Interceptor To Treat Hookworms?

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Indy has hookworms, and the vet gave us Interceptor to TREAT and prevent them... but I see when I search the forum, hooks seem to be TREATED with Panacur, THEN prevented with Interceptor? Will interceptor not get rid of them? Just want to make sure my vet knows what their doing?

[Batmom]

I would treat with something besides Interceptor and use Interceptor (or another heartworm med with hookworm control) to prevent.

[Guest KennelMom]

I would treat with something besides Interceptor and use Interceptor (or another heartworm med with hookworm control) to prevent.

 

an emphatic

[Guest BrindleBoy]

WHY would the vet not do that?!?!? I mean, is Interceptor NOT approved to TREAT hookworms?

[Batmom]

Vet may not be familiar with the hookworm load in a retired greyhound. General pet who picked up hookworm at the dog park last week, Interceptor would likely do the trick. Dog who has probably had hookworm for some time and has a heavier load, Interceptor likely *won't* clear it.

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

I've been fighting hookworms with Mojo. He probably had them when I brought him home in December, but his fecal test results were clean. When I retested him in April, there were the eggs. We did 3 Panacur treatments and they were still there (it didn't help that he started eating his poops ) We're on our 5th treatment of Panacur and hopefully this will be the last. Nasty worms!!! My vet also suggested Interceptor vs. Heartguard for maintenance, but definitely not for treatment.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

ok, I'm getting confused. I just talked to Novartis. They said, that due to the way the hookworm enters the dog system, and due to the whole egg hatching cycle, hookworm CANNOT BE PREVENTED, it can only be treated. Meaning, the Interceptor will TREAT the hookworm he has in his system now, BUT after about 6 days the drug is no longer in his system, so for the next 3 weeks he could get the hookworm again, and when I give him his next monthly does of Interceptor, that will kill THAT "batch" of hookworm, and so it goes.

 

My dog tested negative for hookworm when he cam to the adoption agency. He spent a week or so at the kennel, then 2 weeks in a prison program (where he was of course let outside several times a day), so I'm thinking this hookworm is a new "case."

 

Novartis said after 7-10 days to take a stool sample to vet for testing. I'll do that. I guess if he still tests positive for hookworm at that point, I assume the vet will prescribe something else to treat? And I think the vet said Novartis would reimburse me for the extra expenses to treat since the Interceptor didn't?

[Batmom]

Worth a try. If he's had hookworm for some time and it just hasn't shown up on all tests (common problem), it won't work. If he does indeed have a new, light case, could work.

 

Novartis is correct that you don't prevent hookworm with meds, you only treat it. The idea behind Interceptor and other monthly meds is to catch bugs before they really establish themselves, at a lifestage where they're easy to kill.

[Guest d0ggiem0mma]

Like Batmom said- if he has any real quantity of worms in his system, the Interceptor won't be enough. The Interceptor will kill the occasional bug, but won't deal with a real infection.

 

I think you should put the dog on Interceptor, but then also treat with Panacur. If the dog is symptomatic (diarrhea etc.) it has a heavy enough parasite load that the Interceptor won't work by itself.

 

And I can't see Novartis paying for the cost to treat the hookworms... if they do, please let me know!

[BootsyCollins]

Hooks are a nightmare to get rid of. It may take multiple doses of panacur or drontal. I'd ask the vet for a course of one of them, and put him on Interceptor also.

 

Good luck

[tbhounds]

You can also use strongid (OTC=Nemex). Treat once weekly for 6 weeks.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Not diarrhea... just soft stools. LOOKS like it's firm, but when you pick it up it's like soft serve.

 

We thought it was just an anxiety issue because he's new (3 weeks now), we didn't expect a positive test for ANY worms.

