OTC De-Wormoer(pitbull puppy)?

Question

HI,

I just bought a new puppy.she is a pit bull and is 6 weeks old.I know this is young ,but i am such a sucker for abused animals.I think the guys i bought it from, fights his dogs because one of the adult dogs had a big scar on the side of his cheek and there were flies all over it.But thats a whole different story.Well i've just had her since yesterday and she was infested in fleas ,i went and bought some frontline.She seems to be losing most of the fleas.but one thing that concerns me is that she draggs her but on the ground and she cant seem to get comfortable anywhere she sits.IM thinking this is worms.Well i just called the vets office and they told me he wasnt there and wont be back until monday.Will she be okay to wait this long before she goes to the vet or should i go and buy some otc de-wormer from wal-mart or something? I havnt seen anything in her poop either.It looks pretty normal to me.Are OTC de-wormers safe for puppies ?oh and also i live in a small town

and he is the only vet here.but we are going to a bigger town today to wal-mart and i was wondering if i should buy some deworming stuff there.

Answer 1

Do NOT use OTC flea products or OTC dewormers..these aren't effective and they can also be very, very dangerous.

IT will be fine to wait until monday to see the vet and get the proper dewormer. Take in a stool sample so they can do a fecal test on it and determine what if any type(s) of worms he has.

Also do not use a flea product on a puppy this young wait until she is older. Frontline is safe for puppies 8 weeks and older.

6 weeks is too young and is against the law in most states, however I do understand your reasons for taking him this young.
Make sure he does NOT get ANY vaccinations until he is 8 weeks old.

Answer 2

Since you are going to a Vet on Monday, let the Vet do the worming as it isn't costing much beyond the Vet office visit anyway and is more effective. Also, since the Vet probably didn't give you the Frontline for the pup (since I don't know a Vet that would do that for pups that age- don't get topical flea prevention meds unless 12 weeks or older) be sure to tell him how much you put on the pup and when you put it on.
It can be very toxic to pups too young or in too large of an amt. IT CAN CAUSE NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE AND/OR DEATH.
Even flea shampoos before 12 wks can be toxic. Because your dog is acting like this, tell the Vet's office IMMEDIATELY about this application. If the dog starts wobbling, acting funny, vomiting, diarrhea, take to an emergency Vet or ask if there is anyone they can refer you to that isn't out of town.
If you have just applied it today or even yesterday, shampoo the pup in some Johnson's Baby Shampoo (won't burn eyes and for some reason fleas don't like it) to get off as much of the Frontline that is still on the skin surface. Frontline goes deeper than the skin and into the organs. Please don't try to express it's anal glands. At six weeks old something else is going on and if you heard a "pop" you would have probably done something else very seriously damaging to your pup.
I am glad you rescued the pup from the people that owned it, but in meaning well, or in following do-it-yourself directions from people that aren't Vets but suggest things Vets normally address, you could be doing the pup more harm.

Answer 3

You have to read labels and look at the ingredients. Whatever the directions or marketing say is worthless, just read the ingredients. There are two main types of wormer that work well and are widely used--
Pyrantel based
Fenbendazole based

If the dog had a lot of fleas use the Fenbendazole product. IT is awful because most dogs barf from it, but it will kill tape worms.

If the dog wasn't covered in fleas use a pyrantel pamoate based wormer. They don't have as many reactions and it works well. This is the worming drug in the monthly heartworm product Heartguard you get at the vet that kills worms.

Most other OTC wormers that have different products are trash. They will only kill roundworms. Read ingredient labels and get a product that has one of these two active ingredients.

And squeeze both sides of her anus gently until the glands "pop" and release the nasty ick from inside them. They will squirt like a icky zit when you squeeze them, but it will release the gland.

Your problem really is something you could take care of yourself and save a couple hundred dollars. Use your money to get your dog shots at 8 weeks. If you get them earlier they aren't as effective.

Answer 4

Hartz is horrible and can be very dangerous to dogs. She must have had a serious infection and either the dewormer didn't work at all or you'll need to deworm again. Your best bet is to go to the vet so they can do a fecal exam to know exactly what Kind of worms your dog has and they can give you a stronger medicine. Good luck.

Answer 5

Hi

This could be worms. You can get de-worming medication at most pet stores and it is pretty easy to give it too her. It can be given at 6 weeks and should be as most puppies have worms and especially if it came from the conditions you describe. I would report that person. You will have to do it twice as the first time kills the living organisms and the second kills any eggs that have hatched.
You should take her to the vet though to get heart-worm medication as there are some worms that cannot be treated with over-the-counter drugs. She should be fine until you see the vet.

She could have a blocked scent gland as well. These are by the base of the tail and when plugged can cause itching which is why they drag their butts. This can be cleaned out by squeezing the glands, don't stand behind her when you do that!!! But you should have a vet check her out first to make sure you aren't wasting your time and they can show you how to do it properly.

Hope that helps

Answer 6

He won't die of worms if you wait until Monday. Don't try to prescribe your own medications for your dog - you could be doing more harm than good.
Just make sure that your vet does a thorough medical exam to make sure that your pup is completely healthy. There are plenty of other things to check besides parasites.