Check out our vet-approved guide for all you need to know about flea and worm treatments, including how often they're needed and why they're recommended.
As a pet owner, chances are you’ve asked at least some of the following questions: how often should I treat my dog for fleas? How often should I deworm them? What’s the best flea and worm treatment for dogs? Or is there a natural flea repellent for dogs that actually works?
Parasite treatment options can be overwhelming, but they don’t have to be. This article provides an overview of flea and worm treatments for dogs, including how these parasites are picked up and how frequently we need to treat them.
Parasites are unfortunately frequent companions to our furry friends - but just how common are they? It’s been estimated that more than 1 in 4 cats and 1 in 7 dogs in the UK have fleas1, while roundworm eggs are identified in 86.6% of soil samples from UK parks.2
These figures are high - especially when we consider that many pets are already receiving regular parasite treatments. This high level of risk is why routine parasite treatments are recommended for most pets.
Fleas are small, wingless insects that commonly infest cats and dogs. They can jump around 20 cm and can move rapidly on the skin, meaning it’s often very difficult to spot a live flea unless your pet is heavily infested.
More commonly, you might notice your dog scratching more or black specks of ‘flea dirt’ in their coat. These specks are actually flea faeces, consisting of digested blood.
Not sure if the dirt in your dog’s coat is flea dirt? Try the ‘wet paper test’ - get a piece of white paper wet, then brush some of the dirt straight from your dog’s coat onto the paper. Within 30-60 seconds you should start to see a rusty reddish colour around the specks of flea dirt, as the digested blood begins to dissolve in the water.
Fleas are common enough that routine flea treatment is recommended for most dogs.
There are a few things to consider when choosing a flea treatment for your dog:
This seems obvious: fleas! But many flea treatment products protect against other parasites too, including mites, ticks, lungworm and roundworms, for example.
If you pick a product that only protects against fleas - which includes many over-the-counter options - your dog won’t be protected against other parasites like lungworm. Find out more about lungworm and whether your dog is at risk.
Spot-ons and tablets are the most popular types of flea treatment. If your dog has a sensitive stomach or is impossible to tablet, a spot-on or collar may be good options for you.
However, if your dog frequently swims or has regular baths, a spot-on may be ineffective. In addition, there’s growing concern that spot-ons may cause environmental damage if they are rinsed into water sources.
Other products like shampoos are typically not as effective.
Over-the-counter flea treatments are readily accessible and can be more affordable than their prescription-only counterparts. However, most over-the-counter flea treatments rely on fipronil as their active ingredient.
Fipronil can be a very effective flea treatment, but there is growing anecdotal evidence - and some early studies3,4 - suggesting that fleas may be developing resistance.
Vet-prescribed flea treatments for dogs are often more effective and also tend to offer a broader spectrum of protection against other parasites, such as lungworm. We strongly recommend discussing your dog’s risk factors with your vet to determine whether an over-the-counter or prescription flea treatment is best for them.
Most products require monthly administration, but there are some products that offer persistent protection against fleas for up to three months. If applying a spot-on or tableting your dog is particularly challenging, a longer-lasting product may be a good choice.
Medicated collars can offer protection against fleas for up to eight months, although they may take slightly longer than other products to reach their full effect.
The recommended flea treatment for your dog should be based on all of these factors. For tailored advice, speak to your vet about the best flea treatment for your dog.
The main intestinal worms seen in dogs are roundworms, whipworms, hookworms and tapeworms. However, the most common are roundworms and tapeworms.
These worms all have different life cycles and can be acquired in slightly different ways. Many worms, including roundworms, can be easily passed between dogs via eggs in the faeces. These eggs contaminate the soil and can be ingested when dogs groom themselves, even if they don’t actively engage in coprophagia (consuming faeces).
Roundworms and hookworms can also pass directly from mothers to their puppies, both before and after birth.
Tapeworms typically require dogs to ingest either their larvae or cysts to establish an infection, so they don’t pass directly from dog to dog. Tapeworm larvae are common in fleas, meaning dogs with fleas easily become infected by ingesting fleas while grooming.
