Cats and dogs provide unwitting hosts for all sorts of parasites, from fleas and ticks to various mites and worms. Happily, all can be prevented and treated with veterinary pesticides readily available from supermarkets, pet suppliers and your local vet.
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But the choice is bewildering. For any given parasite there are many different treatments, and while many products treat more than one pest, none treats all, so you'll need a combination of products – ideally without doubling up.
This buying guide lists widely available parasite treatments for dogs and cats, so you can see at a glance what it treats and how to use it.
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While fleas are annoying, ticks can be deadly. The paralysis tick occurs mainly in spring and summer in Eastern Australia, and is found in long grass and the bush. Tick protection isn't necessary for all dogs and cats, and depending on where you live, may not be needed all year round – your vet can advise you on the situation in your local area. No tick preventative is 100% effective, so you still need to check your pet every day.
Treatments for dogs may contain permethrin-based chemicals that are poisonous for cats, so don't use them interchangeably. Consider using a cat-safe product on your dog if you have a cat as well.
Flea and tick treatments can have side effects, especially vomiting and diarrhoea. But ticks, and sometimes even fleas, can also make your dog very sick. It's a question of weighing up the risks of the medicine versus the risks of non-treatment in consultation with your vet.
Heartworm is a particularly nasty parasite transmitted by mosquitoes – so even indoor pets can be affected. While dogs are the natural hosts, cats can also get heartworm, and even though they're usually not as severely affected, it can still be fatal.
Heartworm medication works by killing off the immature forms of heartworm, so it works retrospectively and must be taken continuously – most are monthly treatments, but weekly and daily treatments are available. An injectable slow-release heartworm medicine, which works for up to a year, is also available from your vet.
Lungworm larvae may be present in slugs and snails, and if eaten, pets may be infected with worms that make their way to the lungs, where they block airways and make breathing difficult. Most dog wormers don't claim to treat lungworm, although some cat wormers do. Research conducted internationally has found moxidectin, which is found in some heartworm treatments for dogs, to be effective against lungworm, but this claim can't be made for dogs on packaging in Australia. Check with your vet as to whether it's an issue in your area, and discuss the best preventative treatment.
There are various intestinal worms that can infect dogs and cats, with hook worms, round worms (ascarids), whip worms (mainly in dogs) and tapeworms being the main groups. Symptoms can include diarrhoea, bloody stools, weight loss, anaemia, pot belly, dry hair and/or general poor appearance. If left untreated, worm infestations can be fatal. Worms can be picked up from the mother (either in utero or via milk), from the environment (infected stools), from eating infected prey (lizard or mouse), or, in the case of tapeworms, from fleas. Worms can also be transmitted to humans.
There's no one chemical that can treat all intestinal worms – tapeworms are treated with a different chemical (praziquantel) to other worms.
Different forms of product may suit your pet better than others.
Safety is also a consideration. In September the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement warning about the risk of tremors and seizures in animals treated with products containing drugs in the isoxazoline class, which are used to combat fleas and ticks. However, the FDA said it still considers the products "safe and effective".
Of the products listed below, the FDA highlighted Bravetco, Nexgard and Simparica (which contain drugs in the isoxazoline class) as possible health risks.
