Best Natural De-Worming Treatments for Dogs

Best Natural De-Worming Treatments for Dogs

You’ve noticed some sluggish behavior in your dog recently. He just doesn’t seem to have that same ‘zest’ for life anymore! Your precious pup is beginning to look bloated, is losing weight, his coat is dull, and he just started vomiting all over the house.

 

He’s recently started dragging his bottom all over your carpet, and you can see what looks like tiny white grains of rice in his droppings. What will you do?

Table of Contents

What are Intestinal Worms in Dogs? Tapeworms in Dogs Other Worms in Dogs The Most Dangerous Worm Signs of Worms in Dogs Rabbit Ears for Dogs What are Rabbit Ears for Dogs? Rabbit Ears for Deworming Dental Health Protein in Rabbit Ears A Natural Feel with Rabbit Ears Apple Cider Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds How to Prevent Worms in Dogs? Conclusion: Why Not Give Rabbit Ears a Try?

 

What are Intestinal Worms in Dogs?

Intestinal worms are a kind of parasitic organism, feeding off of our furry friends for survival. They generally look exactly like worms (hence the name), though we can’t see all of them. Dogs can pick these up through insect bites, eating infected feces (yes, dogs do this), eating infected rodents/other animals, or picking them up from contaminated soil.

 

Tapeworms in Dogs

When most people think of worms, this is what generally comes to mind. Tapeworms are naturally white, flat parasites that can grow pretty long (up to 11 inches!), and very easy to see with the naked eye in full adult form.

 

Normally, tapeworms don’t cause very serious dangers in adult dogs, but can be a big problem for puppies! Tapeworms are segmented and will break off into sections in your dog’s intestines or feces. The segments act as eggs and will pass from the animal in feces for other animals to pick up.

 

• Fleas can carry and spread tapeworms as well, so you will want to be sure your dog doesn’t have worms after any flea problem.

 

Other Worms in Dogs

There are actually 5 total primary types of parasitic worms in dogs, tapeworms only being the best recognized intestinal parasite. There are also the infamous heartworms passed from carrier mosquitos, whipworms, hookworms, and roundworms.

 

Some of these are microscopic, and would never be detected outside of clinical examination. Hookworms normally reach about ⅛ of an inch, and can also infect humans (common in tropical areas), potentially leading to death!

 

The Most Dangerous Worm

Heartworms cause the most deaths in dogs, far exceeding the others! A little like tapeworms, these can grow extremely long (up to 14 inches!) but can become much more dangerous due to their locations.

 

Unlike the others, heartworms don’t infest an animal’s intestines, but rather clog the heart, surrounding blood vessels, arteries, and sometimes the lungs. Animals can go for years symptom-free until the heartworms finally begin to fill these passages and block blood flow.

 

A dog can have around 300 worms when finally diagnosed, which makes treatment near impossible and often ends in death. Even the treatment for heartworms can be dangerous, is very expensive, and doesn’t always save the animal.

 

Signs of Worms in Dogs

• Diarrhea and/or vomiting
• Possible fever
• Scoot on rear/ may lick rear
• Mucus coated stools
• Worms in stools
• Bloated belly

 

*Image of heartworms transferred to a jar for observation.

Rabbit Ears for Dogs

Most people have never heard of rabbit ears for dogs, or using them as any kind of treatment for intestinal parasites. You’ll be pleased to hear- not only will your pet absolutely love this unique new treat, but rabbit ears offer a nutritious treat that is both all-natural and exceedingly delicious!

 

What are Rabbit Ears for Dogs?

As a byproduct of the rabbit meat industries, most are produced in China (the largest provider in the world), but many are produced in Europe and other countries. After harvesting, the ears are either air-dried or freeze-dried.

 

Not only will your dog absolutely cherish those rabbit ears with hair, but they are also highly nutritious! Both low in fat and calories but higher in protein, These fantastically healthy dog treats will go a long way in augmenting your pup’s nutritional regimen.

 

Rabbit Ears for Deworming

Because your dog can’t digest the rabbit fur, it will brush along the animal’s intestines before excreted. This can have a sort of cleaning effect, knocking out some of those larger tapeworm parasites.

 

Almost like a broom, the dietary fiber offered by your dog’s rabbit ears will sweep through your pet’s digestive tract. Not only will it augment your de-worming efforts, but fiber, in general, will also enhance your dog’s digestive health.

 

Dental Health

The simple, mechanical action of a dog chewing on a bone or anything else solid (rabbit ear, in this case) will help break up plaque before it has a chance to solidify and become tartar! In fact, chewing bones, lasting chews like rabbit ears, or other toys is recommended for this reason.

 

Not only will your dog love his rabbit ears, but they will also help keep that mouth healthy simultaneously!

 

Protein in Rabbit Ears

Protein is absolutely vital for dogs, just like it is for humans! The proteins are broken down to amino acids inside the dog’s body, which are then used to build other proteins by the dog’s body. There is a lot of truth to the age-old phrase ‘proteins are the building blocks of life’!

 

Unfortunately, many dogs don’t get nearly the right levels of proteins they need today. Dogs need the right levels of essential amino acids found most in animal meat (animal products). Cheap dog food manufacturers will use fillers like corn, wheat, or other plant products to offer the wrong kinds of proteins.

