Deworming frequencies in cats and dogs – when is monthly deworming essential?*

Deworming frequencies in cats and dogs – when is monthly deworming essential?

Whether and when we should use monthly prophylactic deworming regimes in our cats and dogs is a question that is often debated by the veterinary profession across the UK. In the absence of endemic heart worm (Dirofilaria immitis) and Echinococcus multilocularis which drive deworming frequencies in large parts of the US and Europe, thoughts turn to which helminths are of major concern in UK cats and dogs. Toxocara spp and Echinococcus granulosus are zoonotic and Angiostrongylus vasorum is potentially highly pathogenic to dogs even if present in low numbers. It is the risk of exposure to these parasites which forms the basis of UK deworming guidelines. This article considers a risk based approach for establishing whether monthly deworming of UK cats and dogs is required as well as discussing other worm control strategies.