What is albendazole for in dogs?One of the most common conditions in dogs is the presence of parasites, both internal and external. For this reason, those who have a pet dog know the importance of deworming it from time to time, always following the guidelines indicated by the veterinarian.
What is albendazole for in dogs?
It is normal to deworm our pets once a month or once every three months, otherwise they could suffer from worm infestations that can make them sick or cause their death. Likewise, parasites are also a risk for humans, as they can transmit diseases such as zoonoses.
If, for some reason, your dog suffers from worms or parasites, you should know that the problem is usually easy to treat if it is detected early. For these cases, one of the best-known antiparasitic or anthelmintic medications is albendazole, used in adult animals and puppies. In this oneHOWTO article, we will talk about albendazole for dogs, what it is, what it is for and what dose it should be administered in, as well as what the side effects of this medication are. Keep reading and find out more about it!
You may also be interested in: Ivermectin for dogs: what it is, what it is for and dosage
Index
- What is albendazole
- What is albendazole for in dogs?
- Albendazole dosage in dogs
- Contraindications of albendazole
- Albendazole Side Effects
What is albendazole
Albendazole is a drug from the benzimidazole family and is indicated as a broad-spectrum anthelmintic and antiparasitic against nematodes, cestodes and some trematodes. This drug works by inhibiting the growth of the larvae, preventing them from feeding and using glucose until they die.
Benzimidazole medications are a very effective option against these parasites, since in addition to killing them, they are cheap and quite safe for your dog.
The administration of this antiparasitic is usually done orally. If the pet refuses to ingest it, other alternatives can be tried such as hiding the pill in food or crushing it and mixing it with water to give it with a syringe.
This drug can be found in different presentations: powders, pastes, pills, suspensions, among others. Depending on the degree of infestation, the type of parasite and your dog’s diet, the veterinarian will prefer one presentation over another.
If you think your dog may have parasites, visit our article How to deworm my dog to choose the correct way to do it, whether they are internal or external parasites.
What is albendazole for in dogs?
Not all antiparasitics work for all types of parasites. Albendazole is usually a frequently chosen drug to eliminate worm infestations, especially against gastrointestinal nematodes . It is effective against pig worm, roundworms, and helps reduce the cysts that produce the excretion of the worm.
It is important that you pay attention to your pet’s behavior to notice if there are changes in his health or mood that could indicate a parasite problem. This way, you can treat it as quickly as possible.
Symptoms of intestinal parasites in dogs
Worm infestations can cause serious problems for your dog, including death, so if you have observed or observe any of these symptoms in your dog, do not hesitate to go to the veterinarian:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Hibernation
- Worms in your feces
- Swollen or larger than normal belly. This usually happens in puppies that have contracted parasites from the mother. Puppies should be dewormed to prevent diseases at vulnerable ages. Visit When to Start Deworming a Puppy to learn how to do it.
- Loss of appetite.
- Rapid weight loss.
If worm infestation in dogs is left untreated, it can cause damage to the internal organs of the animal. Except for a few, most intestinal parasites are easy to diagnose and treat . Other types of parasites are more dangerous, such as heartworm, which can cause serious damage to the heart of dogs. That is why it is so important to frequently deworm your pet and prevent diseases.
In our article How often should I deworm my dog , we tell you everything you need to know to reduce the chances of your pet getting sick.
Albendazole dosage in dogs
The dose of albendazole to be administered is designed, above all, to eliminate intestinal worms in dogs . Here we indicate the most common doses depending on the species of parasite. However, the ideal is that you go to the veterinarian so that he can diagnose your pet and decide the best treatment for it.
- Toxocara canis: 50 mg/kg/day x 3 days
- Strongyloides stercoralis: 100 mg/ animal/ 2x/ day x 3 days.
- Capillaria plica: 50 mg/kg/ 12 hours x 10-14 days.
- Filaroides hirthi: 50 mg/kg 2x/day x 5 days, repeat after 21 days
- Filaroides osleri: 25 mg/kg 2x/day, x 5 days
- Paragonimus kellicotti: 50 mg/kg/day x 21 days
- Giardia spp: 25 mg/kg 2x/day x 4 days
How to give albendazole to a dog
As we have mentioned before, the most common thing is that the veterinarian is responsible for administering the antiparasitic to your dog, but if you do not have that possibility, you can do it yourself at home. There are dogs that refuse to take medications, especially if they are pills, so you can try the following:
- Hide the pill in some of your dog’s favorite food and offer it to him. They usually don’t realize it’s there and eat it.
- Crush the pill and mix it with a little water, place it in a small container and make sure he drinks it.
- If he doesn’t drink it, you can put the water in a syringe and administer the medication orally. Lift up its nose and place the syringe behind one of its fangs, gradually discharging the liquid.
- If all of the above doesn’t work, open his mouth with one hand from the back and with the other put the pill as far down the roof of his mouth as you can so he doesn’t spit it out later. Finally keep your friend’s mouth closed until he swallows the pill. You can do a throat massage, this will stimulate the action of swallowing. Be patient and careful, as you could hurt him.
- If you can’t get your dog to swallow the pill, go to the vet, he will change the presentation of the pill or tell you what to do.
Contraindications of albendazole
Like all medications, albendazole has contraindications that you should take into account before administering it to your pet. Among them are:
- This drug can cause allergy, so you should refrain from administering it if the patient has a history of allergy to any antiparasitic from the benzimidazole group or if the dog is known to be allergic. It will be the veterinarian who will choose another medication to administer.
- If the dog is taking any other medication, you need to notify the veterinarian, since there are drugs that nullify the effectiveness of albendazole.
- Do not administer to nursing or pregnant dogs, as it could be toxic for both the dog and her puppies.
Albendazole Side Effects
To know what to expect and how to respond if your pet takes the medication badly, it is important that you know what the possible side effects of albendazole for dogs are :
- May cause blood cell toxicity
- Leukopenia (low white blood cells)
- Hibernation
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
If you notice any of the symptoms listed above, go to the vet to make sure everything is okay with the medication and your pet.
