Internal and external parasites are serious business for young puppies. External parasites can include fleas, mites and ticks. These can weaken a puppy physically by draining blood from the puppy’s system.
Internal parasites are commonly lumped into one overall term: worms. These worms can come in an overwhelming variety of shapes, sizes, and species. They typically are found within a puppy’s digestive tract and, even worse news is, some are potentially deadly. A fecal test run by your veterinarian will tell you if your puppy has worms and what kind.
The reason worms are so prevalent in puppies is because it is a natural instinct for them to test things by tasting or eating. As off-putting as this may sound, this can include feces, grass, and many other common hosts for parasites. Grass, for example, can hold microscopic worm eggs. While we can’t always eliminate this threat entirely we can learn to manage and minimize it so these parasites can’t affect the health or growth of our new puppy.
The majority of worm-related parasites come from a few common culprits including hookworms, roundworms, whip worms and coccidia. Common belief is that the ingredient Ivomectin will kill every form of worm parasites, but this is not true. It takes a sulfa drug to fully eliminate coccidia. Your vet will be able to give you more information about this type of medicine if your puppy has an unfortunate run-in with this disease.
Additionally there are many breeds that have a genetic sensitivity to Ivomectin based wormers. This can be seen with many breeds but is most common in collies, border collies and shelties. Reactions can include looking ‘drunk’ all the way up to full seizures, so if you have a breed prone to these sensitivities, test him before administering the medicine or find an alternative treatment. Keep in mind, many heartworm medicines use Ivomectin as an active ingredient.
Parasite control is an important part of puppy care. Many breeders will worm several times before weaning to keep the worm load down and give the puppy the best start possible. This should be continued as recommended by your veterinarian.
Although many preventative medications are typically not needed for puppies less than 6 months of age, you can still prepare him early on for easy administering of medicine he will need later on in life.
Begin with a small syringe, suitably sized for your puppy’s mouth. Use a couple CC’s of honey, syrup or sugar water and carefully squirt into the puppy’s mouth, giving him time to swallow. This treat once a month or so will be something he looks forward to. When medicine needs to be given in liquid form, you can replace this treat (or mix it with the medicine if the medicine allows for this) with the medication which will allow you to give your puppy his dose with ease. It will make the process of delivering liquid medicines a much less traumatic experience for your puppy.
Pills are even easier – they can simply be hidden in a small treat, peanut butter, or anything else that the puppy enjoys. However, be sure to check the medication or consult with your vet to make sure that the medication can be combined with food. This technique is much easier on both puppy and owner than older methods of administering medicine.
The best person to discuss a parasite prevention program with is your veterinarian. Ask questions early and establish a plan from day one. You will be surprised how much being well-informed and prepared will do for your puppy.
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