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Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
In that post we will discuss the different types of dewormers that are available such as Pyrantel, Praziquantel, Febantel and Fenbendazole.
We will also discuss some natural alternatives to deworming using herbs and discuss what parasite is affected by each herb.
We will also talk about the side effects of each medication and herb.
TYPES OF DEWORMERS FOR DOGS
PRAZIQUANTEL
is one of the types of dewormers for dogs and is a type of medication used in the treatment of tapeworms. There are several different species of tapeworms, and this medication works on Dipylidium caninum and Taenia Pisiformis.
Deworming dogs side effects of praziquantel
of this medication include; vomiting, diarrhea, and upset stomach. This medication prevents larvae from growing into adults.
It can interact with other medications so consult with your veterinarian before administering.
FENBENDAZOLE
is another one of the types of dewormers for dogs and is a medication that works on a variety of different parasites such as roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and hookworms.
However, it only works on the species of tapeworm known as Taenia. Fenbendazole is also used for the treatment of Giardia and Lungworms.
Deworming dogs side effects of fenbendazole
of this medication include; vomiting and nausea but typically does not cause any side effects unless your dog is sensitive to the medication and has allergic reactions.
Fenbendazole works by not allowing the worms to take in the necessary energy they need to survive and this in turn weakens them, and they in essence starve and die.
This wormer treats all stages of worms including the encysted larvae.
PYRANTAL
is another one of the types of dewormers for dogs that can be used only on specific types of worms such as roundworms and hookworms.
Deworming dogs side effects of pyrantal
of this medication can include vomiting. This medication works a little differently as it paralyzes the worm, releasing its hold on your internally, so that it can be expelled by the body.
The worms could be dead or alive when they are excreted which is why it is of the utmost importance to thoroughly clean the area after your pet has defecated to make sure they are not reinfected.
FEBANTEL
is the last types of dewormers for dogs and is used to treat different varieties of worms as well. Febantel can be converted into fenbendazole as this is the active metabolite or active form of the drug after the body processes it.
For more information on the 6 types of worms in dogs click on our article below.
HOW DO DOGS GET WORMS & THE 6 TYPES WITH DESCRIPTIONS
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET RID OF WORMS
Depending on the type of medication that you choose to use to deworm your dog with and also the type of worms they have, will determine how long it will take to get rid of worms in dogs.
For example, Panacur C Canine Dewormer (Fenbendazole) needs to be administered for 3 consecutive days and that is considered one treatment.
Bayer Chewable Quad Dewormer on the other hand, is not a powder that needs to be mixed in with food like the above dewormer. This is what I use and it is a tablet.
This product comes in chewable tablets that are administered once for one day only and that is considered one treatment instead of the above powder that needs to be given for 3 days.
Also depending on the type of worms that your dog has for example, treatment of lungworm is treated with Fenbendazole for 10-14 days as opposed to the 3-day dose of fenbendazole for other types of worms listed above.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED TO DEWORM A DOG
Depending on the type of worms your dog has, and the severity of the infestation will depend on how often you need to deworm them.
Often it is good to deworm your dog back-to-back if you know they have worms. Meaning one treatment the first month and then a follow-up treatment.
So this way you can remove any newly hatched worms that the first treatment might have missed and even a possible 3rd treatment.
As a preventative it is usually recommended to deworm your dog every 3 months, 6 months or yearly depending on your furbaby’s lifestyle.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED TO DEWORM A PUPPY
Also, if they are puppies you will need to deworm them more than once. Typically, a puppy’s deworming schedule is more rigorous and involves deworming every 2 weeks until they are 8 weeks (about 2 months) old. Then again at monthly intervals at 12, 16, 20, 24 weeks or until they are 6 months old.
ALL NATURAL HERBS FOR DEWORMING DOGS
FurFinds Herbal Cleanse fot Cats and Dogs contains ingredients such as Pumpkin Seed, Oregano, Black Walnut, Wormwood, Apple Cider Vinegar, Peppermint, Clove, Papain.
PUMPKIN SEED
(Cucurbita pepo) is one of the herbs for deworming dogs and is a great anthelmintic. Which means that it is used to destroy worms. Pumpkin seed extract is helpful at eliminating various species of nematodes which are roundworms. 1Grzybek, M., Kukula-Koch, W., Strachecka, A., Jaworska, A., Phiri, A. M., Paleolog, J., & Tomczuk, K. (2016). Evaluation of Anthelmintic Activity and Composition of Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) Seed Extracts-In Vitro and in Vivo Studies. International journal of molecular sciences, 17(9), 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17091456
In studies showing the effectiveness of pumpkin seed it was found that
“the faecal egg count after supplementation decreased by an average of 52.9%.” 2Ježek, J., Mirtič, K., Rešetič, N., Hodnik, J. J., & Vergles Rataj, A. (2021). The effect of pumpkin seed cake and ground cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) supplementation on gastrointestinal nematode egg shedding in sheep. Effet de la supplémentation en tourteau de graines de citrouille et en clous de girofle moulus (Syzygium aromaticum) sur la production d’œufs des nématodes gastro-intestinaux chez les moutons. Parasite (Paris, France), 28, 78. https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2021076
OREGANO
(Lippia spp.) is the species and this is another one of the herbs for deworming dogs. This is commonly called Mexican oregano and has been found effective against giardia. 3Ponce-Macotela, M., Rufino-González, Y., González-Maciel, A., Reynoso-Robles, R., & Martínez-Gordillo, M. N. (2006). Oregano (Lippia spp.) kills Giardia intestinalis trophozoites in vitro: antigiardiasic activity and ultrastructural damage. Parasitology research, 98(6), 557–560. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0082-y
It is different from your traditional oregano which is called Origanum vulgare. Oregano has the active constituent thymol in it which has been proven to be effective against tapeworms also.
