Deworming
Not every dewormer kills every worm. Our Sugar Land clinic near Highway 6 and Southwest Freeway starts with a fecal test in our in-clinic lab when it can help, so the treatment matches the parasite your pet actually has.
Puppies and kittens are the exception: they're dewormed on a schedule from their first visits, because so many are born with roundworms or pick them up nursing.
Call (346) 436-6295 or book online.
When it's an emergency: Go straight to a 24-hour emergency hospital for a puppy or kitten with bloody diarrhea, vomiting, very pale gums, or weakness, which can mean severe hookworm anemia or parvovirus. We're open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, and we don't provide overnight care.
Who Needs Deworming
Puppies and kittens, several times during their first months
New pets from a shelter, rescue, or breeder
Pets with worms or rice-like segments in stool or near the tail
Pets with diarrhea, weight loss, or a pot-bellied look
Adult pets whose fecal test finds parasites
Cornell's Feline Health Center notes that kittens can get roundworms through their mother's milk, and that the common cat roundworm can also infect people. That's one reason young pets are dewormed even when they look healthy.
“Loved seeing my kittens and worked with us on most everything. Amazing atmosphere too. 10/10 visit for our new 6 week old kittens”
— Jaxon S., Petfolk client.
Why a Store Dewormer Often Misses
Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms respond to different drugs, and Giardia isn't a worm at all. A pet treated for the wrong parasite stays sick while you think the problem is handled.
A fecal test shows which eggs or parasites are present. Whipworms and Giardia shed on and off, so the doctor may ask for a second sample if symptoms continue after a clean result.
Shared Lawns and Humid Soil
Roundworm and hookworm eggs survive for long periods in warm, moist soil, and Sugar Land's long, humid summers suit them. In master-planned neighborhoods like First Colony and Telfair, many dogs share the same greenbelts, parkways, and HOA common areas, so one untreated dog can seed a lawn for every dog that follows.
Pick up after your dog right away, on walks and in your own yard.
Wipe paws after walks on shared grass, especially for puppies.
Wash hands after yard work and cleanup; some pet worms can infect people.
Ask whether your pet's monthly heartworm preventive also covers intestinal worms.
When Deworming Isn't Needed Right Now
An adult pet on a monthly preventive that covers intestinal worms, with a clean fecal test in the past year and no symptoms, usually doesn't need extra deworming. Wait for the next scheduled fecal test.
Something odd-looking in the yard isn't always worms. If you're not sure, bring a fresh stool sample rather than treating blind.
Follow-Up and Reinfection
Deworming kills the worms present now, not eggs and larvae waiting in the yard or developing in the body. That's why puppies and kittens get repeat doses and why the doctor may recheck a fecal sample a few weeks after treatment.
In multi-pet homes, treat every pet the doctor recommends at the same time, and clean bedding and shared bowls.
What Deworming Costs
Deworming is usually done at a wellness exam. A wellness exam is $99, or included with PetfolkCare.
The dewormer is priced by your pet's weight and the product, and a fecal test is a lab charge you'll see before it's run. PetfolkCare is $199 a year and takes 10% off labs and preventives.
Match the Treatment to the Parasite
Bring a fresh stool sample and your pet to a wellness exam. Call (346) 436-6295 or book online.