Adult fleas, developing fleas
Spot on Monthly Kittens after weaning AdvocateAdult fleas, developing fleas, heartworm, lungworm, hookworm, roundworm
Spot on Monthly 9 weeks CapstarAdult fleas
Tablet Daily or when adult fleas seen on pet (no lasting activity) 4 weeks (>900g) Comfortis Adult fleas Tablet Monthly 14 weeks Drontal Allwormer Hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm Tablet Adults every 3 months; Kittens at 6, 8 and 12 weeks 6 weeks Exelpet Palatable Flea Control tablets Developing fleas Tablet Weekly 2.5kg Exelpet All-wormer Paste for Cats and KittensHookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Paste Adults every 3 months; Kittens at 6, 8 and 12 weeks 6 weeks Exelpet Intestinal All-wormer for CatsHookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet Adults every 3 months; Kittens at 6, 8 and 12 weeks 6 weeks Exelpet Spot On Flea Treatment For Cats Developing fleas Spot on Every 3 months 1 month Felex Plus Allwormer Paste For CatsHookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Paste Adults every 3 months; Kittens at 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks, then every 3 months 2 weeks FronteraAdult fleas, developing fleas, ticks
Spray Every 8 weeks for fleas, every 3 weeks for paralysis ticks 2 days Frontline Original Adult fleas Spot on Monthly 8 weeks Frontline PlusAdult fleas, developing fleas
Spot on Monthly 8 weeks Frontline SprayAdult fleas, developing fleas, ticks
Spray Every 4-12 weeks for fleas, every 3 weeks for paralysis ticks 2 days Milbemax AllwormerHeartworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet Adults monthly for heartworm protection; every 3 months for intestinal worms. Kittens up to 6 months: more frequently as directed 6 weeks (>0.5kg) ParaGardHookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet Adults every 3 months; kittens up to 6 months: more frequently as directed 2 weeks ProfenderLungworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Spot on Every 3 months 8 weeks (>0.5kg) Purina Total Care Flea Collar Adult fleas Collar Lasts 5 months 6 months Purina Total Care Flea ControlAdult fleas, developing fleas, ticks
Spot on Monthly for fleas 8 weeks Revolution Adult fleas, developing fleas, heartworm, hookworm, roundworm Spot on Monthly 6 weeks SerestoAdult fleas, developing fleas
Collar Lasts up to 8 months for fleas 10 weeks Virbac Tapewormer Tapeworm Oral (tablet) Every 3 months; every 6 weeks for hydatid worm 3 monthsAdult fleas, developing fleas
Spot on Monthly Puppies after weaning AdvantixAdult fleas, developing fleas, ticks
Spot on Monthly for fleas. Twice monthly for paralysis ticks 7 weeks AdvocateAdult fleas, developing fleas, heartworm, whipworm, hookworm, roundworm
Spot on Monthly 7 weeks Bravecto Ticks Chew Every three months (to control fleas); brown tick protection lasts 8 weeks; paralysis tick protection lasts 4 months 8 weeks (>2kg) Capstar Adult fleas Tablet Daily or when adult fleas seen on pet (no lasting activity) 4 weeks (>900g) Comfortis Adult fleas Chew Monthly 14 weeks Comfortis Plus Adult fleas, heartworm, whipworm, hookworm, roundworm Tablet Monthly 8 weeks (>2.3kg) Drontal AllwormerWhipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet or Chew Adults every 3 months or every 6 weeks for hydatid tapeworm; puppies at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks, then monthly up to 6 months old 2 weeks Exelpet Heartworm + Intestinal All-WormerHeartworm, whipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Chew Monthly 6 weeks Exelpet Heartwormer Heartworm Chew Monthly 6 weeks Exelpet intestinal all-wormerWhipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet or Chew Varies by age of dog and type of worm 2 weeks Exelpet Palatable Flea Control tablets Developing fleas Tablet Weekly 2.5kg Exelpet Vet series Spot-on Flea Treatment Adult fleas Spot on Monthly 2 months Frontera Adult fleas, developing fleas Spray Every 12 weeks for fleas, every 3 weeks for paralysis ticks 2 days Frontline Original Ticks Spot on Monthly for fleas. Twice monthly for paralysis ticks 8 weeks Frontline PlusAdult fleas, developing fleas, ticks
Spot on Monthly for fleas. Twice monthly for paralysis ticks 8 weeks Frontline SprayAdult fleas, developing fleas, ticks
Spray Every 3 weeks for paralysis ticks; monthly for brown ticks; 4-12 weeks for fleas 2 days HeartGard Plus Heartworm, hookworm, roundworm Chew Monthly 6 weeks Interceptor SpectrumHeartworm, whipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Chew Monthly for heartworm protection; puppies up to 6 months more frequently as directed 2 weeks Milbemax AllwormerHeartworm, whipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet Monthly for heartworm protection; puppies up to 6 months more frequently as directed 2 weeks (>0.5kg) NexGard Ticks Chew Monthly 8 weeks (>2kg) Nuheart Heartworm Tablet Monthly 6 weeks ParaGardWhipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm
Tablet Adults every 3 months; puppies up to 6 months more frequently as directed 2 weeks Purina Total Care Flea & Tick control Adult fleas, developing fleas, ticks Spot on Monthly for fleas; fortnightly for ticks 8 weeks Purina Total Care Flea Collar Adult fleas Collar Lasts 5 months 6 months Revolution Adult fleas, developing fleas, heartworm Spot on Monthly 6 weeks Sentinel Spectrum Developing fleas, heartworm, whipworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm Chew Monthly 6 weeks Seresto Adult fleas, developing fleas Collar Lasts up to 16 weeks for paralysis ticks; 8 months for fleas 7 weeks Simparica Adult fleas, ticks Chew Monthly 8 weeks (>1.3kg) Virbac Tapewormer Tapeworm Tablet Every 3 months; every 6 weeks for hydatid worms 3 monthsFleas are most common in warm humid areas, and while more prolific in summer, they are found year-round in many parts of Australia. Flea bites cause discomfort and distress through itching, and some dogs and cats can develop hypersensitivity or an allergy. Fleas also host tapeworms, infecting your pet if they eat them. Most dogs and cats need flea treatment – indoor cats may be an exception.
