The 9 MOST EFFECTIVE Natural Dewormers for Dogs

Are you wondering if natural dewormers for dogs actually work?

sad german shepherd mix dog with worms needing natural dewormers for dogs
Photo by Isa Karakus

It’s a natural dog owner’s dilemma: you don’t want your dog to have worms, but you don’t want to give them the toxic chemicals used to deworm a dog at a conventional vet. If you found this article, you’re probably wondering if natural dewormers for dogs are effective.

The answer is YES! There are home remedies for worms in dogs that not only get rid of worms, but also provide additional health benefits for your dog.

Can Worms Harm My Dog?

Absolutely. But – so can the harsh chemicals that conventional dewormers contain. It’s a bit of a catch-22.

Depending on the worm and level of infestation, your dog can become very sick. In extreme cases, a dog can either develop an intestinal blockage or become so weak and emaciated that death can result.

You need to get rid of worms if your dog has them and prevent them from getting worms again, and the fewer chemicals you use, the better.

Symptoms of Worms in Dogs

You may be wondering… “How do I know if my dog has worms?”

woman looking at her dog with a questioning look on her face and dog looking back at her with a surprised look, showing how someone might look who was wondering how can i deworm my dog naturally
photo by Wallace Chuck

The following symptoms can indicate intestinal worms in your dog:

  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in the stool
  • Hungry all the time, eats a ton but doesn’t gain weight, or losing weight
  • Bloated stomach
  • Vomiting
  • Anemia (gums become pale white)
  • Biting/scratching at base of tail, scooting their butt across the grass (or worse yet, the carpet)
  • Little rice-like white pieces on your dog’s poop or in fur around anus
  • Dull coat or loss of fur
  • Lethargy
  • Coughing

Types of Worms in Dogs

I debated listing the types of worms, because let’s face it – it’s gross and it gives many of us the heebies.

But I decided knowledge is power, even if it’s knowledge that totally grosses you out. So here you are:

Hookworm

microscopic picture of hookworms
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Hookworms literally hook themselves to the wall of the intestine, then feed off of your dog’s blood. They are contracted from contact with soil that contains the hookworm larvae. The larvae can burrow through paw pads or skin when the dog lies on the ground, or be ingested by a dog that grooms itself after contact with contaminated soil. Nursing puppies can contract hookworm from their mother’s milk.

Hookworms can travel to the lungs and cause coughing as well.

Roundworm

A picture of a roundworm on a light blue background
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Roundworms are the most common intestinal worms in dogs. They look like spaghetti noodles and live in the intestine, absorbing food and therefore depriving your dog of nutrients it needs to grow and be healthy. Dogs get roundworms from eating roundworm larvae in contaminated soil or infected prey such as mice.

Puppies can contract roundworm before being born if the mother has them, and after being born can ingest larvae in their mother’s milk when they nurse.

Roundworms eventually travel to a dog’s liver and lungs; once in the lungs they can cause coughing.

Whipworm

picture of whipworm on a black background
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

One end of the whipworm’s body is large, the other end tapers to a narrow head, its shape resembling a whip – thus the name whipworm.

Dogs contract whipworms from ingesting their eggs. The eggs live in soil, and typically are ingested after the dog stands or lies down on the soil and then grooms itself. After hatching in the small intestine, the larvae move to the large intestine where they bite the intestinal wall and embed their head inside, feeding on the dog’s blood.

Eggs are shed in the dog’s stool and can survive in the soil for years. Yuck.

Tapeworm

photo of dog tapeworm, one of the worms that is harder to get rid of using natural dewormers for dogs
Photo courtesy of Webmd

I find tapeworm to be the grossest of them all. They are long and flat, and about 6 inches long – but their body is made up of multiple segments that grow onto the worm’s head and neck. Each segment is like a flat grain of rice.

Your dog can get tapeworms by licking infected fleas off its body, eating meat of an infected animal (rabbits, deer, cattle, and more), or eating the poop of an infected animal. My dogs put bunny poop in the same category as Milk Duds and snap into “search and find” mode when they catch a whiff, meaning I have to be on constant bunny-poop-eating alert.