Edited July 18, 2011 by BrindleBoy

[Guest Tuesday]

A vet techs suggestion, for what its worth: Treat with Panacur (once a day for at least 3 consecutive days, 5 days is better). Repeat in three weeks and then repeat again in three months. Give Interceptor once a month for control. Clean up stools as they are happening before the eggs have a chance to set up shop in the soil and environment; otherwise, re-infection is almost a guarantee. Hookworms have a habit of migrating to the tissues and becoming dormant (they're not dead, just sleeping, so to speak). Stressful situations can 'awaken' them and they can reemerge in spite of best de-worming protocols. Hooks are a real pain in the arse. Best of luck.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

A vet techs suggestion, for what its worth: Treat with Panacur (once a day for at least 3 consecutive days, 5 days is better). Repeat in three weeks and then repeat again in three months. Give Interceptor once a month for control.

 

SEE, now I'm really worried my vet doesn't know what she's doing...

[Guest LindsaySF]

A vet techs suggestion, for what its worth: Treat with Panacur (once a day for at least 3 consecutive days, 5 days is better). Repeat in three weeks and then repeat again in three months. Give Interceptor once a month for control. Clean up stools as they are happening before the eggs have a chance to set up shop in the soil and environment; otherwise, re-infection is almost a guarantee. Hookworms have a habit of migrating to the tissues and becoming dormant (they're not dead, just sleeping, so to speak). Stressful situations can 'awaken' them and they can reemerge in spite of best de-worming protocols. Hooks are a real pain in the arse. Best of luck.

My advice as well.

 

When hookworms first enter the dog's body (either through the skin on the feet, or being swallowed), they are in a larval form. I believe, but don't quote me on this, that Interceptor works on this larval form of the hookworm.

 

If the larvae have matured into adult worms, and they have already established themselves in the intestines (and started shedding eggs into the feces), I would move on from the Interceptor and hit them hard with a different dewormer instead.

 

Panacur is a favorite of mine because it gets hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, one type of tapeworm, and Giardia. I deworm all new foster dogs with Panacur and then repeat it in 3 weeks. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

[JJNg]

Theoretically, yes, the active ingredient in Interceptor (milbemycin) does treat hookworms, so the Interceptor by itself may be able to clear the infestation. However, most vets do not rely on Interceptor by itself to resolve an established and patent (diagnosed by worm eggs on fecal) infestation. I think fenbendazole (Panacur) and pyrantel (Drontal/Strongid) do a better job and prefer to treat with one of those dewormers in addition to continuing the Interceptor.

 

And I can't see Novartis paying for the cost to treat the hookworms... if they do, please let me know!

Novartis (and the other major manufacturers) does guarantee their product and will pay for the cost to treat the hookworms (or whipworms or roundworms) and the recheck fecal. This applies if a dog has been getting Interceptor/Sentinel monthly and has a good purchase history through the vet clinic (product purchased through online pharmacies do not receive this benefit).

 

When we diagnose a dog with intestinal parasites, and we know they are current on heartworm preventative through our clinic, we always contact the manufacturer (Merial for Heargard, Pfizer for Revolution, and Novartis for Interceptor/Sentinel). We haven't had a case yet where the company didn't reimburse the client for the deworming and recheck fecal. The manufacturers will also pay all or most of the costs of heartworm treatment, subject to similar guidelines, if a dog gets heartworms despite being on prevention regularly.

[Guest d0ggiem0mma]

jjing- When I said I couldn't see Novartis paying, I was referring to this particular case. The OP said the Interceptor was only started after the hooks were diagnosed. She's only had the dog 3 weeks so I can't see the Novartis guarantee covering this situation.

[Guest ravenchilde]

Best wishes to your boy with hookworms! My girl has had a severe load of hookworms, and we've been hitting her aggressively with deworming meds for the past 6 months. At first it was 5 days of Panacur followed by a dose of Lopatol every two weeks. We're now doing 3 days of Panacur and a full dose of Lopatol every three weeks. She's been good since we've been doing this, but there were a few months there where chronic tap-ass and lethargy was an issue and we had several negative fecals before hooks were present again. Those buggers are nasty and can lay dormant in the tissues until they feel like popping out. Pick up poop immediately after going as these bloodsuckers can hang around in the soil to reinfect your pup! For the really nasty soft serve poops that leave a smear (gross, I know...sorry!) I was spraying it down with a dilute solution of water/bleach to kill eggs/larvae.

