Albendazole for dogs is a powerful dewormer that is responsible for eliminating various types of parasites that are housed in the intestines of the animal and that can affect them at any age and without indiscriminate race. Today it is not as widely used as before, as there are now different brands of antiparasitic that perform the same function as albendazole.
What is albendazole?
This drug belongs to the group of "benzimidazoles", in the past it was very popular and one of the best known worldwide, however, there are currently other dewormers that perform the same function and are more popular than albendazole. In these times, the group of these medications have been updated and are now much more effective and safer for our pets.
When albendazole came onto the market, it was only used in dogs in adulthood and only combated those parasites that were housed in the intestines of the dog. Currently this medication has been modified and its effectiveness is not only focused on attacking intestinal invaders, but now it acts through the blood, thus eliminating many more types of parasites.
Currently there are various drugs that are used especially to eliminate these worms that can harm our furry friends. Some of these medications are effective against a specific type of parasite, and there are others that, like albendazole for dogs, can kill different types of parasites.
What is albendazole used for?
Today albendazole is not as widely used in domestic animals as it used to be, now farmers are the ones who resort more to this drug to deworm cattle. There is a wide variety of parasites that are attacked when the animal consumes the drug. However, there are still people who use it for their dogs, because they trust the effectiveness of the product and the safety it gives to the pet.
The effect of albendazole in dogs is immediate, that is, it attacks the parasites that are housed in the animal at the time it is used, however, it is not a preventive medicine, because after giving the adequate dose , there are no residues of it inside the dog, therefore it does not prevent new infestations of worms.
It is not common to see symptoms of parasites in adult dogs, however in puppies it is very common to notice some signs that indicate that the little one is infested with parasites. The most common symptoms are the presence of worms in the bundles and vomiting of the puppy, loss of appetite and therefore malnutrition and you may notice that the dog's growth slows down.
If, as owners, we notice these symptoms, we must take our dog to the vet to have his dewormer prescribed. Never give albendasol or any other medication to your dog on your own.
Your vet will examine your dog's feces under a microscope to see if the symptoms you've noticed are actually caused by parasites. In addition, with this test you will also be able to know what type of worms the animal has, that is when he will prescribe the type of dog deworming medication suitable for the case. Remember that not all parasites are eliminated with the same type of medication.
Is albendazole good for dogs?
Although albendasol is a recognized and effective medicine, there are other types of antiparasitic that have a broader efficacy and that their compounds are much better. However, we must clarify that if you use this medicine you have nothing to worry about, because it is not bad, but you should know that there are better ones that you can also use, of course, if your veterinarian recommends it. Remember, you should never self-medicate your dog.
Albendazole Dosage for Dogs
The most recommended thing is that adult dogs be administered a dose of antiparasitic at least once every 3 or 4 months, this should be done before they are going to administer their vaccines, in the event that they are touched in that moment.
On the other hand, the puppies need their dose to be administered a little more often, the way in which it is recommended is to do it 2 weeks after the birth of the puppies and from there until the vaccination cycle concludes, it should be repeated every 15 days after this process is complete, they can be dewormed in the same way as adult dogs.
Many people wonder if it is advisable to give albendazole to puppies, the answer is yes, they can be given this medication, however, it must be the veterinarian who dictates the dose and frequency of it, since first they must know the weight of the puppy. This medicine is administered orally, either in liquid or pill form, so you can agree with the doctor to choose the easiest way to give albendazole to your dog.
The dosage of albendazole can vary depending on the weight and the parasitic status of the dog, sometimes, if the dog has very few parasites or none visible at the time of the exam, it may be prescribed to give a single dose without the need to repeat it as is the most habitual. In addition to this, it must be taken into account, which parasite or parasites are attacking the dog, there the doctor will decide whether or not albendazole will be effective in eliminating them, if not, another medication will be prescribed that can fulfill the function.
Knowing all this, we highlight the importance of taking your dog to the vet before administering any dose of dewormer, because you will never know for yourself which worm affects your pet and therefore you will not know which medication is correct to eliminate them. .
Recommendations
There are two ways to administer albendazole, in liquid form and in pill form, both ways have a different way to be administered, for this it is recommended that you follow the advice that we will give you below:
For your liquid presentation
- The first thing you should do is fill a syringe with only the amount of medication indicated by the veterinarian.
- You will need to place the syringe in your dog's mouth. We recommend that you place it on the back of his fangs, that is, you must administer it from the sides of his mouth. You will have to administer the liquid slowly until you give it all. It may be necessary to have another person help you hold your pet.
- At the end of giving the medicine, you should reward your dog with canine treats or pampering, so that he sees that this is not something negative but rather the opposite.
For your compressed presentation
- Wrap the pill with some food that is slightly moist. This will make it much easier to administer the medication to the dog.
- Give the food-wrapped pill to the canine, then keep an eye out to make sure it has ingested all of the contents, including the dose of dewormer.
- In case the above does not work and the dog does not ingest the medicine, you should take it and make it into a powder to mix it with the animal's food. Another effective way to do it is to dilute the pill in water and then administer it as if it were a liquid presentation.
Albendazole Side Effects
It is not common to find side effects of this medication in dogs, however, it is advisable to observe the pet after the dose is administered since it can cause allergy in dogs due to some of its compounds. Although this is rare. In addition to this, some of the side effects that have been seen very rarely are loss of appetite and the appearance of anemia in the pet and even diarrhea.
However, you must take into consideration that after administering the medication you may notice some symptoms that go hand in hand with the effectiveness of the product, these may be: diarrhea, vomiting, and lack of encouragement in the pet.
Albendazole Contraindications
It is not recommended to give albendazole to bitches that are in a state of pregnancy, since the product could harm the unborn and even occasionally abort. It should also not be administered to newborn puppies that are not at least 15 days old. If the dog suffers from liver deficiency, it will be the veterinarian who indicates the best way to deal with the parasites if necessary.
If the pet presents some type of allergic picture to the product, it is best that it be taken immediately to the veterinarian to be evaluated and subsequently treated for its case. In the event that this happens, it should be evaluated that other medications apart from albendazole can serve your dog.
7 most frequent mistakes when deworming your dog
All dog lovers and pets in general know how important it is for our partner to be healthy, the health of your pet could be affected if it has parasites in its body, which is why you must have complete control over this issue. However, many people tend to make many mistakes when deworming their dogs.
We must bear in mind that internal deworming must be done correctly so that it has the desired effect and can rid your pet of all those worms that could put not only their health but also their life at risk.
Now we are going to know what are those mistakes that many people make when it comes to deworming canines so that we can also avoid committing them and correct those people we know who are committing them:
- They forget to repeat the dose a few days after giving the first one.
- They medicate their dog without knowing its exact weight.
- They mistakenly believe that all dewormers are capable of eliminating any type of parasite.
- To think that it is normal for dogs to be regularly dewormed every 3 or 6 months, or even annually.
- Give the dose to the dog and not make sure that the dog actually ingests the medicine. Many times the dog spits out or throws up the medication.
- If you have more than one dog, they only give dewormers to one or two of them and not to the rest.
- Self-medicate your dogs. Overlook that the veterinarian is the one who must indicate what product to give the dog and the appropriate dose.
Finally, it is our duty to remind all pet owners how important it is to keep your dog free from both internal and external parasites, these worms can lodge in any Type of AnimalsIn addition to this, the fundamental thing is the fact that it is done in the correct way and that it is the veterinarian who gives you the instructions that must be followed to do it and thus be able to give the best to our four-legged friends.