Once the eggs are ingested, they hatch and attach themselves to the small intestine of your dog. They don’t show up in a traditional fecal float but instead are visually observed on the outside of your dog’s poop or on the dog’s fur around the anus.

Tapeworms were one of the bigger challenges I found when trying to find natural dewormers for dogs – but keep reading because I found a great natural deworming option!

  • Not to send you over the brink, but this visual is true. Imagine seeing a piece of “rice” when picking up your dog’s poop and if you watch it closely, it MOVES. I obviously have seen this enough times to need therapy.
Tapeworm on a dog's poop (looks like little white grains of rice)
Photo courtesy of uvhvets

How Do Dogs Get Worms?

There are many ways adult dogs can get worms.

Eating the poop of infested animals: As gross as it is, many of our dogs like to eat poop. Some dogs eat other dog’s poop, others eat random animal scat they encounter on a walk such as deer poop or (my dogs’ favorite) bunny poop. If there are worms or worm eggs in the poop they ingest, they can take up residence in your dog’s instestines.

Eating an infested animal: If your dog has high prey drive, anything they catch/eat poses a possible worm infestation. They can also get worms from eating or licking an animal carcas they encounter on a walk.

Grooming themselves: This one was new to me. Apparently when dogs roll in the grass or dirt they can get worm eggs in their fur. Then later, if they groom themselves, they ingest the eggs and a worm infestation can develop.

Fleas: Fleas, believe it or not, can transmit tapeworm. So if you find fleas on your dog, consider one of the natural remedies below that addresses tapeworm.

Mother to puppy transmission: Mother dogs can pass roundworms and hookworms to their puppies via the placenta (in the womb) and during nursing.

So, as you can see, there are a number of ways your dog can contract worms. Let’s move on and discuss what your options are to get rid of them.

Natural Dewormers For Dogs

cart full of vegetables and herbs
Photo by by Ian Wilson

Important Disclaimer: I am not a vet. The information below is not medical advice. I’m just sharing my own personal experience and information I have read. If you think you want to try something you read about here, talk to your holistic vet! But first read this and many more articles to empower yourself for a good discussion in which you can ask your vet great questions about what you want to try.

Knowledge is power – never forget that!

When I started writing this article, I thought the majority of the natural remedies for worms in dogs were more in the category of preventing worms vs. eliminating them. The more I researched, however, the more natural dewormers for dogs I found that effectively eliminated worms in clinical studies.

If you are using natural ways to deworm a dog, you still need to read carefully about potential side effects and possible harm from giving your dog too much. That’s just common sense.

Don’t avoid home remedies for worms in adult dogs just because giving too much can be harmful, though. That was my gut reaction at first, and then it occurred to me that giving too much of any conventional deworming chemical is extremely dangerous for your dog. Heck, even giving the correct dose of conventional deworming chemicals can cause some nasty issues in certain dogs.

So natural dewormers for dogs are definitely worth consideration.

Holistic approaches, when administered correctly, reduce (and many times eliminate) the risk of harmful side effects. Some have been shown in studies to be equally effective as conventional chemical-based treatments.

OK, enough food for thought!

How Can I Deworm My Dog Naturally?

There are many natural ways to deworm a dog. Some approaches focus on strengthening your dog’s immune system so the dog is less susceptible to worms. Others contain compounds that actually kill the worms.

You may also want to consider a combination of natural dewormers for dogs: here is a rundown of the most impressive home remedies for worms in dogs that I found.

**note: this post contains affiliate links. No one paid me to recommend these products, I recommend them because I like them. Using these links to buy the products helps support happynaturaldog.com**

Pumpkin Seeds

3 orange pumpkins and piles of pumpkin seeds next to them, which can be excellent natural dewormers for dogs
Photo by Couleur

Pumpkins seeds are hailed as one of the safest and most effective natural dewormers for dogs. They are known for their ability to get rid of worms, but also provide numerous health benefits for your dog such as boosting their immune system.

And – added bonus – pumpkin seeds even are effective getting rid of tapeworm, one of the hardest intestinal worms to get rid of using natural dewormers.