Your options for flea control include tablets, chews, liquids applied to the back of the animal's neck (often called spot-ons or line-ons), sprays, collars impregnated with pesticide, powders and shampoos.
Different chemicals have different actions:
Some products combine chemicals to do all of the above, while some products have one or two actions.
If the infestation is bad, you might start with a fast-acting adult flea killer, and use other measures for longer-term protection – ask your vet for advice. It's much easier to prevent an infestation than eradicate one, so get your control measures in place early.
In addition to your pets, you usually need to treat the whole environment, indoors and out, to get rid of them – this could be as simple as washing and vacuuming, or it may need powders and flea bombs.
Flea populations can become resistant to certain chemicals. Your vet is best placed to know about the options that will suit your local area.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the GreatPetCare editorial team and do not reflect a direct endorsement by the author or reviewer.
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While unpleasant to think about, the reality is that worms are quite common in dogs. In a recent study, researchers found intestinal parasites in more than 20 percent of dogs and 85 percent of dog parks across the U.S. [1].
The good news? It’s easy to treat worms in dogs and protect your canine companion against future infections. There are several dewormers for dogs available on the market you can use to get rid of worms. Also, several long-term parasite control products exist to protect dogs from worms year-round.
Here’s a sneak peek at the top vet-approved dog dewormers that made our list.
Now, let’s take a closer look at why deworming dogs is so important, plus explore some of the top options to treat and control infection.
All dogs are at risk for encountering worms, such as hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. Dewormers are medications that kill intestinal parasites that your dog may have contracted. “Broadly, these medications are called anthelmintics,” explains Dr. Audrey Wystrach, DVM, CEO of Petfolk. Some medications also help to prevent reinfection for a period of time.
“Many deworming products are effective for more than one type of worm,” Dr. Wystrach adds. “There are many different varieties and drug classes; generally, products that are effective against flat-shaped worms like tapeworms are not effective against round-shaped worms, such as roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms.”
Dewormers are available in a variety of forms, such as pills, chewable tablets, and liquids. Some of the common active ingredients you’ll see in these medications include:
While most of the above options need a vet’s prescription, some over-the-counter options also exist.
You might think it’s impossible for your dog to have worms. But unfortunately, your pup can pick up these parasites just from being outside. From sticking their nose in the dirt, to chasing and eating small animals, many scenarios can put dogs at risk of contracting worms.
“Intestinal worms, such as hookworms, roundworms and whipworms, are commonly transmitted when dogs ingest contaminated soil or feces containing eggs, or immature worms that have been passed from other infected animals in the environment,” Dr. Wystrach explains.
Your dog can also contract a common species of tapeworm by ingesting an infected flea while grooming themselves.
Another type of worm that dogs are at risk of—though not an intestinal worm—is called heartworm. Heartworm is an internal parasite that lives in the blood vessels inside the lungs and heart. Dogs can get heartworms after being bit by an infected mosquito. Heartworms can cause organ damage, heart failure, and death if left untreated.
Dewormer is not only important to rid your pet of an infection. It also helps keep the entire household healthy. Some intestinal worms, like roundworms and hookworms, are also infectious to people.
If left untreated, these parasites can cause serious health problems for your dog. Intestinal worms can lead to several GI problems like diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and vomiting. Most veterinarians recommend using year-round parasite protection to keep your dog healthy and avoid reinfection.
If your dog has intestinal worms, your veterinarian will prescribe a deworming medication. Once the infection has cleared, your veterinarian may recommend year-round parasite protection medication. In other cases, your vet may recommend treating the infection with a long-term parasite protection medication. In other words, year-round parasite protection medications are dewormers.
