How Often Can I De-Worm? Dog Keeps Eating Dirt...

[Guest BrindleBoy]

After we had a fence installed back in Feb, and the weather got warm enough for Indy roam the backyard, he decided to start eating dirt left behind by the fence installers. Not long after, his appetite decreased, he poops turned into soft serve, he was lethargic, and just not his old self.

 

So I got a de-wormer from the vet (I didn't have his poop tested, I was pretty sure it worms because this has happened before). A few days after I gave him the de-wormer, everything went back to normal- our old Indy is back!

 

Then I had to put down topsoil/grass seed in the yard. Of course, more dirt eating. And symptoms have returned. I only gave him the de-wormers 2 weeks ago, does anyone know how often you can give them? I did a google search but got no real information, just the cookie cutter "talk to your vet", "every 3 months", etc.

 

He just had a physical back in jan or feb, and everything was fine. After the de-wormer, everything returned to fine. It's highly likely he keeps getting worms from eating dirt. So, aside from keeping him on leash (the whole point of the fence was let him OFF LEASH), how often can I de-worm him before the dirt eating stops?

[ShebasMom]

How about a muzzle (and poop guard if that doesn't work)?

[Batmom]

Unless your dirt were infected from previous dogs, he wouldn't get worms from eating dirt. None of mine ever have. One or two have, however, experienced some discomfort from eating too much dirt. That usually passes on its own in a few days.

 

Take a stool sample to your vet for analysis, and go from there.

[JAJ2010]

Muzzle with a poop guard. Was it commercially bought topsoil? Are there and chemicals added to that? I would be more worried about that.

 

We just dug a giant home in the clay soil out back. Rainy new favorite thing is to eat whatever is tasty in that pile? I haven't been to worried though since it's only dirt. Can they get worms from that? The neighbors think I'm nuts for yelling "stop munching on that dirt" although it has to be better than the "let you sister pee in peace" LOL

 

Not sure about how safe a wormer would be after 2 weeks. I think it would depend on the wormer. I would probably take a stool sample in. Different types of wormers work different ways.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

I suspect the lawn/dirt is infected from all the animals (including a neighborhood dog) freely roaming through it BEFORE we got the fence up.

[brianamac]

I think it depends what type of worms and which dewormer. I would take a stool sample in to check anyways.

Boo is currently going through the deworming process for hookworms, and we have to give him a round every two weeks for 3 rounds. So I guess with some meds every two weeks is fine.

[EllenEveBaz]

Agree with the 2x in 2 weeks is okay. That's standard procedure in this house, where I routinely worm the bunny/squirrel/groundhog killers quarterly with 2x in 2 weeks. The 2nd dose is to try to get any worms/eggs that survived the first dose.

 

No ideas on dirt/worms.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Well, I got the card in the mail informing me that he's due for a couple vacc's anyway, so I'll make an appointment, and get him tested while we're there. It will be interesting to see if I'm reading the sign right, that he has some kind of worm again, and so quickly.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Welp, interesting... Indy's poo firmed up to normal and his personality returned again, all on their own, the 2 days before we went to the vet. And I haven't heard from the vet, which means his stool was negative. So much for me using my "intuition" to figure out what's wrong with my dog... (nothing)

[EllenEveBaz]

So much for me using my "intuition" to figure out what's wrong with my dog... (nothing)

 

This is a good problem to have.