Do natural wormers work?

No: there's no proof that garlic, diatomaceous earth or 'natural' preparations get rid of worms (ESCCAP GL1 consensus, 2025). Worse, garlic is toxic to dogs. The only reliable protocol is still a wormer chosen by your vet to suit the dog and its risk.

Are dog worms dangerous to children?

Some roundworms are zoonoses: a child can become infected by swallowing eggs picked up by hand (soil, sandpit). The risk stays low with a few simple habits: pick up droppings quickly, wash hands, cover the sandpit, and keep the dog's worming up to date. It's no reason to keep the child away from the dog, just to set up calm hygiene (CDC; ESCCAP).

Worms & worming: protecting your dog

Health & preventionPart of · Health & prevention

Worms & worming: protecting your dog

Q: How do I know if my dog has worms?

Often you can't: many worms and their eggs are microscopic, and a healthy dog can carry them without any sign. A few possible clues: 'grain of rice' segments near the anus, spaghetti-like worms in the stools, a bloated belly or a dull coat in a puppy. When in doubt, your vet confirms with a stool test.

Q: When should you worm your dog?

Puppies are on a tight schedule: every 2 weeks from 2 weeks to 2 months, then once a month up to 6 months. Adults are wormed at least 4 times a year (roughly every 3 months), more often if there's hunting, group living or young children at home. Your vet sets the frequency to your dog's lifestyle (ESCCAP GL1, 2025).

7 min read

Worms are common, especially in puppies, and many go completely unseen in the stools. So you don't worm the day you spot one: you follow a prevention schedule. It's the vet who chooses the product and the dose, never a home remedy.

Why you worm even when your dog is fine

Many worms simply aren't visible: the eggs are microscopic, and some parasites never show up in the poo at all. A dog in perfect shape can therefore carry them and spread their eggs without the slightest sign. Several can pass to humans, and they mainly affect young children (CDC, the American public health agency; ESCCAP, the European veterinary body of reference on parasites in dogs and cats). Worming protects your dog and the whole household.

Not seeing any worms doesn't mean your dog hasn't got any: going by what you can see means underestimating the risk.

The schedule, by age

Puppy

From 2 weeks to 2 months: every 2 weeks
From 2 to 6 months: once a month
This tight rhythm targets the roundworm passed on by the mother, already present very early (ESCCAP GL1, 2025; Companion Animal Parasite Council)

Adult dog

At least 4 times a year, roughly every 3 months, for most dogs (Companion Animal Parasite Council)
A dog who stays at home nearly all the time may only need it 1 to 2 times a year; a dog who hunts, eats whatever he finds, stays in boarding kennels, or spends time around young children goes up to once a month (ESCCAP GL1, 2025)
The vet tailors the frequency to your dog's actual lifestyle, not the neighbour's

Pregnant or nursing bitch

A separate protocol, decided and prescribed by the vet
She is the one who passes worms to her puppies, through the placenta and then the milk
Often started before whelping and continued through nursing

The right habits, day to day

A simple routine you can keep up over time: the schedule does most of the work.

Ask your vet to choose the wormer

The product and the dose depend on your dog's weight and lifestyle: let your vet choose them, rather than picking up a random box or copying another dog's dose.

Put the dates in your diary

Worming is planned ahead: it isn't a reaction to a worm you happened to spot. A simple calendar reminder is enough to keep you on track.

Line it up with the flea treatment

A dog picks up tapeworm by swallowing an infested flea: treat both together, otherwise the reinfestation keeps coming back (ESCCAP GL1, 2025).

Pick up fresh poo

Poo picked up the same day hasn't had time to contaminate the ground: you break the cycle before it starts.

Wash hands, children's especially

After stroking the dog, picking up his stools or gardening, wash your hands: it's the simplest barrier against passing anything on to humans.

Recognising the worms you can actually see

When you do see something, here's what it corresponds to.

Small segments like grains of rice

Around the anus or in the stoolsTapeworm (most often Dipylidium): the dog picks it up by swallowing a flea, so treating fleas helps against it too.