Why is tapeworm so difficult? When a dog has a tapeworm infestation, the head of the tapeworm attaches to (actually embeds itself in) the intestinal wall. Some natural worm remedies for dogs work by scraping the walls of the intestine, thus dislodging worms so they pass out of the body.

In the case of tapeworms, those worm remedies scrape off the tapeworm body pieces but the head stays embedded in the intestinal wall and then regenerates itself.

Pumpkins seeds are a different story. A 2012 tapeworm study found that when pumpkin seeds were given to human subjects with tapeworm, 75% of subjects expelled whole tapeworms. An amino acid in pumpkin seeds, cucurbitacin, paralyzes the worms and causes them to lose their grip on the intestinal wall and thus get expelled from the body.

In addition to cucurbitacin’s paralyzing effect, by grinding up the pumpkin seeds they also scrape other worms away from the intestinal wall and out of the body. This Dogs Naturally article recommends 1/4 teaspoon of ground raw (NOT salted!) seeds per 10 lbs of body weight 1 to 2x/day.

I grind mine in a Cuisinart, you could also use a blender. DO NOT use a coffee grinder – coffee is poisonous to dogs and you can’t ensure some leftover coffee grounds won’t get transferred from your grinder into your seed mixture.

Worst case a hammer and a zip lock bag can do wonders.

Or, you can buy them ground up and ready to go.

Black Seed (or Black Seed Oil)

Black seed, or black seed oil, comes from the black cumin seed. It has been used for centuries – black seed oil was even found in King Tut’s tomb! In Egypt it was referred to as the “panacea” because it cured so many conditions, from allergies to bronchitis to rheumatism.

All the articles about using black seed oil for dogs claim it to be safe, but I did find articles about human consumption saying that in large doses, black seed oil can harm the liver and kidneys. So as always, best to check with your vet.

One plus of black seed it that it gets rid of most types of worms. I spent waaayyy too much time searching and reading and did not find a documented worm list, but I did find a mention of tapeworm, which can be one of the harder ones to get rid of.

Black seed works against all stages of intestinal parasites. It reduces the female’s ability to lay eggs and damages the “suckers” in worms that attach to the intestinal wall, making them unable to attach. It also damages the adult worm, making them more susceptible to the dog’s immune system.

According to an article in Dogs Naturally Magazine by Rita Hogan the suggested dosage when using it as a home remedy for worm s in dogs is ½-1 teaspoon of black seed, sprinkled in your dog’s food once a day. Heat the seeds first to get rid of their bitter taste. If you use black seed oil, use half that dose.

Wormwood

Wormwood is one of the natural dewormers you have to be careful with – if you give it to your dog for too long, or give too high a dose, it could be harmful.

The FDA states it is unsafe for internal use. Because it can stress the kidneys and liver, it should not be used on dogs who have kidney problems, seizures, or liver disease – and also should not be used on pregnant or nursing dogs.

So – make sure you are working with your vet if you choose to give wormwood, and also that you ask your vet about giving a liver support at the same time to protect the liver.

That said, wormwood is a very popular and effective dewormer, known for its effectiveness in weakening and killing all types of worms, even tapeworms.

Garlic

photo of Three bulbs of garlic that you could use as a natural dewormer for 
dogs
Photo by Adriano Gadini

Garlic is extremely effective as a natural dewormer for dogs. You need to administer the correct dose (best to work with your holistic veterinarian) because if you overdose your dog it can be toxic. Also, you don’t want to give your dog garlic if they are taking blood thinners or cyclosporine.

Don’t rule garlic out because of the above concerns – you need to remember that conventional deworming chemicals are toxic, period. Garlic, if used correctly, is not. So still a win, you just need to do your homework.

One deworming study compared garlic’s deworming effectiveness to the toxic chemical Ivermectin and garlic was more effective(!), while another deworming study showed that garlic killed all worms in 6 hours.

An amino acid contained in garlic, allicin, is primarily responsible for its deworming properties. Allicin is released when garlic is chopped or crushed. The volatile oils and sulfur compounds in garlic also help eliminate worms from your dog’s body.

If you’re going to use garlic, use fresh garlic cloves; garlic powder won’t have the same properties. Chop or press the appropriate amount, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes for the beneficial allicin to be released.