A Natural Feel with Rabbit Ear Treats

Not only are they a fantastic nutritional treat, but rabbit ears for dogs also mimic a natural type of food a dog (or wolf) might enjoy in the wild. On top of this, many of today’s dogs have a very high prey drive, some having been bred to hunt rabbits, and cherish the meal!

 

Prey Drive

Many dogs naturally have a very high prey drive, prone to chase anything that moves. You might see your pup jump after that leaf, blowing in the wind!

 

Dogs are natural predatory animals, and are able to derive great pleasure from ‘the hunt’. Why not mimic this with your rabbit ear treats? Make a game out of them! Hide your dog’s rabbit ears somewhere in the home, playing the ‘find it’ game. Your pup will use his natural hunting instincts to find this treat (i.e. nose) before he even starts to enjoy them.

 

Not only will these rabbit ears with fur provide a fantastic, healthy treat as well as a natural de-worming preventative, this game will offer a wonderful opportunity for exercise.

 

Apple Cider Vinegar

By increasing alkaline (base PH) levels in your dog’s intestines, creating an inhospitable environment for worms in your furry friends! The normal intestinal PH for a dog is about 7.3, making it pretty acidic. Vinegar, on the other hand, offers a much lower PH of about 2.5.

 

To help prevent or kill intestinal worms, try adding 1/4th to a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your pet’s drinking water once a day. When used regularly, apple cider vinegar for worms in dogs is a fantastic preventative!

 

Where this is a wonderful treatment and preventative, vinegar can’t completely replace deworming medications. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian regarding intestinal worm treatments!

Pumpkin Seeds

Normally functioning as a defense mechanism protecting against many herbivores, Cucurbitacin is a class of biochemical compounds offering a sort of bitter taste. Pumpkin seeds contain small amounts of this compound, which has been used to help control intestinal parasites inside livestock for years!

 

Not only can they offer protection against worms in dogs, but pumpkin seeds are also nutritious! Both rich in Zinc and omega 3/6 fatty acids! “More recently, researchers have shown that cucurbitacins can kill or suppress growth of cancer cells (Science Daily).”

How to Prevent Worms in Dogs?

Wouldn’t it just be easier if we prevented these worms in dogs altogether? We’ve all been told it’s much easier to prevent a problem altogether than treat it once the dog has it.

 

 

Pick Up Droppings Immediately!

Dogs will deposit sections of tapeworms, acting as ‘eggs’, in their droppings. You also might see entire portions of worms in those droppings. Though it might seem disgusting to us humans, many dogs won’t give a second’s thought to chowing down on some of that feces. This includes the droppings of other animals.

 

By cleaning up your pet’s messes (or avoiding areas that may contain messes made by other pets), you can prevent your pup from making a meal of them.

 

Use Remedies Listed Above Regularly!

Each of the holistic, natural treatments above act as fantastic preventatives! On top of that, each offers its own share of vitamins and minerals. If that weren’t enough, rabbit ears for dogs act as a wonderful treat to top it all off!

 

Always Use Heartworm Preventative!

When it comes to heartworm, there is no simple holistic cure. If you live in an area of the world with any kind of mosquitoes, you’re going to want to offer a veterinarian prescribed monthly treatment.

 

Consider Flea and Tick Preventatives!

Tapeworms are often spread through fleas, and countless disorders, some deadly, can be spread via ticks (i.e. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick Borne Paralysis). By simply utilizing a monthly preventative, you can easily prevent these parasitic insects in dogs!

 

Use Caution around Lakes and Ponds!

Many dog breeds, like the giant Newfoundland or Labrador Retriever, absolutely love to swim! Unfortunately, dogs can just as easily pick up parasites from these untreated lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, etc. Most dogs can’t resist drinking some of that refreshing water!

 

You don’t have to prevent your pup from swimming! If they do, simply be sure to regularly use a deworming product (whether holistic or veterinary prescribed).

 

Bring Stool Samples Each Veterinary Checkup.

Your animal doctor is going to want to examine a small slide of your pet’s feces under a microscope. This isn’t anything disgusting or unusual to them, but rather just another method to ensure your pet’s health. It’s actually a regular part of a veterinary checkup, though sadly many pet owners forget to do this or simply chose not to.

 

Most intestinal parasites, worm or otherwise, will show up during this examination. This includes a wealth of microscopic parasites too small for the naked eye to see.

 

Ensure Vaccinations are Current

Vaccines aren’t offered for many dog parasites, but they are highly recommended for some of the more common, and more dangerous, viruses. Rabies is mandatory in much of the world because it tends to become an enormous problem where it isn’t, for example, and things like Canine Parvovirus kill thousands of puppies each year.

Conclusion: Why Not Give Rabbit Ears a Try?

Each and every suggestion above offers a fantastic way to keep your dog happy and healthy, but rabbit ears for dogs offer more benefits than any other. They aren’t just an inexpensive, simple treat for dogs, but a creative way to give your pup hard to find nutrition he needs.

 

Augment your current deworming preventatives with these fantastic natural treats. Rabbit ears are a great, healthy solution in addition to a superbly creative dog treat.

 

Sources Cited

 

University of California - Davis. (2014, November 27). Bitter food but good medicine from cucumber genetics. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 15, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141127212342.htm