Can you treat a pregnant bitch for tape worms, if so, what is the best to use? I have a bitch due Jan 9th and just noticed tape worms in her feces.

Call your vet tomorrow! I know Panacur is safe, but it doesn't cover most tape worms and I don't know if anything else is safe during pregnancy that covers tapes.

How do you know she has tape worms? What is the shape of the worms? Roundworms can look a lot like the segments of tapeworms that are shed in the feces.

Droncit is the medication most used for tapeworms. But tapeworms, though gross, are one of the least harmful parasites that a dog might have. You could just wait until after the puppies are born.

No Droncit for a pregnant bitch, ask you vet, but I think you will need to wait.

Droncit or the generic form praziquantel is safe for pregnant bitches.

Please take a sample to the vet and ask them what is safe for a pregnant bitch.

Please do not go by what people on a public forum tell you.

First off you need to know for sure what worm you are dealing with (reason for the sample to the vet)
'
Second you have one person telling you Droncid is not safe, another telling you it is. (who are you going to listen to??????)

Know what worm you are dealing with and for the sake of the pups consult your vet.

I hate to sound harsh but I find it unbelievable that you would take advice on an issue like this with a pregnant bitch from a forum rather than your vet........

Asking advice on worms here are one thing but for a pregnant bitch....... Please call your vet

hope it clears up quickly with your vet's advice.

Hey "For God's Sake", why don't you take the time and look it up yourself instead of just spouting off. Both the OP and yourself could do a simple Google search on either Droncit or it's active ingredient praziquantel and find out it's safe for PG bitches.
Just as a note, it does not take a terribly long time (many years in dogs) to figure out what kind of worm you are looking at, a tape worm segment is sort of unique.

Well Gregg,

I must have hit a nerve with you and your giving your adivice on a public forum.

Not my intention

OP posted as Newby so my best advice is that she consult her vet.

She may have no idea of what type of worm she is seeing as someone else posted that tape can look like something else.

And if Droncid (as I know its the right med for tape) may not be the right med for the worm the bitch has don't you think its best for a "newby" to ask their vet?

take a chill pill Gregg.

Thanks for the advice everybody. Most definately, I am planning on contacting vet first thing in the morn. Just was curious as to what method long term and educated breeders would do themselves if in the same situation.

Certainly the package insert for Droncit says that it has been tested on pregnant bitches, and the makers of Droncit declare it safe. Whether it really is safe for all pregnant bitches, especially those with a heavy load of worms, probably can't be answered by the package insert (or a Google search or maybe even your vet). I recently gave Panacur to a 10 week old puppy and had a horrible reaction. So much for package inserts and vet recommendations.

But what you can say is that tapeworms don't do a lot of damage especially in a few days, and the bitch only has a while to go before delivering.

Despite many years in breeding, I thankfully haven't had to deal with tape worms. Careful management of flea medications and careful attention to worming protocols has spared me the education of identifying worms by sight.

I do know that round worms look similar to those of us who have not had to deal with lots of parasites, and round worms are very likely in a pregnant bitch. I have seen those despite all my careful management.

I understand that over a holiday weekend (maybe snowed in) with a pregnant bitch and yucky worms showing up in her stools that a newby might want some comfort. Rest easy, newby. You can wait until your vet diagnoses the parasite before you take action. And your girl and her puppies will be fine. If you still feel brave enough to post here, I would really like to know what parasite your vet diagnoses and what your vet suggests. We could all learn from that.

For years we have used Lopatol at the clinic on pregnant bitches.

I haven't had fleas on my dogs in years, but yet one girl usually gets tapeworms once a year. WHY? Because she will find a little dead critter--mouse or rabbit--and eat it. And that's how she gets infected.

MWK