Dr. Richard Pitcairn, author of The Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, recommends the following daily amounts of fresh garlic for dogs:

  • 10 to 15 pounds – half a clove
  • 20 to 40 pounds – 1 clove
  • 45 to 70 pounds – 2 cloves
  • 75 to 90 pounds – 2 1/2 cloves
  • 100 pounds and over – 3 cloves

Cloves

a pile of cloves
Photo by abuyotam

Cloves have been used medicinally since ancient times. A scholarly review of clove’s medicinal properties highlights an impressive list that includes not only intestinal parasites like roundworms, giardia, coccidia, and tapeworms, but other ailments from toothaches to asthma to malaria.

Caution: DO NOT give cloves to pregnant, or possibly pregnant, females as cloves can stimulate the uterus and cause a miscarriage. Like garlic, if you give your dogs too many cloves it can be dangerous, so this is another remedy to talk to your holistic vet about before administering.

One website mentioned giving one clove with each meal for large dogs (1/2 clove for small dogs) and doing one week on, one week off, for 2 months. Other websites mentioned higher doses, so that in itself makes me want to have a holistic vet OK the dosage before using cloves.

Dried Coconut & Coconut Oil

photo of a broken open coconut
Photo by miguelcruz30

When I read about dried coconut, it involved feeding dried coconut followed by a laxative. Apparently there was a study done using this method that documented 90% parasite expulsion after 2 hours. This “study” is cited in article after article, but I’ll be darned if any of them gave a link to the study, and after an hour of trying to find it on Google I gave up. I think it most likely has merit, I just don’t like to cite specific results without a source.

Dosage for dried coconut is listed as 1 teaspoon for small dogs, 2 teaspoons for medium dogs, and 1 tablespoon for large dogs.

Coconut oil can also be used as a natural dewormer for dogs. Your dog’s body will convert the lauric acid in coconut oil to monolaurin, which is known to be effective against tapeworm, giardia, and other parasites. For coconut oil, work up gradually to 1 teaspoon/day per 10 lbs body weight.

Food grade Diatomaceous Earth

This was interesting to read about. I’ve used diatomaceous earth sprinkled into the grass in my backyard to kill chiggers (so they stop climbing on me and making me itch insanely for days on end), but hadn’t read about using it as a natural remedy for worms in dogs.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is made from the remains of one-celled plants called diatoms, crushed into a fine powder. It is non-toxic, deadly to any insect that comes into contact with it, yet totally harmless to animals.

In addition to functioning as a natural dewormer for dogs, it can build/boost the immune system, detox heavy metals out of the blood, and give your dog a soft, shiny coat.

The disadvantage is that some sources claim it only kills tapeworm body segments, not the imbedded head, and also that you need to continue giving it for a minimum of 60 days.

Make sure you use FOOD GRADE, diatomaceous earth. The other grades (such as pool grade) could harm your dog.

Dogs Naturally Magazine recommends the following dosages:

  • 1/2 tsp for puppies and small dogs
  • 1 tsp for dogs under 50 lbs
  • 1 tbsp for dogs over 50 lbs
  • 2 tbsp for dogs over 100 lbs

Be sure to mix it into the dog’s food because inhaling diatomaceous earth can irritate your dog’s lungs.

Does Apple Cider Vinegar Kill Worms in Dogs?

Adding ¼ – 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) to your dog’s food every day can be beneficial in many ways, one of which is preventing and possibly eliminating worms.

ACV creates higher alkaline levels in the dog’s intestines making them inhospitable for worms. It also coats the worms, weakening them until they lose their grip on the intestinal wall. I was unable to find any data about how long it takes apple cider vinegar to kill worms in dogs.

Sidenote: I used apple cider vinegar many years ago to try and get rid of my dog’s tapeworms. It would seem to have worked (poop didn’t have tapeworm pieces on them), but each time I stopped giving it the tapeworms returned, This tells me it wasn’t effective in getting the tapeworm heads dislodged from the intestinal wall and they were re-growing each time I stopped giving my dog apple cider vinegar.

