Designed to Purge Tapeworms
Another quality product from Bayer, this one is specifically designed to deal with a tapeworm infestation. Available in tablet form, you can easily administer it to your dog as a treat or mix it along with his food.
It can be administered to puppies 4-weeks old and beyond. The dosage will vary depending on the weight of your dog. For example, dogs weighing less than 5 pounds will only need half a tablet, while dogs weighing around 46-60 pounds need up to 4.
Why We Like It:
- Due to its targeted formulation, it is perfect if your dog suffers from tapeworms
- Easy to administer, and the taste won’t bother most dogs
- Contains praziquantel as its active ingredient
What We Don’t Like:
- As mentioned earlier, it only works on tapeworms; therefore, if your dog has other worm infestations, this is not the best option
PETARMOR 7 Way De-Wormer for Puppies and Small Dogs
Purges 7 Worms at Once
The 7-way dewormer from PetArmor is as the name implies: it can get rid of seven different types of worms at once. These include two types of roundworms, two types of tapeworms, and three types of hookworms. It’s specifically designed for dogs weighing 25 pounds and above, but you can also find an option for smaller dogs.
Available in chewable form, you can administer it either by mixing it in your dog’s food or hiding it in his treats. The dewormer contains 2 active ingredients namely praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate to get the deworming job done.
Why We Like It:
- It can take care of 7 different worms at once
- Comes in chewable forms for easy administering
What We Don’t Like:
- Not effective against whipworms
Sentry HC WormX Plus Dog Dewormer
7-Way Deworming Solution for Small Dogs
Another 7-way dewormer, this one from Sentry Pet Care is also effective in dealing with 7 different types of worms. It has the same active ingredients to that of PetArmors, and it’s even available in a chewable form as well. However, it comes with six different flavors which your dog will surely love.
Although there’s really no specific age recommendation, the Sentry HC dewormer is intended for small dogs weighing between 6-25 pounds. Each of the chewable can treat up to twelve pounds, so the number of tablets you should administer will depend on your dog’s weight.
Why We Like It:
- It only requires one dosage to take care of 7 different worms
- Specially designed for small dogs
- Available in easy-to-administer chewable form
What We Don’t Like:
- There were some complaints about the product not working although they are not that common
Durvet Triple Medium and Large Dog Wormer
The Perfect Dewormer for the Medium and Large Boys
The Triple Wormer from Durvet is an over-the-counter treatment which contains praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate as its active ingredients. It comes with 12 tablets which are designed for medium and large dogs, specifically ones that weigh over 25 pounds.
As it’s available in chewable form, you can easily administer it to your dog by mixing it into his food or hiding it inside a dog treat. However, you can also choose to administer it directly; after all, each of the tablets has tasty flavors that most dog will love.
Why We Like It:
- Comes in tasty flavors which dogs will love
- Specifically designed for medium and large dogs
- Can deal with 7 different types of worms
What We Don’t Like:
- Due to its formulation, it shouldn’t be administered to small dogs weighing less than 25 pounds
Safe-guard Liquid Dewormer
Say Goodbye To Your Pets Pesky Parasite Pals With This Efficient Dewormer
Safe-guard liquid dewormer is designed with efficiency in mind, enabling pet owners to easily treat and control their dogs’ worms. It is also thought to be effective at treating giardia, although it is not specifically designed for this purpose.
Based on the dog’s body weight you can give them exactly the amount and weight of pouches for an effective parasite treatment. The product can also be used on pregnant and older dogs, and puppies over 6 weeks of age.
Dog owners with fussy dogs will love how easy it is to give them this effective medicine. As it is liquid you can just mix it with your dog’s favorite food and your dog will eat it all without any fuss. That means you can feel assured they have consumed everything they need to control tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm and whipworm.
Why We Like It:
- Easy to dose efficiently
- Suitable for pregnant dogs, senior dogs and dogs aged 6 weeks or older
- Treats and controls multiple worm types
- Convenient liquid formula easily mixed in with food
What We Don’t Like:
- Some pets will still be sensitive enough to detect it and avoid their food
- Product is very concentrated so dosage must be exact
FAQs
Q: How can dogs get worms?
A: Puppies are naturally born with intestinal worms in their body. This is because the worms inside their mother’s body were able to grow with the help of hormones that are secreted while inside the womb. These worms will then move through the placenta then enter the puppies’ body even before they’re born. Aside from that, worms can also enter a puppy’s body through his mother’s milk.
Adult dogs, on the other hand, can get worms from eggs which are found in the soil right after they have defecated. There are certain worm eggs that could thrive for years in the soil. Other factors include eating fleas or eating the feces of other animals.
Q: What are the different types of worms?
A: Intestinal worms found in dogs are classified into four different types. They are as follows:
- Hookworms – this type of worm can be lethal to young puppies as they drain huge amounts of nutrients from the puppies’ body. They’re basically blood-sucking parasites which can enter a dog through his skin or mouth.
- Roundworms – roundworms are classified into two species: toxascaris leonin and toxocara canis. They both have long and white bodies and are capable of absorbing nutrients from their host. Dogs can obtain them upon contact with contaminated feces. If left unattended, they could grow to several inches long and can result in various respiratory issues.
- Tapeworms – this type of worms normally thrive in a dog’s small intestine by absorbing nutrients from digested foods. They have a flat appearance and can grow up to half a foot, sometimes even more, in length.
- Whipworms – compared to other types of worms, whipworms don’t absorb as many nutrients. They’re typically found in the large intestine and can enter a dog’s body upon contact with contaminated soil. While they don’t cause major problems, a whipworm infestation can lead to chronic diarrhea if left untreated.
Q: What are the symptoms of worms in dogs?
A: Of the different types of worms, only tapeworms and roundworms can be detected in a dog’s stool with the naked eye. The other types of worm infestations can only be detected if your dog exhibited one of the following symptoms:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea (often with blood)
- Vomiting (with worms included)
- Dry hair
Unfortunately, there are some infestations that don’t show any symptoms and can only be detected if you consult a veterinarian.
Final Thoughts
Dogs normally explore things using their mouth. The problem is, this exposes them to a lot of bacteria and eggs which could later turn into intestinal worms. With the right hygiene and using the right products such as a dog toothpaste or dog shampoo, you’ll be able to minimize such risks. However, it is still important to have your dog undergo deworming, especially if certain signs and symptoms start to show. With that, using the best dog dewormer is definitely a great help.