Worms in Dogs: How Often Should I Worm My Dog

Dogs across the UK can pick up intestinal worms almost anywhere—sniffing infected soil, chasing infected prey animals, or swallowing an infected flea while grooming. These parasites shed tiny worm eggs that stay alive in parks for years and can even infect humans. Both the RSPCA and ESCCAP UK urge owners to worm dogs on a regular, risk-based plan to keep pets, people and wildlife safe.

In this guide you will learn how different worms affect dogs, how to spot trouble early, and—most importantly—how to choose the right worming treatment to keep your pet, family and local parks safe.

What counts as “worms”?

The term worms in dogs covers several intestinal parasites plus one that lives in the heart and lungs. The most common intestinal worms are:

• Roundworm (Toxocara canis) – lives in a dog’s small intestine; its sticky eggs can infect humans.

• Hookworm and whipworm – attach to the intestinal wall and cause blood loss, especially in puppies.

• Tapeworm – flat, ribbon-shaped adult worms that shed rice-like worm segments round your dog’s tail.

• Lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) – not in the gut at all; larvae migrate through the bloodstream and can reach the dog’s heart, causing very serious illness.

Because multiple species affect dogs at the same time, vets choose broad-spectrum worming treatment that kills “all the worms” they are likely to meet in the UK.

How do pets get worms?

Dogs pick up intestinal worms in more ways than most owners realise:

1. Eating infected soil or grass where other dogs have pooped and left worm eggs.

2. Gnawing on infected prey animals such as mice, rabbits or snails; slug and snail slime spreads lungworm.

3. Feeding raw meat or offal that carries dormant cysts of tapeworm.

4. Swallowing an infected flea while grooming; the flea carries tapeworm larvae.

5. Trans-placental or via mother’s milk – many puppies are born with roundworm already inside.

Good hygiene – washing hands, bagging dog’s poop promptly and stopping dogs eating raw carcasses – reduces risk, but it cannot prevent worms completely. That is why vets urge owners to treat worms on a schedule, not only when severe symptoms appear.

Signs of worms in pets

Most worms in dogs hide quietly, so owners should watch for small but clear clues. RSPCA notes that you may spot worm segments like “grains of rice” on your dog’s skin or bedding, or even live worms in vomit or the dog’s stool. Other warning signs include a pot-belly in young puppies, steady weight loss in adult dogs, dull coat, and “scooting” as the dog drags its rear on the ground. Coughing or tiring quickly on walks can signal lungworm, while pale gums may point to blood-sucking dogs hookworms.

Laboratory checks often reveal trouble before the naked eye can: vets use faecal egg counts and, for certain worms, a quick blood test. Data from the RVC’s VetCompass project—covering more than 20 million UK pets—shows intestinal parasites remain one of the ten most-recorded disorders seen in primary care, proving that even well-cared-for dogs can carry hidden intestinal worms.

Knowing these signs lets you act early, treat worms with the right deworming medication, and keep both your dog and family worm-free.

Why regular worming matters in Britain

Leaving worms untreated lets millions of eggs pass into parks and playgrounds where they can infect humans, especially toddlers who play in soil. NHS data show that toxocariasis, although rare, can scar the eye or trigger seizures in people.

Dogs themselves suffer, too: hookworms drink blood leading to anaemia, tapeworms clog the large intestine, and lungworm spreads through mosquito bites or slugs causing heart failure. Regular worming and picking up dog feces break this cycle. DEFRA even makes tapeworm treatment a legal step before any dog can re-enter Great Britain after travel.

How often should you worm?

Vets no longer push a single timetable for all dogs. ESCCAP UK now recommends a risk-based plan:

Puppies start sooner: every 2–3 weeks until 12–16 weeks old, then monthly to six months. Pregnant bitches are normally wormed on day 42 of pregnancy and again after whelping – ask your vet to match the mother dog’s weight.

Remember, heartworm disease is rare in Britain but common overseas; monthly cover is vital if your dog visits regions with mosquitoes.