In addition to its use as a natural dewormer for dogs, there are other health benefits of apple cider vinegar for dogs as well.

Ground Carrots

basket of carrots to use for naturally deworming a dog
Photo by Hana Mara

Carrots, even ground up ones, cannot be digested by dogs. What this means is they are a nice mass of coarse fiber that moves through the dog’s intestines.

As they travel through the intestines they gently scrape against the intestinal lining and carry the worms out of the body.

Natural Dewormers For Dogs CAN Work!

Happy westie dog after using natural dewormers for dogs to get rid of worms
Photo by Marliese Streefland

Using home remedies for worms in dogs is a great way to avoid giving them toxic chemicals.

If you aren’t sure if your dog has worms, you can find out by taking a stool sample to your vet. And, if you’re like me, you may choose to add one of the remedies listed above to your dog’s daily diet to expel any worms that are present and prevent future infestations.

If you treat your dog for worms, remember to take a follow up stool sample to the vet 2-3 weeks after the worm treatment is complete to confirm they are gone.

Have you tried any natural dewormers for dogs? Comment below and let us know what worked for you (and what didn’t) so we can all benefit from your experience.

If you enjoyed this article, here are two more home remedy articles that are very popular:

Until next week . . .

Naturally,

Karen

Want to save this article for future reference? Save this pin to your natural dog health board:

Natural deworming for dogs

Share with others!

Karen Pedersen Written by:

Karen is a freelance copywriter who loves dogs and everything about them. She has fostered dogs since 2005, choosing dogs with medical or behavioral issues that would benefit from her natural and holistic approach to healing. She has gained experience and anecdotal knowledge with each dog she helped, and started this blog to help others do the same.

51 Comments

  1. October 27, 2020
    Reply

    Thank you for the great article. My dogs have whipworms. I ‘ve been giving them ground up raw pumpkin seeds & chopped carrots. But I needed confirmation I was doing the best remedy. I will test them in 3 weeks to see if the worms are gone,

    • October 27, 2020
      Reply

      Hi Michelle,

      I’m glad you enjoyed the article. I’m sorry your dogs have whipworms – worms are so frustrating!

      I’m not a vet, so I can’t give you medical advice, but I can tell you what I would consider if it were my dogs. Part of my decision on whether to try a natural remedy would depend on how severe the whipworm cases are, and if my dog has any other health issues. I think doing a fecal recheck is extremely important, that is the only way to know if they are gone. I would also make sure I’m picking up all the poop in the yard so they can’t get re-infected with the whipworms again. Best of luck to you, let us know if you have success with the pumpkin seeds and carrots!

      • Mary Majors
        January 17, 2022
        Reply

        Hi, I was reading for my granddaughter who has a pit bull/American bulldog mix but found all this very helpful for me and my rat terrier. How do you feel about canned chicken or tuna in the dogs diet?
        Mary in Georgia

        • January 17, 2022
          Reply

          Hi Mary! I’m not sure about the pros and cons of canned chicken and tuna, my first thought would be to check if they are organic and hormone free (chicken) and sourced sustainably (tuna). I know seafood can have toxins in it so I would read up on Tuna. Better yet, invest in an an appointment with a holistic vet to have them help you fine tune your meal plan, that’s what I did. My plan was missing some key nutrients, and the vet caught that and then recommended supplements that would provide those nutrients. They will be able to tell you the pros and cons of specific foods and if they are best for meals and/or treats.

  2. Linda Katz
    February 2, 2021
    Reply

    Hi Karen,
    This is by far the best article i’ve read on natural de-wormers. Your info is very thorough and clear, and I think you are a very good writer. I am currently using organic raw powdered pumpkin seeds, which I grind myself. My dog developed bloody stools over a year ago. During that time, the bllood would stop or greatly reduce when I switched foods. Fecal tests came back negative 3 different times during that period. Internal exams showed nothing. My regular vet and specialist both said it was not cancer, but just didn’t know what was causing the bleeding.

