[kattygirl]

Also another question. When I rescued my dog Zeus he had worms and skin problems. I have that taken care of but would like to know how often he should get worm rx. I have asked the vet and the response is always the same... "oh we will give him a pill before he leaves today to be safe". No definite timeframe soooo does anyone know how often he should get one because it has been close to 6m since his last one.

[twinkiedooter]

What kind of worms are you talking about here that he has? This way can give you a better time frame if I know what kind.

[kattygirl]

Basic deworming. Honestly it is just a pill that they give him when I ask about when he needs a new one. Are dogs supposed to have a deworming pill every so often or is a lab test and if there is a problem they take one. Seriously in the past two years I have had Z I have asked 4x about if there is a monthly/quarterly pill he should take and every time they just say "oh since you are here we will give him one today". So basically do I need to get him a pill every so often like parvo shots or just whenever is fine?

[twinkiedooter]

I don't deworm my dog unless she needs it. Usually dogs pick up worms from outside in the spring, summer and fall. When you suspect worms, then worm her. I get a broad spectrum dewormer from petshed.com. It's called Fido's Closasole. Covers ringworms, tapeworms, hookworms. It does not cover heartworms though and they can cause some serious problems in a dog. The treatment is expensive and no guarantee it will not kill the dog either.

[carolbcac]

Actually, I would ask the vet about a heartworm test and preventative medication, if the dog isn't already on it. One of the available preventatives, Heartgard Plus, also deworms for roundworms and hookworms. Interceptor covers those plus whipworms. (I like this best because we have lots of whipworm problems here.) Both of these are given once a month.
The other common worm that these do not take care of is tapeworms. Tapeworms have to go through some sort of intermediate host like the dog eating infected raw meat, rodents, or swallowing an infected flea. They don't transmit directly dog-to-dog. Most vets recommend deworming for tapes with a prescription medication if you actually see them in the stool. Intact tapeworms are long & flat, like fettucine, or they break up into short segments that look like flakes of coconut. Once the segments dry, they resemble grains of rice, and you often see them stuck around the anus & under the tail. (~really sorry that I describe all of them in terms of food~)