Richard Allport B.Vet. Med.,Vet.M.F.Hom., M.R.C.V.S.

Young puppies and kittens should be wormed with proprietary worming medicines as advised by your veterinary practice. Virtually all puppies and kittens are born with worms or acquire them from their mother shortly after birth. Up till six months of age use conventional wormers as advised.

Healthy adult cats and dogs with good immune systems rarely suffer from worms, in my experience. To keep your pet free of worms, therefore, keep your pet healthy! This means paying attention to the following:

 

Diet - Avoid processed food as much as possible, feed a diet of fresh food, preferably containing raw meat and bones.

 

Lifestyle & Environment - Ensure your pet has exercise appropriate to the breed and doesn’t become obese. Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, aerosol sprays and other household chemicals.

Medicines - Avoid frequent vaccinations, flea treatments and other conventional medications. Use natural alternatives where possible.

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In addition to the above, there are natural remedies that can help ensure pets stay free of worms:

If you know or suspect that your pet has worms, always use a wormer as advised by your vet. The following remedies help keep worms away, but will not kill worms.

Garlic – either as fresh raw garlic, or as garlic tablets. Dose as follows

 

Because it is possible (though difficult) to overdose with garlic, it is recommended to give the regime shown above with breaks. One week on, one week off, is a safe dosage.

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These three remedies are given together, twice daily for three days, once each month. They help repel tapeworms and roundworms. Do not give garlic on the days these tablets are given. Give tablets away from food, by mouth directly, and avoid touching tablets of possible. For pets that are difficult to medicate, the tablets may be mixed with a little bland food (e.g. butter or white fish), but at least half an hour away from a main meal.

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If you think your pet may have picked up worms, but are not sure, ask your veterinary practice to carry out a faecal worm egg flotation test. You will need to take a small amount of fresh faeces to your vet, who can carry out a quick and simple test to check for the presence of worm eggs. The only equipment required for this test is a microscope, some glass cover slips, and a saturated sugar or salt solution.

 

Please note this worming advice is the view of the Natural Medicine Centre and your own veterinary practice may offer different advice regarding worming.

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Richard Allport B.Vet. Med.,Vet.M.F.Hom., M.R.C.V.S. and Associates