    Then, about 6 weeks ago, when my dog pooped, lol and behold! A moving worm came out on the poop. The lab bungled that fecal test, so I brought in the next stool. The fecal test again was negative — despite what I had seen with my own eyes. The next day another moving worm came out on my dog’s poop, and this time I took a picture. My vet said it was a tapeworm and that it is very hard for them to show up in fecal samples!! She said the eggs are not always present in the stools, only periodically.

    I told her I was going to try to treat this condition naturally because my dog is super sensitive to allopathic medications. She’s even allergic to the rabies vaccine. The vet said there was no need to do a re-check of the stool after the treatment because lab tests for tapeworm often don’t detect the tapeworms — as had been true for my dog for over a year.

    So I started my 17 pound Havanese on 1 -3/4 teaspoon – 2 x day of the organic raw pumpkin seed powder. This led to the expulsion of usually 1 moving worm (and lots of tiny white pieces) every 1-2 days. When worms stopped appearing for 2-3 days in a row, I would increase the dosage. With each increase, moving worms would appear again. I am now giving her 5 teaspoons 2 x a day.

    The blood stopped after a few weeks and now might be a tiny streak of dried blood occasionally. When I see it again, I figure there are still worms. The other incredible change is that during the past year our dog had begun scratching (digging at) the carpet intensely, but only at night. She would suddenly start intensely scratching the carpet . Sometimes when we stopped her, she would move to another area and start intensely digging in another spot. I spoke to my regular vet and specialist, and neither had any idea what it might be. They thought perhaps some behavioral. For us, this was very strange behavior in our now 15 year old dog.

    Well, guess what? As these worms have come out, the scratching the carpet has stopped! Occasionally, there will be a mild couple scratches, but many days none at all. When so does start to scratch, I now see it as an indicator that there are more worms. Perhaps another batch have hatched or whatever. I usually increase the pumpkin powder, a worm comes out the next day, the scratching stops again.

    I wanted to share all this with you in hopes it might be of help to your other readers looking for natural remedies for their dogs’ worms. I am now at the point where I am going to add a second item to my treatment protocol to see if I can finish these worms off and just maintain her worm-free.
    That’s how I found your site today doing this search for extra info.

    By the way, this tapeworm infestation began after I had to stop my dog’s flea medication. After 10 or more years use, she became allergic to the mildest allopathic flea treatment out there — Comfortis.
    Thanks for your wonderful site! Best to you in your work on behalf of our beloved canine companions.

    • February 3, 2021
      Reply

      Dear Linda,

      Thank you so much for sharing your story, and for your kind words! I found your story fascinating, tape worms are an especially hard one to get rid of using natural remedies. My dog got them many years ago, and the only natural deworming information I could find was for apple cider vinegar. When I tried it, I found just what I read when I read the article – my dog would expel pieces of worms but if I stopped the worms returned immediately (telling me the head was still embedded in the intestinal wall).

      Please let us know if you are successful with natural remedies, and which remedies you found actually expelled the heads from the intestinal wall so the tapeworm didn’t return.

      Interesting aside: I volunteer for a dog rescue, and can think of 2 stories in the past year where people have posted about a dog scratching the carpet at night. The dogs were seniors so it was immediately attributed to dementia, your story makes me wonder if the poor souls had tapeworm. Thanks to you sharing this information I will always know to have someone dealing with this check their dog’s poop for tapeworm pieces.

      Good luck to you and thanks again for telling your story so others can benefit from your experience!

    • October 19, 2021
      Reply

      I’m thankful you shared this entire story. Our 8 month old puppy has been digging out our couch for months. We just found two types of worms in his stool this week; hookworms and tapeworms. We’re treating it the best we can now. Poor guy he must’ve been miserable for awhile until we found what was bothering him! I hope the digging stopped after his worm infestation is healed.

      • October 19, 2021
        Reply

        I just love that one person taking the time to share their story (Linda) helped another person (T. Jacobs) solve their problem! That is just what I hoped this community would do, thank you for sharing everyone!

  3. Carol W.
    March 16, 2021
    Reply

    Thank you for this great article. I’m seeking natural deworming way for my dog but don’t know where to start. I want to try the black seeds it’s totally safe and can get rid of most types of worms.
    I found “Finely Grounded Black Seeds by Amazing Herbs” on Vitacost. Is it Ok for directly adding this 1/2 – 1 tsp to my dog’s kibble everyday? Thank you.

