Worm problem and a few questions.

[Charlies_Mommy]

So I recently read the tread about how Basenjis will throw up stomach acid if they haven't eaten in a while. So when Charlie was in the backyard the other day and he vomited a clearish liquid I figured he just needed to eat.

Then yesturday my mom told me Charlie vomited up chunks on our lab mix Bandit. She figured he just got too many crunchy dog bones/treats because that's what it consisted of. Charlie can be quite a pig when it comes to treats.

Today the three dogs were hanging out in my room while I did some school work, sniffing my rat cage, wrestling around on the floor and bed. After I finished I sat on my bed to relax and watch a little television while all three dogs cuddled on my bed with me.
About 10 minutes later, Charlie got up and started sniffing around a pile of stuffed animals on my floor. When I looked over at him, it looked like he was eating something.
Turned out to be vomit. Then I noticed something moving in it. I'm almost 100% that they were roundworms.

I'll be calling the vet tomorrow to get the first appointment I can.

Since I'm a college student that doesn't work, I'm on a limited budget. My parents will help me out if I need it, but I'd rather not let it get to that.
Is there anything that really works that I can buy from a pet store?
My vet doesn't charge a fortune, but medications are still very expensive.

I was also wondering if anyone has ever tried that Advantage Multi. I recieved info about it from the SPCA and the vet, I just want to hear from people who have used it before.
Is it worth it, ot is it better to stick with seperate medications?

Thanks a bunch for any help.

[tanza]

You really need to get him checked by a Vet and take a stool sample with you… most likely he has more then just round worms and they can cause lots of damage.... especially in a young puppy... I would not depend on something from the pet store.
Never have used Advantage Multi, what is it supposed to be for (other the fleas)....

[Charlies_Mommy]

I haven't really noticed any in his stool, which is weird. I only noticed them in his vomit today though, so I wasn't paying too much attention to his stool.

Advantage Multi is supped to prevent fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites. If it actually does work that well then it would be worth it. I'm just not sure it does.

[lvoss]

The problem with "Multi" medications is that if your dog has a reaction to a component you will have no idea which one was the cause. I prefer to use a separate flea/tick preventative from the heartworm/intestinal parasite medication. I also give them at separate times so if there is a reaction I will have a good idea of what it is to.

[tanza]

It is a serious infestation of worms by the time it is in the vomit… and typically worming is not something that you need to do on a routine schedule.... only when needed, at least that is what I do.... it is usually tape that you see easily in the stool... and sometimes not even then. I my experience, by the time pups have worms in their vomit.. they are pretty heavily infested and will need usually more then one treatment.

And Lisa is right about the Multi... same as with give all their shots at one time... also called a whopper shot... if there is a reaction you would not know what it is from.. I always split my shots up and never do rabies with anything else

[Charlies_Mommy]

Well like I said, I'll be calling the vet tomorrow to get the first appointment I can. I've been trying to get him to the vet for the last two weeks. Unfortunately it's near the end of the semester and I've been flooded with papers. I didn't think it was a serious vet visit until I noticed the worms.

That is a good point about the bad reactions. I will definetly keep them seperate and get on a schedule with my vet as soon as Charlie is worm free.

I'm worried about my other dogs too, especially my 13 year old papillion mix. I'll be watching them for worms, but do you think a pet store dewormer would be a good thing to get them on now, just in case?

[Quercus]

Definitely Go to to the vet! IME the pet store dewormers are not very effective. And you have to be REALLY sure you are worming for the correct worm that your dog has. Puppies often have roundworms from their mom…but all dogs can have tape worms, and both can be vomitted up in severe infestations.

[MaxBooBooBear]

Poor little guy–if you can't get in to see your regular vet today--take him to ANY vet that can get you in today. If you have any other dogs, I would take them along, too--maybe you can get a volume discount. Pls keep us posted.

[dash]

@MaxBooBooBear:

Poor little guy–if you can't get in to see your regular vet today--take him to ANY vet that can get you in today. If you have any other dogs, I would take them along, too--maybe you can get a volume discount. Pls keep us posted.

that's a really good point. If you do go to the vet see if they will give you treatment for all the dogs. It may save you from reinfestation.

As for the OTC treatments, I have never used them and don't trust them.

[tanza]

@Charlies_Mommy:

Well like I said, I'll be calling the vet tomorrow to get the first appointment I can. I've been trying to get him to the vet for the last two weeks. Unfortunately it's near the end of the semester and I've been flooded with papers. I didn't think it was a serious vet visit until I noticed the worms.

That is a good point about the bad reactions. I will definetly keep them seperate and get on a schedule with my vet as soon as Charlie is worm free.

I'm worried about my other dogs too, especially my 13 year old papillion mix. I'll be watching them for worms, but do you think a pet store dewormer would be a good thing to get them on now, just in case?

In a word…. NO

[Charlies_Mommy]

Just thought I'd let everyone know how my baby is doing now.

I took him to the vet on Wednesday morning. Like I suspected, he had roundworms. He got two little chewable pills for them, which Charlie scarfed down while the vet was in the middle of telling us that he could give them to Charlie or I could take them home to give him.

While there, he also got an overall exam. At 17 weeks, my little man weighs 15 pounds. The spot on his eye that I was worried about is mostlikely a calcium deposit or a deposit from the roundworms. It should disappear eventually and it isn't affecting him at all. He recieved his last two puppy shots, which be did not like one bit.
The four middle teeth in the front of his mouth are all adult teeth. I noticed today that another one is missing and I can see the tip of the adult tooth. The vet said that most of his teeth, excluding his canines, should be in by Christmas. Charlie should also be around 20 pounds at Christmas, which means he can get on a more regular flea, tick, and worming program.

So he's still a happy little boy and he's all healthy.

[WBL]

Thanks for the update, glad to hear things are going better.

Tiggy lost two of his teeth today too, I think (for as much as he'll let me look, lol) he only has his top canines left.