There are plenty of trials when it comes to raising a new puppy, but also plenty of thrills and fun to be had as well. Keeping your puppy free of worms is an important aspect of enjoying plenty of good times, but the risks and side effects that come along with administering worming drugs can have devastating long-term effects. Fortunately, you don’t have to use dangerous drugs, there are plenty of home remedies for worms in puppies that can both eliminate and prevent worms.
1. Raw Garlic
One of the simplest and most effective worming remedies in your home is garlic. Garlic contains an amino acid called allicin. Allicin is known to kill hookworms and roundworms by creating a non-hospitable environment for their larvae and growth. In addition, fresh garlic actually improves your puppy’s intestinal tract.
What to do:
- Peel and finely chop 1 clove of garlic.
- The allicin needs a bit of air at room temperature for 15 minutes to become more potent.
- Feed the garlic to your puppy based on weight: up to 25 lbs. ¼ clove, 20 to 50 lbs. ½ clove, 50 to 75 lbs. ¾ clove, and over 75 lbs. 1 clove.
- Give the following doses twice daily for several days until there are no more worms or eggs in feces.
2. Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Food grade diatomaceous earth is another safe and potent way to get rid of all worms except tapeworms. This remedy works by snagging adult worms from the intestines and flushing them out. Once the adult population is removed, the reproduction of the worms is stopped and your puppy is worm free. Be certain the diatomaceous earth is well mixed into moist food because breathing it in can cause respiratory issues.
What to do:
- Thoroughly mix 1 tsp of FGDE into moist puppy food.
- Repeat this daily for up to two weeks.
3. Black Walnut Hulls
Also effective in the home remedies for worms in puppies are black walnut hulls. Black walnut hulls are particularly toxic for tapeworms and it is highly effective at eliminating adults, larvae, and eggs.
What to do:
- Place the contents of black walnut hull capsules in your puppy’s food once daily based on weights: up to 5 lbs. ¼ capsule, 5 to 10 lbs. ½ capsule, 10 to 15 lbs. ¾ capsule, 20 lbs. 1 capsule.
- Repeat this remedy daily for two weeks.
4. Cloves
These are another common ingredient found in most kitchens and an effective remedy for worms in puppies as well. Cloves kill nearly all types of worms, their eggs and their larvae except tapeworms.
What to do:
- Add the equivalent amount of one whole clove for every 10 lbs. of your puppy’s body weight, which is a little less than 1/8 tsp of ground clove. Add just a pinch of ground cloves for puppies under 5 lbs.
- Repeat this daily for two weeks.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar enters into yet another home remedy and is proven effective for eliminating worms in puppies as well. Worms love an acidic environment and apple cider vinegar tends to make your puppy’s intestinal tract more alkaline, which makes its intestines uninhabitable for worms.
What to do:
- Add ¼ to 1 tsp of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to your puppy’s water, depending on the volume of the dish on a daily basis.
- Be sure to pour out the old water and add new water and vinegar daily.
- Repeat this until you no longer see signs of worms.
6. Raw Carrots
Raw carrots are among the easiest and most readily available home remedies for worms in puppies. By flushing the mucus from your dog’s intestinal lining, raw carrots help to expel worms. In addition, they are safe and really easy to feed because dog’s and puppies love them.
What to do:
- Finely chop a raw carrot.
- Add ½ tsp of carrot to your puppy’s food based on every 10 lbs. of body weight.
- Repeat this twice a day for 10 days.
7. Green Papaya
Like raw carrots, fresh green papaya is another safe and effective way of eliminating roundworms. Green papaya adds proteins and enzymes that help your puppy digest old mucus where worms tend to reproduce and helps digest the parasites as well.
What to do:
- Finely chop a raw green papaya.
- Add ½ tsp of chopped papaya to your puppy’s food based on every 10 lbs. of body weight.
- Repeat this daily for two weeks.
8. Turmeric
Turmeric is another safe and effective ingredient found in most kitchens and among the best home remedies for worms in puppies. There are four compounds found naturally in turmeric which help to create an inhospitable environment for the parasites. In addition, turmeric can also assist in eliminating any inflammation and damage to the intestines caused by the worms.