How to get rid of worms in dogs

Step 1: see your vet – they will weigh the dog and choose a drug that kills all the worms you’re likely to meet:

• Benzimidazoles (e.g. fenbendazole) clear roundworms and hookworms.

• Praziquantel wipes out tapeworm segments.

• Macrocyclic lactones (milbemycin, moxidectin) tackle lungworm and certain worms in the bloodstream.

Most dogs swallow a tablet; young puppies or dogs with severe symptoms may get a paste or spot-on. To stop reinfection:

1. Clean up dog’s poop straight away – worm eggs survive for years in infected soil.

2. Wash bedding at 60 °C to kill worm eggs and flea larvae.

3. Treat fleas the same day; eating fleas can pass tapeworm to your dog.

Dead worms may appear in the dog’s stool 24–48 hours later – a good sign the medicine worked.

How to prevent worms in pets

• Pick up dog’s feces every walk. The PDSA “Big Scoop” campaign shows parks with daily clean-ups carry 85 % fewer worm eggs.

• Keep raw meat for human plates; eating raw meat from other infected animals is a top source of tapeworm cysts.

• Block slug and snail hotspots – lungworm larvae hide there.

• Give flea control monthly; an infected flea is a Trojan horse for tapeworm.

• Ask for a faecal test once a year to spot worms inside before weight loss or pale gums appear.

Good hygiene and the right worming treatment mean most dogs stay worm-free without over-dosing medicines that could seep into rivers.

Are there home remedies for worms in dogs?

Pumpkin seeds, carrots and garlic feature in blogs, but UK studies show these foods lower egg counts only marginally. They do not clear adult worms attached to the intestinal wall and can delay real treatment. The BSAVA stewardship plan urges owners to use licensed deworming medication at the lowest effective frequency, rather than “natural” powders that leave intestinal parasites alive.

If you prefer fewer chemicals, agree a test-and-treat scheme with your vet: submit a stool sample four times a year and worm only when eggs or larvae are seen under the microscope. This still beats hoping home cures will prevent worms in young puppies or pregnant bitches.

Human health: can my dog give me worms?

Sadly, yes. Toxocara canis eggs passed in a dog’s poop can survive for up to 10 years in contaminated soil. Swallowing just one microscopic egg can infect humans; the NHS reports around 30 UK cases of eye damage each year from migrating larvae.

Children, gardeners and people with weaker immune systems face the greatest risk. Washing hands after digging, covering sand-pits and worming dogs regularly all cut exposure. Lungworm and heartworm do not infect humans, but hookworms can enter through transdermal infection (bare feet on wet grass).

Choosing safe wormers & saving our rivers

Macrocyclic lactones that leave a dog’s skin quickly can wash into waterways if owners rinse dogs in streams. A 2024 University of Exeter survey found residues in 65 % of UK river samples. Use the BSAVA 5-point plan: weigh accurately, give the narrowest-spectrum product, pick up waste, avoid over-use and record each dose. That way you protect pets and aquatic insects.

FAQs

How do you get rid of worms in dogs?

Use vet-prescribed deworming medication matched to the worm species and your dog’s age. Clean the home and treat fleas on the same day.

What can happen if worms are left untreated in dogs?

Severe infestations may block the dog’s large intestine, trigger anaemia, or in lungworm cases, cause sudden bleeding in the lungs and heart – a very serious illness.

How to tell if a dog has worms in the UK?

Because many dogs show no early signs, vets often confirm infection by checking your dog’s stool under a microscope for worm eggs or using a faecal antigen lab test. In suspected lungworm, a simple blood test can flag infection before severe cases develop.

Untreated intestinal parasites steal nutrients and may damage the intestinal wall; lungworm can block the dog’s heart and cause sudden bleeding disorders. Severe infestations in older dogs or very young puppies may be fatal.

Conclusion

Worms in dogs are common but easy to control when owners stick to a risk-based plan, practise good hygiene and choose medicines responsibly.