White, round, spaghetti-like worms

In the stools or the vomitRoundworms (Toxocara), the most common in puppies. Often invisible, even when they're there.

Nothing visible

Normal-looking stoolsMost worms and their eggs are microscopic; heartworm and lungworm are never visible in the poo at all. That's the whole point of planned prevention, rather than waiting for a sign.

In every case, the vet confirms and chooses the treatment; a negative stool test doesn't tell the whole story, because some worms only shed their eggs in bursts.

These signs are worth a call to the vet, no need to panic: they'll join the dots and choose the treatment.

Keep an eye on it

A few "grain of rice" segments around the anus
The odd visible worm in the stools
Dull coat, puppy growing less well

Get it seen soon

Bloated belly in a puppy
Diarrhoea that lasts, keeps coming back, or contains mucus and blood
Unexplained weight loss despite a good appetite

Straight away

Pale gums and extreme tiredness (possible anaemia)
Persistent cough or difficulty breathing
Unusual bleeding: nose, bruising, bleeding that won't stop

ESCCAP — Guideline GL1: worm control in dogs and cats (2025)
American Heartworm Society — Consensus on canine heartworm disease (dirofilariasis)
Healthy Pets, Healthy People: dog parasites and zoonoses, CDC
Companion Animal Parasite Council: parasite recommendations, CAPC

Going further

guideFleas on dogs: spot, treat and prevent themFleas, ticks and worms often travel together: learn to spot and treat fleas to break the whole parasite cycle.Read the guide guideTicks on dogs: prevention and removalThe right technique for removing a tick and limiting the diseases it passes on.Read the guide guideDog vaccines and boosters: the essentialsThe other pillar of the prevention schedule, best lined up with the same appointments as the wormer.Read the guide guideDog vomiting and diarrhoea: what to do and when to see a vetVomiting and diarrhoea can go with a worm infestation: how to know when to worry.Read the guide guideA first-aid kit for your dogWhat to keep to hand, wormer included, for your dog's everyday health.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my dog has worms?

Most of the time, it doesn't show: many worms and their eggs are microscopic, and a dog in good shape can carry them without a single sign. A few possible clues: "grain of rice" segments near the anus, spaghetti-like worms in the stools, a bloated belly or a dull coat in a puppy. If in doubt, the vet confirms with a stool analysis.

When should you worm your dog?

Puppies follow a tight rhythm: every 2 weeks up to 2 months, then once a month up to 6 months (Companion Animal Parasite Council). In adults, it mostly depends on lifestyle: at least 4 times a year for most dogs, less if he stays at home nearly all the time, up to once a month if he hunts, eats whatever he finds, or if there are young children in the house (ESCCAP GL1, 2025). The vet sets the frequency around your dog's actual lifestyle.

My dog has worms like grains of rice, what are they?

Those small moving segments, near the anus or in the stools, are typical of tapeworm. The dog picks it up by swallowing a flea: so treat the tapeworm and the fleas at the same time, otherwise the reinfestation keeps coming back. The vet chooses the right wormer and the dose.

I've seen white worms in my dog's stools, what should I do?

White, round, spaghetti-like worms point to roundworms (very common in puppies). Book an appointment with the vet for the right wormer, without giving a home remedy or another dog's dose. In the meantime, pick up the poo promptly and wash your hands to limit contamination of the ground.

Are natural wormers effective?

No: there's no evidence that garlic, diatomaceous earth or "natural" preparations clear worms. Worse, garlic is toxic to dogs. The only reliable approach remains a wormer chosen by the vet according to the dog and his risk.

Are dog worms dangerous for children?

Some roundworms can pass from dog to child: a child can become infected by swallowing eggs picked up on their hands (soil, sandpit). The risk stays low with a few simple habits: pick up the poo quickly, wash hands, cover the sandpit, and keep the dog's worming up to date. That's no reason to keep the child away from the dog, just to stick to these hygiene habits (CDC; ESCCAP).

Updated on July 11, 2026Sources

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