My puppy still has tapeworms after deworming. What should I do next?

Question

I saw segments of tapeworms in my dog's stool. Treated with praziprantel combo for 4 kinds of worms otc 2gm powder x3 days . Finished 2 days ago. Today i still see segments on her stool not alot but still see them. Should i repeat. She is 32 lbs puppy , did i give her the right dose? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 3 months and 19 days old | 32 lbs

Anna M., DVM · Accepted Answer

I'm a bit confused by the description of the medication you used, as I'm not familiar with an over-the-counter powder praziquantel medication, and typically I give praziquantel for tapeworms as a single (tablet) dose, which in some cases is repeated several weeks later if needed. The product that is typically given as a powder daily for 3 consecutive days is Panacur, with an active ingredient of Fenbendazole, which only gets select species of tapeworms. So, a few thoughts to answer your questions. No, I would not recommend re-dosing if you just finished treatment 2 days ago. Sometimes it can take a few days for the parasites to be expelled from the system, and I wouldn't typically re-treat until at least 2 weeks later. Keep monitoring Buffy and see if those tapeworm segments continue to decrease, or if you still see them a week or two from now. Additionally, dogs tend to get tapeworms from ingesting fleas, so make sure Buffy is treated with an effective flea preventative. Finally, I strongly recommend having Buffy's stool sample checked by your vet, and rather than treating with something over the counter, get the medication your vet prescribes. Not all dewormers are created equally, and in my experience the over-the-counter meds are not nearly as effective as those available through a vet. Also, given your puppy's young age, it is very possible she may have other types of intestinal parasites in addition to tapeworms - tapeworms are the most visible, so they may be the ones you're seeing, but other types of worms are more often shed as microscopic eggs and wouldn't be detected unless you're using a microscope. So, I know that's a lot of information, but I want to make sure you're effectively treating Buffy's condition, and in order to do so it is worth getting the appropriate medication from your vet. I hope this helps!

My puppy still has tapeworms after deworming. What should I do next?

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