 

My vet gave us Interceptor for prevention, but I don't find that it cleaned up the mess once it started...

 

Stupid hookworms. Good luck!!!!!

[BootsyCollins]

A vet techs suggestion, for what its worth: Treat with Panacur (once a day for at least 3 consecutive days, 5 days is better). Repeat in three weeks and then repeat again in three months. Give Interceptor once a month for control.

 

SEE, now I'm really worried my vet doesn't know what she's doing...

 

 

Give your vet a chance - ask her about it. Tell her you've done some research and you're concerned about the protocol she suggested. See how she reacts. If she agrees with you, then chalk it up to nobody is perfect. If she doesn't, well, I'd be worried too.

[KF_in_Georgia]

There's a recommendation I read once, probably here on Greytalk:

 

Carry small paper plates when you take the dog out. When the dog starts to poop, slip a plate under her butt. Then roll the plate enough to slip it into the poop bag and tie it. Best way to keep the eggs out of the environment where your dog poops--and an easy way to get a fecal sample when you need one.

 

The problem occurs when you're walking more than one dog at a time, and they move as far away from each other as they possibly can before they start to poop. You'll want to tighten up on their leashes so they have to stay close to you until they poop.

 

And, of course, no off-leash pooping, so leash-walk while you're trying to get the worm infestation under control.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

I always leash walk (no fenced in yard), and I always clean up the poop immediately. I'm not so much worried about re-infection as I am knocking them out now...

 

Since hookworms can cause the soft stool, can anyone tell me if soft stool, like diarrhea, can cause the dog to need to go uncontrollably? I have fortunately been able to take Indy out 3 times a day (AM, lunch, PM) since we got him... and he poops EVERY time (3x a day, sometimes 4x if we take him someplace new and he gets excited.) Seems most dogs 2x/day is enough? I just want to be prepared if he has to be left in the house for longer than 4 hours, will the hookworms precipitate "accidents" that would not otherwise have happened?

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

Novartis said after 7-10 days to take a stool sample to vet for testing.

 

 

Not to hijack, but is this correct? I called my vet yesterday to see when to bring in a new fecal sample, and they told me to bring it 4 weeks after the last Panacur treatment. I thought that seemed like a long time, but what do I know?

 

Mojo has always had soft poops, as described, but we've NEVER had any problems with accidents and he's home 10 hours while I'm at work (I know - I wish it wasn't so). He poops multiple times (at least 3) on our twice-a-day walks. By the 3rd one, it's pretty runny.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Novartis said after 7-10 days to take a stool sample to vet for testing.

 

 

Not to hijack, but is this correct? I called my vet yesterday to see when to bring in a new fecal sample, and they told me to bring it 4 weeks after the last Panacur treatment. I thought that seemed like a long time, but what do I know?

 

Mojo has always had soft poops, as described, but we've NEVER had any problems with accidents and he's home 10 hours while I'm at work (I know - I wish it wasn't so). He poops multiple times (at least 3) on our twice-a-day walks. By the 3rd one, it's pretty runny.

 

That's what Novartis said, and also the same range (7-10 days) our vet told us.

[Guest Hero1]

I was hoping that someone on this forum knew of a magic bullet for hookworms.

We started fostering our second greyhound Lola in November. Her paperwork said that the rescue treated her for a heavy load of hookworms 10/7/10. So we also gave her two courses of Panacur (3 days each- two weeks apart) when we got her in mid- November. In beginning of January the vet said that she was still hookworm positive so we tried the Panacur again (over 3 weeks) and then again in March. April 3rd (still positive) we tried Drontal instead, we retested- still positive- back on the Panacur followed by Ivermectin tablets.

As it stands now, she is STILL testing positive We are now on Pyrantel suspension (a dose a week for 4 weeks). We have been giving her Sentinel each month as her heartworm preventative.

Has anyone else had this problem and actually found a solution? I'm pretty desperate.

[sweetdogs]

I hope that the pyrantel works for Lola. It did for my Keeva (combined with Interceptor, after a couple of rounds of panacur). She just finished up her 6th & final dose. Werm free! (Keeva also had a heavy load of them. )