Worming/Fleaing

In another topic, I saw a couple of members saying they don't regularly use worming or fleaing treatment. Is it pointless to use them regularly then? Does it affect your insurance at all (ie if your vet recommends yearly boosters, you have to have them)? I was just wondering because Loki's overdue on his worming and fleaing, so I was wondering if it's necessary, or there are things you can do to minimise the chances of your dog getting them.

I worm every 3 months but I don't use a flea treatment, never needed it, she is older so I think its advisable for a pup, and she has her jabs every 3 years

And no it doesn't affect the insurance so to speak but it would depend on what your claiming for XX

I always worm regularly - every 3 months with Milbemax. I think worming is important because of the effects the worms can have, not just on the dog, but on humans, especially children. The Toxocara Canis can blind a child.

I don't use a regular flea treatment, in fact I can't remember the last time I used one & I don't get any problems at all.

I worm monthly as it is necessary for heart worm prevention here. I only use flea treatments when I know they are about or am taking them where there are lots of wildlife.

Just as an add you don't need yearly boosters for insurance as my don't get vacs and are insured

To your question i'm different i don't use chemical flea/wormers, i use diatomaceous earth for worms and they get it 3 times a week and for fleas i give garlic everyother day

All the insurance says is that you won't be covered for any illness that is covered by vaccinations if you haven't had them. You'll still be covered for everything else.

I would also use diatomaceous earth if it covered lungworm as well.

Caryll wrote:All the insurance says is that you won't be covered for any illness that is covered by vaccinations if you haven't had them. You'll still be covered for everything else.

I would also use diatomaceous earth if it covered lungworm as well.

I wouldn't personally use a wormer that covered lungworm/heartworm as they contain to many harsh chemicals for my liking

but to each their own

ella wrote:Just as an add you don't need yearly boosters for insurance as my don't get vacs and are insured

Ledger has had the boosters but also includes a general once over/check of teeth etc, when he had two teeth removed last year the insurance stipulation was that his teeth had been checked annually and apart from me overreacting to a cut paw he wouldn't have been in over a year otherwise.

I am now introducing him to kennels/doggy daycare and they stipulate vaccinations so he is going back to also get kennel cough in the next few weeks

I use a flea spot on and worming powder bi-monthly but after the comments on here will likely cut down the flea treatment

jshrew wrote:

ella wrote:Just as an add you don't need yearly boosters for insurance as my don't get vacs and are insured

Ledger has had the boosters but also includes a general once over/check of teeth etc, when he had two teeth removed last year the insurance stipulation was that his teeth had been checked annually and apart from me overreacting to a cut paw he wouldn't have been in over a year otherwise.

I am now introducing him to kennels/doggy daycare and they stipulate vaccinations so he is going back to also get kennel cough in the next few weeks

I use a flea spot on and worming powder bi-monthly but after the comments on here will likely cut down the flea treatment

day care and kenneling isn't the same as insurance, all insurance companies have a clause that states if you do not vac then your dogs will not be covered for anything they catch that could have been prevented by having vacs.

I worm regularly that's REALLY important. But I have never needed to flea cause she's never had any. I only flea if my animals have fleas not to prevent them. I had Lexus jabs as a pup but not again as I don't think they're necessary. I got them last year though because there were confirmed cases of parvo in my area and there still is so I will get them again this year. I wasn't sure if she was vacc for parvo as a pup so didnt want to risk it.

ella wrote:

Caryll wrote:All the insurance says is that you won't be covered for any illness that is covered by vaccinations if you haven't had them. You'll still be covered for everything else.

I would also use diatomaceous earth if it covered lungworm as well.

I wouldn't personally use a wormer that covered lungworm/heartworm as they contain to many harsh chemicals for my liking

but to each their own

Dogs in certain parts of America (I think Ben will confirm this) have to be protected against heartworm - we don't get it here.

Ask Keith if it's worth protecting a dog against lungworm.

Just one more question, should I continue going to the vet's for it, or could I buy it myself from Pets At Home? I ask because obviously we go to Pets At Home regularly for his food, but the vet's is quite a while away, so probably be easier if I could get it from there.

It depends what you're buying. Frontline & Drontal can be bought at PAH (I think), but Advocate (again, I think because I don't use it) and Milbemax can't.

Agree on the worming, must be kept on top of .. (we got our last lot of Drontal+ from Amazon )

We also use Advocate once a month on Max cus of where we live, and there being LOADS of fox's, badgers, sheep ... infact we are surrounded by animal flea, tick, and mite carriers

We do Rockys worming treatment religiously every three months, he also has his flea treatment every two months regardless of if it's needed or not, there is a dog in the flat upstairs from us that is not cared for properly and we wouldn't want Rocky picking anything up from it.

Andy wrote:We also use Advocate once a month on Max cus of where we live, and there being LOADS of fox's, badgers, sheep ... infact we are surrounded by animal flea, tick, and mite carriers

Kathy wrote:We do Rockys worming treatment religiously every three months, he also has his flea treatment every two months regardless of if it's needed or not, there is a dog in the flat upstairs from us that is not cared for properly and we wouldn't want Rocky picking anything up from it.

I understand what you both mean. When I had Bandit we lived on the Welsh border & the fields we walked him in were full of sheep, cattle, foxes & badgers. He never had a single flea, tick or mite. I just don't like putting harsh & unnecessary chemicals on a dog as a routine treatment.

I only wormed with milbemax every 3 months and didn't flea unless needed up until a few months ago, but after the nasty bout of sarcoptic mange that Bis picked up from the foxes around here I don't mess around and she's treated with advocate every month. I also vaccinate her every year, purely for the fact that I work with stray dogs on a daily basis, that she also interacts with, and there have been many cases of parvo in my work place!

Rachel33 wrote:I only wormed with milbemax every 3 months and didn't flea unless needed up until a few months ago, but after the nasty bout of sarcoptic mange that Bis picked up from the foxes around here I don't mess around and she's treated with advocate every month. I also vaccinate her every year, purely for the fact that I work with stray dogs on a daily basis, that she also interacts with, and there have been many cases of parvo in my work place!

In your situation I would do the same.

I worm every 3 months, but if I have caught them eating nasty things like cat/fox poo I will worm just before they are due!

I tend not to flea treat as they lick the spot off treatments off each other! But I give them a clove of garlic every couple of weeks.