If you're a dog owner, taking steps to keep them free from worms will be a life long commitment. Due to their very nature, dogs can pick up worms from all sorts of places.

If they do pick up worms and they're not treated, dogs can become extremely ill and in a worse case scenarios, die. This guide gives some helpful tips for preventing and treating worms in dogs.


Some worms can be fatal for dogs as well as causing potential hazard to humans. Taking steps to prevent worms in your dog is vital to keeping him healthy and happy.

There are several ways of worming your dog with tablets, syrups and injections all common methods used. However, different worms often require a specific type of treatment so if you don’t know which worm your dog is infected by, you should always get your dog checked by your vet.

But as they say, prevention is better than cure, so knowing how dogs get worms in the first place can help you prevent them reoccurring in the future. The most common worms found in dogs are roundworm and tapeworm with less common but increasing cases of hookworms, whipworms and the potentially fatal, heartworm.

Step 1

Start early. It’s very common for puppies to become infected with roundworm which is passed onto them through their mother’s milk. So if you have a puppy, it’s important to start a worming programme from an early age. They should be wormed every 2-3 weeks until they are 12 weeks old, then every month until 6 months old, then every 3 months.

Step 2

How dogs get worms. Two of the most common worms in dogs are roundworm and tapeworm. Dogs can pick up roundworm eggs on their paws and muzzle while sniffing around contaminated faecal matter. Also, dogs who like scavenging can pick up worms through the carcasses of dead animals such as rodents or birds. Fleas can infect dogs with tapeworm. This happens if flea larvae have eaten tapeworm eggs that have been shed in another dog’s faeces. If your dog ingests a flea, he then becomes infected with tapeworm.

Step 3

Minimizing the risk. Take care to keep your dog well away from possible sources of contamination when visiting public places such as a park for instance. Likewise, if there are any dead animals around, they could also be a source of contamination. Always clear up your own dog’s mess to reduce risks of further contamination since eggs can remain infective for up to two years in grass or soil. If your dog swallows an infected flea, the life-cycle of the tapeworm begins again so take steps to keep your dog and your home free of flea infestations at all times.

Step 4

What to use. There are all sorts of treatments available for worming your dog including tablets, pastes, liquids, syrups, granules and injections. Some are these for suitable for treating specific types of worm while others are multi-wormers. However, not all worming products are equally as effective in all dogs, so you’ll need to check with your vet as to which treatment would best suit your dog’s age and breed. 

Step 5

Long term prevention. By remaining vigilant around your dog’s habits you can help prevent them becoming infested with worms. Dogs love sniffing around areas other dogs have been but these are also possible sources of contamination. So try and keep them away from these areas.

Watch out for early signs of worms to prevent the infestation becoming too great. You may spot them in their faeces or they may display signs such as bottom-dragging, vomiting, weight-loss or diarrhoea. Give your dog a regular worming treatment. Some treatments will treat all the main types of worm infestations as well as preventing flea eggs from hatching. And as a further precaution, take your dog along to the vet for an annual stool inspection to check for signs of worms.

Things Needed

• Annual check up with a vet 
• A good worming treatment 
• Vigilance for early signs of worms. 

Tips & Warnings: 

• Wormers will only get rid of worms that have already infected your dog. They won’t prevent new infestations; 
• Try to keep your dog away from contaminated areas where there is faecal matter on the ground; 
• If your dog has fleas, he could also have tapeworm; 
• Take your dog along to the vet for an annual check up; 
• Puppies often have roundworm passed through their mother’s milk; 
• Once your dog has been wormed, take care to dispose of faecal matter carefully; 
• Worm eggs can remain infective for up to two years so always clear up any dog mess to help reduce the risk of further infection. 

Sources:
The Dog Expert, Karen Bush, project consultant Dr. DG Hessayon.
Beginners Dog Guide, Dr Rachele M Lowe