By Daniel Aremu,

One of the frequently asked questions by some dog owners is the reason why they need to have their pets routinely dewormed.

It is sometimes seen as irrelvant and unneccesary and many also chose to do this by themselves at home. They visit a pet store or pharmacy and get any deworming tablets for their pets.

The answer to the question “why should a dog be dewormed regularly?”

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Dogs are curious, walk them and you would probably get headaches stopping them from sniffing or licking surfaces.

This exposes them to alot of microbiomes including eggs of parasites which are shed in faeces of infected dogs which are not seen with physical eyes and after being ingested, embroyonated  ones hatch in the small intestine which in turn makes them susceptible to intestinal parasites where the infective larvae penetrate the intestine and continue to develop. The female begin to lay eggs which are subsequently passed in faeces.

There are four common types of worms in dogs which include roundworms( including hookworms), whipworms and tapeworms.

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Infestation of these in dogs can lead to these clinical signs: reduced appetite, rough haircoat, anemia, diarrhea, vomiting, scracthing or rubbing anal region on the ground. It could get as bad as dog having a pot belly or having weight loss despite eating.

Treatment: It is recommended by veterinarians to deworm dogs every three months with a broad spectrum dewormer that can be used by pet owner at a recommended dosage by your private vet.  However, it is best to use this opportunity to get the dog examined by the same vet on a routine basis, ensure pet is in good condition always.

Daniel Aremu is a veterinarian and preventive health advocate

@danielaremson on Twitter

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