A parasitic infection can cause many health problems for a pet.
Sometimes referred to as deworming or deworming, the deworming process is a means of ridding animals of parasites that live in the body. Failure to practice deworming can lead to a number of health problems for the animal, including death. Deworming is an ongoing task that many cat and dog owners perform on a regular basis. People who own horses or cattle also often use various means to deworm their animals.
Deworming can help prevent or treat tapeworm infections in dogs and cats.
Deworming usually involves the administration of some type of medication to help prevent the appearance of types of parasites, such as tapeworms and roundworms. This type of regular health maintenance helps prevent parasites from taking root in the system and eventually infecting vital organs. Deworming medications are often given orally, although there are some types of gel medications that can be applied to the skin.
A veterinarian can provide deworming medications for dogs and cats.
Many pet owners will opt for deworming methods that involve little or no real effort. Medications to treat the process are usually colorless and tasteless. This means that the drug can be in the form of granules that are added to food without damaging the taste or texture. For dogs and cats, anti-worm medication can be provided in the form of flavored chews to encourage the pet to consume the medication.
Some dogs take heartworm preventive medication year-round.
Deworming medication often needs to be given monthly. While somewhat expensive, the cost of the drug is much less than the standard visit to the vet and much less expensive than effectively treating a pet suffering from an advanced case of tapeworm in a vital organ. Deworming also means a quality of life for the family pet that is not hampered by the pain that accompanies the deterioration of infected organs.
Whether it’s to protect the health of the family pet or to ensure livestock remain healthy and salable, deworming is a common task that any pet owner needs to perform on a regular basis. This guarantees the welfare of the animal, being able to enjoy more years of the company of the family dog or cat, or to make the sale of healthy cattle even more profitable.