What’s The Best Dog Dewormer?

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Although it is not the most pleasant of conditions, most dogs will get worms at some point in their lives. Treatment is usually easy and effective if the owner is quick to seek a remedy for their pet.

Worms are small parasites that  can infect a dog, no matter their age or breed. Puppies may have roundworms or hookworms that are passed to them from their mothers. Other worms can be contracted according to how your dog interacts with its environment. 

Feces from other dogs can produce roundworms and fleas or rodent droppings can result in tapeworms. Contaminated soil, grass or sand provides the potential of your pet getting whipworms. 

Paying close attention to your pet when outdoors and watching their general health will help the pet owner to treat for worms at the first sign of them. 

There are multiple products over the counter that will help to treat your pet if you suspect they have worms. It is best to consult your vet before you start on any course of treatment.

Best Dog Dewormer Over The Counter

Some of the most common worms that are found in dogs include hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, heartworms and whipworms. The treatment requires your dog to eat a chewable tablet that is often flavored. It can also be a powder that you add to your dog’s wet food.

We highly recommend that you consult with your vet before using any dewormer and they may suggest some of our recommendations below.

Worms in dogs can be very irritating for them and if left untreated, it can lead to several other health issues. Below is a list of the best dog dewormer that will effectively treat dogs with worms and can be bought over the counter.

Bayer Quad Chewable Dog Dewormer

The Bayer Quad Chewable Dewormer is a powerful option for treating your dog’s worms. It comes in different doses for different sized dogs and is a small, chewable tablet that’s easy to give to your dog or puppy.

Here are some of the notable features of the Bayer Quad Chewable Dewormer.

• Treats roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and whipworms
• Active ingredient combination of praziquantel, pyrantel paymote, and febantel
• Comes in sizes for 2 to 25 LBS, 26 to 60 LBS, and 45 LBS (and over)
• Comes with four chewable tablets with a beef flavor
• Works in a single dose to kill worms
• Safe for puppies over 4 weeks old

The Bayer Quad Chewable Dewormer is very powerful and is a great option if you need to get rid of worms very quickly. In fact, it is one of the most comprehensive worm treatments on the market. The tablets are easy to dispense and contain an active ingredient mixture that gets rid of all types of worms.

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Excel 8-in-1 Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer for Dogs

The Excel Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer is a safe but powerful dog deworming treatment that works on all types of dogs, including young puppies. It treats four different types of worms and has lasting results for six months. It gets rid of the worms very quickly and is easy to dispense after usage.

Here are some of the features of the Excel Safe-Guard Dog Dewormer.

• Treats tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms
• The active ingredient of fenbendazole
• 3-day treatment plan that continues to protect against worms for 6 months
• Safe for puppies over six weeks and pregnant dogs
• Each package contains 3 pouches with 4 grams of the food
• Each pouch treats 40 LBS
• Small granules that are simple to mix

This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to treat your dog if they are suffering from worms. The granules are small, so your dog won’t even notice they’ve been put into their food. Overall, the Excel Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer is the best dog dewormer for treating your dog’s worms.

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Durvet Triple Wormer For Medium and Large Dogs

The Durvet Triple Wormer is particularly helpful for controlling worms in medium and large dogs. It controls 7 different strains of tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms, but does not kill whipworms.

Below are some of the features of the Durvet Triple Wormer:

• Controls 7 different strains of worms
• Flavored chewable tablet
• Active ingredients of pyrantel pamote and praziquantel
• 12 pack of tablets, total 6 total treatment courses
• Doses are intended to be taken 2 weeks apart

The Durvet Triple Wormer works very fast to get rid of worms and prevent them from coming back. Since it comes with 12 tablets, it offers great value for money.

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Panacur C Canine Dewormer

The Panacur C Canine Dewormer is appropriate for dogs of all sizes and is powerful enough to kill many different types of worms. It is also safe for puppies and pregnant dogs. It is comparable to prescription-strength dewormers.

Here are some of the features of the Panacur C Canine Dewormer.

• Kills roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms
• Active ingredient of fenbendazole
• Safe for dogs over 6 weeks old and pregnant dogs
• Comes with 3 packets of 40 grams each
• One packet equals 40 LBS

The Panacur C Canine Dewormer is a prescription-strength dog dewormer that is still very safe to use. It kills many different types of worms and is easy to combine with the dog’s food. It’s ideal for dogs of many different sizes and ages.

Some vets do prescribe Panacur using a prescription, so if you are having a difficult time finding it over the counter, you can visit your vet.

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Sentry WormXPlus 7 Way Dog Dewormer

The Sentry WormXPlus 7 Way Dewormer is ideal for small dogs who are struggling with worms. It controls a wide range of worm types and is safe for small dogs and puppies. The tablets are also flavored, so your dog will enjoy eating them.

Here are some of the features of the Sentry WormXPlus 7 Way Dewormer.

• Controls 7 strains of roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms
• Active ingredients of pyrantel pamote and praziquantel
• Comes with 6 chewable tablets
• Safe for dogs 12 weeks and older
• The dose is 1 tablet for dogs 6 to 12 LBS

WormXPlus works fast to kill pesky worms and get your dog healthy again. Dogs love the small chewable tablets, and there aren’t any side effects to worry about.