If your dog is on a heartworm preventative, these medications are often effective against some intestinal worms, too.
It’s important to talk with your veterinarian to choose the best treatment option for your dog. “Product type, dosing, and frequency are all very important factors when considering treatment,” Dr. Wystrach says. Your veterinarian will also consider factors such as your dog’s age, breed, and other medical conditions to select the best option.
Our pick: NexGard Plus
Roundworms and hookworms are two of the most common intestinal worms in dogs. NexGard PLUS treats and controls three species of hookworms and two species of roundworms in dogs. The active ingredients are afoxolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel. These monthly, beef-flavored chews also kill fleas and ticks and prevent heartworm disease.
See important safety information for NexGard PLUS below.
Highlights
Things to Consider
Our Pick: Interceptor Plus
Interceptor Plus is a monthly, chicken-flavored chewable that covers five types of dangerous worms. It protects dogs against heartworm disease and hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm, and whipworm infections. The active ingredients in Interceptor Plus are milbemycin oxime and praziquantel. This prescription medication is suitable for dogs 6 weeks or older and 2 pounds or greater.
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Things to Consider
Our pick: Trifexis
Because fleas can carry a common species of tapeworm, consider a product that offers flea control in addition to deworming. Trifexis is a comprehensive option: it deworms, prevents heartworm, and kills adult fleas. The prescription medication is effective against hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections. Given monthly as small, beef-flavored tablets, it’s safe for dogs 8 weeks and older.
Highlights
Things to Consider
Our pick: Drontal Plus
For a dewormer that’s effective on a wide range of parasites, Dr. Wystrach’s top choice is Drontal Plus. “We recommend Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer because it is safe, effective, and eliminates all parasites within seven days,” Dr. Wystrach says. This prescription medication treats tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms using a combination of praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febantel. This medication comes in both tablet or chewable forms, and it can be given to dogs over 3 weeks old.
Highlights
Things to Consider
Our pick: Heartgard Plus
Many pet owners like to take care of regular deworming and heartworm prevention in one step, which is why Heartgard is so popular. When given on a monthly basis, the prescription medication uses ivermectin to kill heartworm larvae. It also treats several types of hookworms and roundworms. Heartgard tablets have a chewable beef-flavored form, and the medication is safe for puppies starting at 6 weeks old to adult dogs.
Highlights
Things to Consider
Here are some factors to take into consideration before choosing the right dewormer for your dog:
Proper diagnosis: If you think your dog has worms, consult your vet for a proper diagnosis before treatment. “Parasitism is an important conversation to have with your veterinarian,” Dr. Wystrach says. “A fecal evaluation is critical to define and diagnose the type of parasitism present, as well as the proper treatment protocols and safety precautions. It is important to note that, many times, pets harbor more than one parasitic infection at a time.”
Types of parasites: There are several types of intestinal worms that can affect dogs. Different medications are effective against different parasites. Some dewormers also help to prevent heartworm disease, which can cause serious illness and death.
Active ingredients: Some of the most common active ingredients in dog dewormers include febantel, ivermectin, pyrantel pamoate, and praziquantel. Each one is effective against specific types of worms. Talk to your veterinarian about which ingredients make sense for your pet.
Frequency and dosing: When selecting a treatment, you’ll also want to consider how often it needs to be administered and the proper dose for your pet. Medications that contain a heartworm preventative are typically given on a monthly basis.
Parasite prevention: Even if your dog doesn’t currently have worms, your veterinarian may recommend a year-round parasite protection product based on your pet’s individual needs and offer guidance on the proper dosage and frequency.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends that all dogs be on year-round parasite prevention that protects against both heartworms and intestinal worms. If you do not give monthly heartworm prevention to your dog, you should administer a dewormer at least once every three months.
Dog dewormer starts working quickly, usually within a few hours of administering the product. However, it may take up to a week to completely rid your dog of parasites.
Side effects after deworming are relatively uncommon. When they do occur, side effects include lack of appetite, gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea. You may notice visible worms passing in your dog’s stool, as the worms die and leave the intestines.
If you believe your dog has worms, Dr. Wystrach advises against using a natural dewormer. “Many naturally occurring plants and remedies can be toxic or harmful to pets,” she says. “Natural does not equate to safe.”
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit pet dewormer manufacturer.