    • March 16, 2021
      Reply

      Hi Carol, the article I read, by herbalist Rita Hogan, suggested heating the seeds first (to get rid of bitterness) and then sprinkling them on your dog’s food once a day. I hope that helps, let me know how it works for you!

  4. Michelle
    March 25, 2021
    Reply

    Hello. I love this article. I have a 9 week old beagle mix pup and I’m trying to do everything naturally with her from the start. She was recently diagnosed with hookworm and roundworm. I am going to try the pumpkin seeds but it does not say how long to give them. Only that I should retest 3 weeks after the treatment is done. Can you please advise on how long I should give her pumpkin seeds? Also, are they good for all worms?
    Thanks.
    Michelle and Merry

    • March 25, 2021
      Reply

      Hi Michelle, Congrats on your new puppy, and kudos to you for learning about natural health care for her! Worms and puppies are especially tough, because puppies have small bodies so you have to be careful with what you give them and in what doses.

      As far as roundworm goes, when I wrote the article, and again when I checked just now, I can’t find data that says if pumpkins seeds will specifically get rid of hookworm and roundworms; the only studies I found mention tapeworms, and other articles mention parasites in general.

      You need to be extra careful with anything you give a puppy, natural or conventional, because they are so little. Is there any natural or integrative vet in your area you could take Merry to? If not, I would highly recommend finding a natural vet that will do a online or phone consultation with you. They would be able to to tell you 1) which natural treatments are best for getting rid of roundworm and hookworm, and 2) if those treatments are safe for puppies and in what doses.

      Let us know if you are able to find a holistic vet that gives you helpful information!

  5. wouldyouwannaknow
    May 21, 2021
    Reply

    so what’s best for hook worms ? coconut oil , apple cider vinegar, carrots, and garlic? my dog has diarrhea and blood in stool also has bald spots coming in he’s 10months old

    • May 22, 2021
      Reply

      I would definintely get this boy to the vet, with combinations of symptoms you could have worms and/or non-worm illnesses that you need a full exam to catch. Things like ringworm (which is a fungus not a worm), mange, fleas – there could be so many things going on here! Get your pup checked out and let us know what you find out, I hope he gets better soon!

  6. Donna
    May 23, 2021
    Reply

    Please tell me what to bathe my 5 lb ..8 yr old dog in to get rid of worm eggs on his fur and all through his hair…yes he has been dewormed but the eggs are the problem here as they only keep causing reinfection…I have shaved him completely and yet no where can I find an answer to eliminating the eggs from his body…I know high heat …steam and fire are egg killers but that’s not the answer here…is apple cider vinegar in some sort of dilution a possibility??? Someone somewhere must know something….thank you

    • June 17, 2021
      Reply

      Hi Donna, I have no idea what you might be dealing with, but I don’t think they are worm eggs. I would recommend getting your dog to a vet ASAP. Good luck to you, let us know what you find out that the eggs are from.

    • October 19, 2021
      Reply

      Hi, a bit late in the year answering but we’ve been researching diatomaceous earth as a way to kill the eggs that are in the environment and on their fur. The only drawback I can see is that the DE can also kill beneficial insects and beneficial nematodes outdoors as well. I hope this helps.

    • Michelle
      October 6, 2022
      Reply

      Do u mean fleas?

  7. July 23, 2021
    Reply

    Is there a supplement with pretty much all these ingredients in them for dogs?

    • July 23, 2021
      Reply

      Hi Carol, not that I know of, you could check with a holistic vet to see if they know of anything, but I don’t think you would want to use all of these together necessarily. Your vet will determine which worm(s) your dog has and choose the best one of these to use.