This is the best dog dewormer over the counter for small dogs that require medication to treat worms. Sentry is also a very respected brand in the world of pet products, and the WormXPlus retains its usual high quality.

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Symptoms of Worms in a Dog

Serious health problems can occur in your pet if worms are left untreated. While each type of parasite will affect your dog differently, there are some symptoms that are generalized and you should watch out for. 

Intestinal worms can cause:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Poor coat appearance
• Blood in stool

The above symptoms are not the only symptoms that your dog might get. Heartworms can cause respiratory issues like coughing and labored breathing. 

While some parasites can be seen in a dog’s stool, others need to be diagnosed by looking for eggs via a microscopic examination. That is why if your pet is exhibiting any of these symptoms, it is best to consult with your vet. Once your vet has made a diagnosis, they can also recommend an effective over the counter remedy if you prefer to purchase the medication that way.

Dog Dewormer Buying Guide

When your dog gets worms, it’s important to nip it in the bud. You need a powerful dog deworming treatment that works fast and won’t make your dog uncomfortable.

There are a variety of different dog dewormers on the market, and it can be difficult to determine which one is going to be most effective for your pooch. Here’s what to look at when deciding what dog dewormer to purchase.

Active Ingredients

The first thing to look at when purchasing a dog dewormer is the active ingredients included in the treatment. The active ingredients signify how the treatment works to kill worms.

Your vet may recommend a specific type of active ingredient to look for based on your dog’s specific condition and health. For example, piperazine is the ingredient for killing roundworms, and fenbendazole does not eliminate worms that come from fleas but kills a variety of other parasites. Praziquatel is effective for worms that come from freshwater, like tapeworms.

Many medications have multiple active ingredients to kill several different kinds of fleas. You should also look at how much of the active ingredient is included to determine how powerful it is. If you aren’t sure about purchasing a dog deworming treatment, look online to learn more about the specific active ingredient included.

Treatment Length

When picking a dog deworming treatment for your pet, another factor to consider is how long you will need to give them the medicine before the worms are dead. Many tablets now work with just one or two doses, so your dog will start to feel better right away.

Check to see when the doses need to be given – sometimes you will need to give your dog two doses in a day, whereas in other cases they may need to be spread out to be effective.

Chewable Tablet vs Add to Food

The method you use to give your dog the medicine is another thing to look at when choosing a dog dewormer. Chewable tablets are the most common form of dog dewormer. These are easy to give to your dog and easy for them to consume.

If you are purchasing a dog dewormer that comes in a chewable tablet form, it’s very important to make sure the tablet is flavored in a way that is attractive to your dog. Many brands use a beef flavor.

If the tablet isn’t flavored, your dog may not want to eat it, which will make the process of administering the medicine very tricky. Some other types of dog dewormers are designed to be crushed up and added to the dog’s wet food. If your dog doesn’t like chewable tablets, this may be an easier option, because the flavor of the tablet is disguised by the dog’s food.

Number of Doses Included

Another factor that’s helpful to look at when choosing a dog dewormer is the number of doses included in the package. The more doses are included, the longer the treatment regime will be. Make sure you follow the directions and give all of the recommendations. 

Although you will hope that your dog only gets worms once, it’s helpful to have extra treatment on hand at home just in case they come back. Larger packs of dog dewormers are also great if you have multiple pets at home.

Kills All Types of Worms

There are many different types of worms that your dog can contract as a parasite. It’s very difficult to identify which type of worm your dog has without going to the vet. Therefore, it’s best to look for a dog dewormer that kills several different strains of worms.

Roundworms in particular are very persistent, so you will need a medication that kills all of them. Most dog dewormers will indicate the worm strains they are intended for on the package. Keep in mind that some dog dewormers don’t kill whipworms. If you try a dog dewormer and it isn’t working, you may need to switch to one that is designed to kill whipworms.

Safe for Puppies

If you have a young pup who has contracted worms, you need to make sure that the treatment you purchase for them is appropriate for their small size.

Puppies are still developing, and a treatment designed for full-grown dogs will be too much for them. Most dog deworming treatments will indicate on the package whether or not they are appropriate for young dogs, and the specific age at which they are safe to use.

When you have found the appropriately sized dog dewormer for puppies, you can easily hide it in with their puppy food as they can be fairly fussy from a young age.

Appropriate For Your Dog’s Size

Your dog’s size and how much they weigh also has an effect on how much medicine your dog will need to get rid of the worms. Since larger dogs have larger intestinal systems, they will naturally need a larger dose to completely kill the worms.

Some products are specifically designed for dogs of a certain size. Other products are appropriate for dogs of all sizes and weights, but will indicate specific doses for dogs of different weights. When purchasing a dog dewormer, be sure to check whether or not it is appropriate for your dog’s size, and how many doses you will need to give them depending on their size.

In Conclusion

It is normal for most dogs to experience worms of some sort during their lifetime.

As always, Top Dog Hub strongly recommends that you consult your vet when your pet’s health is concerned. It is great to be able to do some treatments at home, but if you are not seeing result quickly, or if you are unsure of what treatment your pet might need, take your pet to the vet so that they can get the correct treatment.

Ian is an avid outdoorsman and dog lover. He lives in Central Florida with his wife Heather, and their 2 dogs – Panda (Purebread Rough Collie X English Golden Retriever) & Kuma (Blue Merl Purebread Rough Collie)