WORMS that won't go

FilleBelle · 01-06-2008, 04:04 PM

I am seriously at a loss as to what to do about the worm situation over here. Alvin has been getting worms every few weeks since he arrived at our house. We get the deworming pill from the vet, he takes it happily, and they are gone for a few weeks, only to RETURN.

I know that can travel with fleas, so we've hit the fleas hard. Mind you, we have never seen a flea on us when we have been in the house or in the yard. We have caught a couple on the dog when we've flea combed him, but we by no means are experiencing an infestation. In fact, the yard has been freezing overnight the past few weeks, which leads me to believe the fleas have mostly died off. Anyway...we have sprayed the yard, sprayed the house, flea bathed the dog, flea powered the dog, flea powdered his bedding. He already uses Frontline Plus on a monthly basis. And yet the WORMS KEEP COMING.

We have an appointment to see the vet coming up, but we've had appointments like this in the past and the vet generally says "Yep, he's got worms. Give him the pill and try to keep the fleas away." Obviously, that method is not working.

Anyone dealt with worms that won't die?!?

animalcraker · 01-06-2008, 04:09 PM

has your vet ever checked his stool to know exactly what kind of worms you are dealing with?

Also have you been deworming on a regular basis, or do you just do it once when you see them and then not again until they come back?

ChrissyBz · 01-06-2008, 04:18 PM

He's not a poop eater is he?

briteday · 01-06-2008, 04:22 PM

Do you give him monthly heartworm meds? Which one?

FilleBelle · 01-06-2008, 04:30 PM

OMG, you've caught me being an uninformed dog mom. This is so embarrassing... I don't remember if the vet ever checked a stool sample because they are worms that we have seen before in previous pets and we knew we just needed the pill. We haven't been deworming on a regular basis, but rather only when we see them and only until they go away. I didn't realize that one could administer worm medication prophylactically.

Previous pets have experience worms at one time or another, but with one pill and some extra vigilance on the flea front, they've never come back. I guess I thought that would be the case with Alvin, too, and it obviously isn't.

Like I said, he has a vet appointment coming up for this purpose. I should have the vet confirm the type of worms he has and I should ask about preventative worm meds. What else do I need to say to the vet? Is there anything I should be doing at home?

ETA: No, thank goodness, not a poop eater. I know this for a fact because he will not go into the yard without me and I have never once seen him eat poo while out there. Grass, though...he eats grass like a cow.