Tapeworm cysts are found in raw meat, and in particular offal, so dogs that scavenge or are fed a raw diet typically require more frequent deworming.
Many dogs show few symptoms of worms, but heavy infections can cause a range of symptoms. While it’s uncommon, worms can cause severe illness, especially in young or otherwise compromised pets.
Symptoms include:
Most worms aren’t visible in dogs’ faeces. Tapeworm is the exception - these worms typically shed small ‘rice-like’ white segments in the faeces which are motile and can move short distances. Other worms are rarely seen, and a microscopic examination of the faeces to identify eggs would be required for a definitive diagnosis.
Unlike flea treatments, deworming products don’t have persistent activity against worms - they simply kill the worms present at the time they’re given.
This means the frequency of worming isn’t based on how long a product lasts, but on how high your dog’s exposure to worms is. This determines how quickly they’re likely to reach a high enough burden of worms to need treating.
A typical frequency for worming adult dogs is every three months, but this depends on your dog’s individual risk factors and the products being used.
Many vet-prescribed flea treatments include ingredients that treat roundworms and other intestinal worms. If your dog is being regularly treated for roundworms, a separate wormer to treat tapeworms may be recommended every three to six months.
It’s recommended that dogs on a raw diet are dewormed more frequently as they are at higher risk of certain worms, including some species of tapeworm.
Puppies should be treated for worms, including roundworms, monthly until the age of six months. This is because they are at higher risk of severe, potentially life-threatening illness if they develop a high worm burden.
It may be less commonly discussed, but lungworm is worth considering when planning your dog’s flea and worm treatments.
Lungworm in dogs is caused by Angiostrongylus vasorum, and its life cycle involves dogs ingesting larvae found in slugs, snails and frogs, either deliberately or by accident (for example, when scavenging).
This type of worm migrates to the heart and, in severe cases, can cause respiratory issues, including coughing and breathing difficulties, and affect blood clotting, causing excessive bleeding. Heavy infestations can be life-threatening.
No over-the-counter preventative treatments for lungworm are currently available, but there are various effective prescription-only treatments for lungworm in dogs. If you’re concerned your dog may be at risk, it’s best to speak to your vet for advice.
Learn more about lungworm in dogs.
The best flea and worm treatment for dogs depends on the factors described above, as well as the cost and availability of different options. There is no single recommended flea treatment for dogs, or set worming protocol, as the right treatment depends on your dog’s needs.
If you haven’t already, we recommend discussing parasite treatments with your vet at your dog’s next vaccination appointment to make sure they’re effectively protected.
The majority of combined flea and worm treatments do not treat tapeworms, so a separate worming treatment that is effective against tapeworms is required at regular intervals. This is usually recommended every three to six months, depending on your dog’s level of risk.
Puppies need monthly worm treatments until they’re six months old, when they can transition to a normal adult frequency for deworming.
Flea treatments should usually be started when they begin to go outside, around the time of their second vaccines. However, they may be started sooner if they have fleas or are at high risk for them.
There are a few reasons why you may see fleas on a treated dog, or continue to notice worms after treatment:
Canine flea treatments can be toxic to cats, so if you’re treating your cat it’s essential to use a product designed for them.
The idea of a natural flea repellent for dogs or a herbal treatment for worms is certainly appealing. However, there is no good evidence that any non-medicinal product is effective in repelling or treating fleas, worms or any other common parasites.
Unfortunately, many of these products can appear similar to medicinal over-the-counter flea and worm treatments. Pets treated with these products can end up with severe flea infestations or heavy worm burdens, which can cause significant illness.
When purchasing over-the-counter flea and worm treatments, it’s essential to check the details of exactly what the product treats, what its active ingredients are and whether it states that it will kill parasites or simply repel them.
Keeping your dog safe from parasites can be a hassle, but staying on top of treatments doesn’t have to be.
With Pawpass, you can easily track your dog’s parasite treatments and receive personalised reminders, so you never miss a dose again. But that’s just the beginning. Pawpass also lets you manage your dog’s vaccinations, view their medical records, and keep an eye on their weight - all in one place with a single, secure login. Ready to make pet care simpler? Discover Pawpass today!
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