Here are some of the questions that pet owners often ask about worms and worming. If by any chance you can't find the answer you're looking for, simply click here and send us your question.
Q: How often should I worm my cat/dog with Drontal?
It is advised that an adult dog or cat should be treated for worms four times a year. There may be specific instances however where more frequent worming treatment is desirable. These would include: worming of puppies and kittens; cats that hunt and eat mice; dogs and cats experiencing repeated flea problems.
Q. What types of worm does Drontal wormers kill?
It is important to remember that different wormers kill different types of worm. For example, piperazine is active only against roundworms and hookworms, whereas Drontal Plus Flavour controls all intestinal worms found in dogs in the UK, and Drontal Cat Tablets do a similar job for cats.
Q: Will there be side effects, such as diarrhoea or sickness?
Certain wormers, eg: those containing nitroscanate, may cause vomiting. In general, Drontal Plus Flavour and Drontal Cat Tablets don't have this effect, although the possibility of occasional vomiting can't be entirely ruled out
Q: Do I have to give Drontal with or without food?
Some wormers, such as those containing nitroscanate, require you to starve the animal before treatment. This is not necessary when you use Droncit, Drontal Plus Flavour, Drontal Cat Tablets, Drontal Puppy Suspension or Droncit Spot-on.
Q: Which wormer should I use?
Bayer Animal Health offers a whole range of small animal wormers. Only Drontal Plus (for dogs) and Drontal Cat tablets kill every type of intestinal worm commonly found in UK dogs and cats. Drontal Oral Suspension for Puppies is available for use in puppies and young dogs, up to 1 year old. This product will control roundworms, whipworms and hookworms, and is available as an easy to use liquid. Most puppies should not need to be treated for tapeworms, making Drontal Oral Suspension for Puppies a very suitable choice. Should a puppy need tapeworm treatment however, then Drontal Plus is licensed for use in puppies from 2 weeks old. Should one need to specifically treat for tapeworms, Droncit Injection and Tablets are licensed for use in both dogs and cats. In addition, the new formulation, Droncit Spot-on, is now available as an easy to use spot-on treatment for cats.
Q: How do I administer the wormer?
Drontal Plus Flavour and Drontal Cat Tablets are both sold as tablets. These may be given whole or may be concealed in food. Drontal Oral Suspension for Puppies comes as a pink suspension and is given to the puppy/young dog by means of a syringe which makes oral dosing simple. Droncit is available as an injection which your vet will administer, or as a spot-on liquid which you simply squeeze on to the back of your cat's neck.
Q: At what age should I start worming my puppy/kitten?
It is quite feasible for puppies to be born with worm larvae already present, having been exposed to them while still in the bitch's womb. It is advisable, therefore, to start a worming programme at 2 weeks of age, and to continue worming once a fortnight until 12 weeks old. It is also advisable to treat the bitch at the same time as the pups. Once a pup reaches 12 weeks of age, it should then be treated at 3 monthly intervals.
By contrast, kittens are not born with worm larvae already present, so worming does not need to start until 6 weeks old, with further treatments every 3 weeks, until 4 months old. Thereafter, worming at 3 monthly intervals should be adopted.
Q: Can I, or my family, catch worms from the pet?
Certain worms are capable of being transmitted from animals to humans; such worms are said to have a 'zoonotic potential'. The dog roundworm, Toxocara canis, is probably the best known of these and human infection may occur if a person swallows the microscopic worm eggs, having picked them up from contaminated soil. Obviously, small children are at the greatest risk.
The damage to health is done by the larvae of the roundworm as they migrate through the body from the gut. They can arrive, for example, in the eye, causing permanent damage to the sight.
There has also been some speculation that T. cati, the cat roundworm, could pose a similar threat.
Q: How long does the effect of a tablet last?
Worming preparations do not persist in the body, nor do they remain active against worms. That's why it is important to try to keep your pet away from sources of worm infection, and to implement a policy of strategic worming using an effective product, such as Drontal Plus Flavour or Drontal Cat Tablets.
Q: Why do I have to worm my pet?
There are several reasons for regular worming:
Routine worming helps to ensure the well-being of one's pet.
It may be necessary to treat clinical disease arising from the presence of worms.
Q: How can I tell if my cat or dog has worms?
In the early stages of infection, it's very difficult. In dogs, mature tapeworms start shedding egg-filled segments, which irritate the dog's bottom. This causes the classic symptom of tapeworm infection -- 'scooting', or dragging the bottom along the ground. Apart from this, there are few definite signs, but these may include vomiting, diarrhoea, a dull, lifeless coat, a loss of appetite, lack of energy, and, especially in puppies and kittens, a pot bellied appearance.
Q: Can my vet give my pet anything to prevent infection?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Drontal will kill every type of intestinal worm normally found in cats and dogs in the UK, but there is nothing available to prevent infection in the first place.
Q: Why is it necessary to clear up my dog's mess?
A single mature dog roundworm (Toxocara canis) can produce 80,000 eggs a day, which are excreted with the dog's faeces. If you don't clear it up, all of those eggs will remain in the environment, to infect other dogs and possibly children too.
Q: What's the connection between fleas and worms?
Fleas are often infected with the larval stage of the Flea Tapeworm. If cats or dogs swallow an infected flea, the worm develops in the gut.
Q: My pet isn't showing any symptoms - why should I worm him?
The point is that by the time symptoms are obvious your pet is already suffering. What's more, it will be spreading infection in the environment. For both reasons, it's much better to worm the animal routinely, at least every three months.
Q: My cat often catches mice. Does this make worm infection more likely?
Yes it does! Mice and other small rodents are often infected by a very common tapeworm, not surprisingly known as the Mouse Tapeworm.
Q: I am going to take my pet abroad. What do I need to do? If you intend to take your cat or dog abroad under the PETS scheme, remember that you must have the animal treated against tapeworm and ticks before your return. The treatment must be carried out not less than 24 and not more than 48 hours before your return journey, and you must get an official certificate of treatment from the vet who carries it out.
This regulation is designed to prevent the establishment in the UK of the Fox Tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis), which is endemic in most of mainland Europe, and which represents a significant hazard to human health. For more information click here.
Q: Can I, or my family, catch worms from the pet?
If you intend to take your cat or dog abroad under the PETS scheme, remember that you must have the animal treated against tapeworm and ticks before your return. The treatment must be carried out not less than 24 and not more than 48 hours before your return journey, and you must get an official certificate of treatment from the vet who carries it out.
