Deworming: how often, which pets, and what happens if you skip it
Worms are the most common health problem we see in Lagos pets, and the most preventable. Here is the schedule that works.
If we could get every pet owner in Lagos to do just one thing on schedule, it would be deworming. Intestinal worms are everywhere in our environment: in soil, in gutters, on shoes, in raw meat, and in the fleas pets swallow while grooming themselves.
The schedule that works
- Puppies and kittens: every 2 weeks from 2 weeks of age until 12 weeks, then monthly until 6 months
- Adult dogs and cats: every 3 months
- Pregnant and nursing mothers: on a vet-guided schedule, because worms pass to the litter
- New rescues and market purchases: immediately, then again after 2 weeks
Why weight matters
Dewormers are dosed by body weight. A tablet that is right for a 5kg Lhasa does very little for a 40kg Boerboel, and overdosing a small pet is its own risk. This is why our deworming service is priced by size: the dose your pet actually gets is different. When in doubt, weigh first, dose second.
Signs your pet is overdue
A pot belly on a thin body, a dull coat, scooting, visible rice-like segments near the tail, vomiting, or diarrhoea can all point to worms. But here is the uncomfortable truth: most infested pets look completely normal for months. The schedule protects you where your eyes cannot.
Worms and your family
Several pet worms are zoonotic, meaning they can infect people, and children are the most exposed because they play on floors and forget to wash hands. Regular deworming of your pets is quietly one of the best things you can do for your household's health.
Make it automatic
The reason most pets are under-dewormed is not cost. It is memory. Nobody remembers a three-month cycle. Our Care Plans exist for exactly this: the schedule lives with us, and the vet simply shows up when the next dose is due.
Can't remember the last deworming?
Then it is due. Put the whole schedule on our calendar instead of your memory with a Care Plan.