See below under Thyme for more information.
BLACK WALNUT
(Juglans nigra) is another one of the herbs for deworming dogs. It has been used in the treatment of heartworms, tapeworms, and roundworms.
Black Walnut can have toxic effects in dogs when administered incorrectly. Take care when using this herb as it has the potential to cause neurological symptoms and vomiting.4 Coleman, A. E., & Merola, V. (2016). Clinical signs associated with ingestion of black walnut tree (Juglans nigra) wood, nuts, and hulls in dogs: 93 cases (2001-2012). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 248(2), 195–200. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.248.2.195
WORMWOOD
(Artemisia absinthium) is common wormwood, and is another one of the herbs for deworming dogs, and this is different than Sweet Wormwood (Artemisia annua).
Wormwood comes from the Asteraceae family which means if your furbaby is allergic to milk thistle, sunflower, dandelion or ragweed then this might cause allergic reactions too.
“The most important chemical constituents in wormwood include flavonoids (santonin) and sesquiterpenes (artemisinin), which exert antiparasitic activities.” 5Kļaviņa, A., Keidāne, D., Šukele, R., Bandere, D., & Kovaļčuka, L. (2021). Traditional Latvian herbal medicinal plants used to treat parasite infections of small ruminants: A review. Veterinary world, 14(6), 1548–1558. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.1548-1558
Absinthe or “The Green Fairy” has a reputation for making people hallucinate this is due to the monoterpene thujone. 6Lachenmeier D. W. (2010). Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.)–a curious plant with both neurotoxic and neuroprotective properties?. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 131(1), 224–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.05.062
In high doses this herb can induce neurotoxicity and cause dose-dependent seizures in animals. 7 Lachenmeier D. W. (2010). Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.)–a curious plant with both neurotoxic and neuroprotective properties?. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 131(1), 224–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.05.062
PEPPERMINT
(Mentha x piperita L.) is another great anthelmintic herbs for deworming dogs.
When compared to albendazole, the essential oils of peppermint did not cause gastric lesions in rats and thus was a more effective anti-parasitic. 8Romero, M. C., Navarro, M. C., Martín-Sánchez, J., & Valero, A. (2014). Peppermint (Mentha piperita) and albendazole against anisakiasis in an animal model. Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH, 19(12), 1430–1436. https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12399
Now it should be noted that there is another type of mint called (Mentha pulegium) also known as English Pennyroyal or European Pennyroyal and that mint is not safe for dogs.
CLOVE
(Syzygium aromaticum) has an active constituent called eugenol which is why it makes it one of the great herbs for deworming dogs. You may see this in other pet products such as flea and tick sprays for your furbaby.
In a study of the effects of eugenol and Praziquantel, it was found that eugenol only has 19.2% efficacy at eliminating Schistosoma mansoni 9El-Kady, A. M., Ahmad, A. A., Hassan, T. M., El-Deek, H., Fouad, S. S., & Althagfan, S. S. (2019). Eugenol, a potential schistosomicidal agent with anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects against Schistosoma mansoni, induced liver pathology. Infection and drug resistance, 12, 709–719. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S196544 a type of worm transmitted from freshwater snails.
PAPAIN
Comes from the extract of unripe papayas. It is an enzyme that is used in helping expel worms.
Papaya (Carica papaya)
“and its seeds have proven antihelminthic and anti-amoebic activities.” 10Okeniyi, J. A., Ogunlesi, T. A., Oyelami, O. A., & Adeyemi, L. A. (2007). Effectiveness of dried Carica papaya seeds against human intestinal parasitosis: a pilot study. Journal of medicinal food, 10(1), 194–196. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2005.065
THYME
(Thymus vulgaris) has great anti-parasitic qualities as well. The active constituent in thyme is called thymol. Thyme essential oil has also been found to kill tapeworms in mice.11 Maggiore, M., & Elissondo, M. C. (2014). In Vitro Cestocidal Activity of Thymol on Mesocestoides corti Tetrathyridia and Adult Worms. Interdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases, 2014, 268135. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/268135
