It is very clear that traditional worming treatments are advised in certain circumstances. Puppies, for example, will inherit parasite burden from their mothers and it is a good idea to use a veterinary wormer to treat this.
However, for a very long time, people have been advised to regularly give worming treatment to their dogs, regardless of whether they have worms of not.
More and more people are now turning away from this advice and turning to alternative methods of managing worms and other parasites. Such as testing for worm count regularly, and using alternative intestinal supplements for their dogs.
One big reason behind this is that they don’t want to give unnecessary and harsh medication to their beloved pets, many people also have concerns about the environmental impact these treatments are having. Some spot treatments are showing up in the water supply.
Now it seems, some top Vets and researchers agree and are speaking out against the industry.
Current Veterinary Worming Practices are “totally irresponsible”.
According to the www.vettimes.co.uk, at a recent BSAVA Congress there was a heated debate on the subject.
Dr Whitehead, who is the international director of the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Association claimed there was “clear” research evidence from eight different studies that indicated regular treatment was not effective.
He urged delegates in attendance to remove regular worming treatments from their practices’ health plans, and said it was “not a good look” for the profession to be charging clients for a potentially ineffective service amid a cost of living crisis and the ongoing Competition and Markets Authority review process.
BVA response
The head of the British Veterinary Association released a statement after the congress saying,
“We strongly encourage vets to consider the individual circumstance and risks of exposure of both the animal and their owners when prescribing or recommending parasiticides, and urge them to ensure owners know how to use and dispose of these medicines responsibly and safely.”
So it’s clear, more people including Vets themselves are calling for a change in the way that worms and parasites in dogs and other animals are managed.
You have choices and options
As with your own personal health and treatments, you have a choice. Whatever choice you make, that is your right and decision. We just wish that more people had access to the information they need to make that choice.
If you don’t want to give your dogs treatments they don’t need, just in case they get worms, you can regularly take a worm count test.
If you do want to give your dog regular treatment, either from the vet or an alternative worming option, it’s still a good idea to test for worms regularly to check that your current worming treatment is working.
