DEWORMING

Question
I have a 6 year old mixed breed terrier (approx. 10 lbs.)  He had parvo as a puppy and spent weeks in treatment.  The vet that had treated him his entire life has recently moved and I have been unable to locate him.  This week upon our first visit to our new vet our dog was found to be completely healthy.  The new vet wants us to use worm medication, I'm hesitant to do so because our dog has never had worms (since his parvo cure) and our previous vet had never recommended the deworm treatment.  Is this treatment appropriate?  I'm not sure I should treat a problem that doesn't exist.

Answer
Take in a stool specimen and have it examined for parasites; this should be done at least yearly. If there is nothing there, then, I agree, the dog should not be wormed. We put far too many chemicals in and on our dogs as it is.

If you are not happy with this vet (and I certainly wouldn't be happy with a vet that wanted to treat one of my dogs unnecessarily!), then look for another one.

The first several years that we lived out here in the country, I drove 45 minutes to a vet that I liked and trusted and had used before the move because I couldn't find a decent one out here. That has changed now, but even so, if there are multiple vets in a clinic, one always has the option of asking for a specific one.

When trying out a new vet, always do so when needing something minor. Go with all your questions, and maybe even ask for a tour of the joint. If they aren't too busy, they should be willing to accommodate you. Beware the vet who wants to pad the bill with unnecessary stuff that your dog doesn't need!

Karen