What to do:
- Add ¼ tsp of turmeric for every 10 lbs. of body weight to your puppy’s food.
- Repeat this remedy daily for two weeks.
9. Dried Coconut
Dried coconut is also a potent means of getting rid of tapeworms. A type of fiber known as vermifuge is what works to expel tapeworms and other parasites from your puppy’s intestines. It usually isn’t hard to get your puppy to eat coconut because it has a pleasant flavor and smell.
What to do:
- Add dried, shredded, raw coconut without added sugar to a coffee grinder to make it into a powder.
- Sprinkle dried coconut over your puppy’s food in the following measure: up to 25 lbs 1 tsp, between 25 and 50 lbs 2 tsp and above 50 lbs 3 tsp.
- Repeat this twice a day for 10 days.
10. Olive Leaf Extract
Expelling worms from your puppy’s intestinal tract can be accomplished through the use of olive leaf extract as well. The compound oleopurin is the effective ingredient in this remedy, which kills worms, larvae, and eggs and then flushes them out.
What to do:
- Find olive leaf extract with at least 12% oleopurin.
- For puppies up to 25 lbs., give 200 mg; 25 to 50 lbs. 300 mg; and over 50 lbs. 600 mg.
- Repeat this twice a day for up to eight weeks if necessary.
11. Oregon Grape Extract
An item that you ought to have in your house to benefit your own health, Oregon grape extract is also among the effective home remedies for worms in puppies. Containing berberine, OGE is not only an immunity booster and infection fighter but is also an anti-parasite agent. In addition, OGE promotes liver health as well.
What to do:
- Add 6 drops of OGE to your puppy’s food for every 10 pounds of body weight.
- Repeat this remedy twice daily for a week.
12. Remove Food for 24 Hours
To get an upper hand on any worm infestation in your puppy, removing all food for a period of 24 hours can make any of the remedies you use more effective. Worms thrive because of easy access to food. Taking that away for just 24 hours can weaken adult worms and larva and interrupt their reproductive process.
What to do:
- Remove food and treats from your puppy for a 24 hour period.
- Be sure to provide fresh water throughout this time.
- Repeat this once per week for 1 month along with other remedies.
13. Raw Pumpkin Seeds
Common among traditional home remedies for worms in puppies are raw pumpkin seeds. Raw pumpkin seeds are so potent that they not only eliminate the adult worms, larvae and eggs present in your puppy’s intestines, but they also help to prevent worms as well.
What to do:
- Grind ½ cup of raw, organic pumpkin seeds in a food processor or coffee grinder.
- Add ¼ tsp of the powder to your puppy’s food for every 10 lbs. of body weight.
- Repeat this twice a day for two weeks.
14. Goldenseal
Another effective home remedy for getting rid of worms in puppies is goldenseal. Whether using goldenseal tea or tincture, this is a highly effective herb for eliminating intestinal parasites of all sorts.
What to do:
- Obtain goldenseal tincture or make goldenseal tea by steeping 1 tsp of dried goldenseal herb in 2 cups of boiling water for 20 minutes.
- Using a clean dropper, place 1 to 3 drops of goldenseal in your puppy’s food.
- Repeat this daily for two weeks.
15. Neem
Another herb which is highly effective when it comes to home remedies for worms in puppies is neem. Neem has a strong anti-parasitic effect on both humans and dogs and will remove all intestinal worms except for tapeworms.
What to do:
- Add ground neem leaf to your puppy’s food in the following doses: up to 25 lbs. 50 mg, 25-50 lbs. 100 mg, over 50 lbs. 250 mg.
- Repeat this remedy twice daily for at least a week.
Conclusion
All of the excitement of adding a new member to your family can be damped slightly whenever worms show up. Thankfully, you are now well prepared with 15 home remedies for worms in puppies to prevent or treat the infestation of those nasty parasites. Make use of one or more of the treatments listed above and then add your comments and success stories in the section below.
Image source: depositphotos.com