  8. Teresa Bojko
    July 27, 2021
    Reply

    Hi Karen.
    My Toy Poodle Nellie suffers with pancreatitis, has done for a few years now. I haven’t wormed her in ages or D.E.-flead her as I’m afraid it will bring on an episode. I always check her for fleas and she doesn’t have them. Normally i feed her small meals throughout the day a few hours apart but recently I’ve started feeding her much larger amounts of food at lengthier intervals but she always seems to be hungry and looking for food. I always check her poop when I clean it up but can’t find anything in there, although I know some can’t be seen. I want to try a natural way to worm her. She is 3-5kg would pumpkin seeds be a good starting point or should I try a combination? I
    Regards Nellies mum 🐩

    • July 27, 2021
      Reply

      Hi Teresa, One thought would be to drop off a fecal sample at the vet, if Nellie doesn’t have worms then no need to do a thing! If she has worms, you will know what type and can choose your natural treatment based on the the type of worms. Beyond that, pumpkin seeds can be a nutritional addition to your dog’s diet, Dr. Peter Dobias references them as a good sources of magnesium. Hope this helps!

  9. Teresa Bojko
    July 27, 2021
    Reply

    ThankYou very much
    Nellies mum 🐩

    • July 27, 2021
      Reply

      You’re welcome Teresa, let us know what you end up doing and how it works!

  10. Michael
    August 30, 2021
    Reply

    Its said over and over throughout the. These small chats that pumpkin seeds doesn’t remove the heads of a certain worm . The head regenerates into a whole worm again which then make pumpkin seeds ineffective .so why then state it is effective.Diatomaceous earth in all studies proves that wet Diatomaceous earth doesn’t maintain its integrity as a sharp effective dewormer at all. Soon as you put in your mouth its rendered sharp as a marble.. Contradictions. Are frustrating to waste time on. People looking for help on home remedies generally dont have mony for a vet so saying go to your vet just adds to the frustration. Dontvsay theres a solution here if there isnt one. Please!!

    • September 15, 2021
      Reply

      Dear Michael,

      Thank you for your thoughts and questions about natural methods.

      The article talks about your point that some natural dewormers get rid of the tapeworm body pieces but the head stays embedded in the intestinal wall and then regenerates itself. It also cites a 2012 study which found that when pumpkin seeds were given to human subjects with tapeworm, 75% of subjects expelled whole tapeworms. There is obviously debate on trying this method before resorting to chemical treatments, and I respect your opinion and choice to use the latter.

      Unfortunately whether you choose a chemical approach or a natural one, a visit to your vet is unavoidable, as the vet office has to check the fecal sample to see what worms are present and has to prescribe the chemical dewormer if you choose to treat conventionally. So if someone can’t afford a vet they won’t have access to conventional worm treatments.

      People have differing approaches to treating their dogs just like we choose different approaches for our own medical treatment, and I think it’s important we all respect different approaches and opinions on these issues. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

  11. Mimi
    September 23, 2021
    Reply

    Our 6 mo old medium golden doodle has been treated 3 times in the last 4 months for giardiasis and the rechecked stools confirm positive presence of the parasites even after meticulous administration of combination of drugs panacur liq. suspension + metronidazole. Fecal tests for antigen and giardia cysts were performed. He is also given Simparica Trio for appropriate weight every month as he grows. He is now 35 #.
    Your article gives me hope as today I have also noticed one +/- 1″ flat white worm I assume is a tapeworm segment. Which of your natural interventions could you recommend? Thanks.

  12. Jan
    January 16, 2022
    Reply

    Great article.. Thank you. I think I read it thoroughly but I could not find the treatment for round worms. What did I miss?
    Thanks so much
    Warm regards
    Jan

  13. Cindy
    September 14, 2022
    Reply

    Hi!! Love this article and all the comments of everyone below. We think our dog a 11 month Siberian husky has worms after a few symptoms and loss of weight, poor guy we didn’t realize it before 😣 I’m gonna start with the coconut oil and buy him the pumpkin seeds and I’ll be back in a few weeks to report whatever we find out. His stool comes out with nothing in it. We will see after this great remedies suggestions. Thank you!

  14. Tessa
    November 11, 2022
    Reply

    Hi Karen, love your article! With my 2 year old rambunctious Goldendoodle I decided on trying black seed oil. For how long should I give him the 1/4 of a teaspoon once a day dose? I didn’t notice any worms but my thinking is that everybody needs deworming periodically.
    Thank you,
    Tessa

    • November 14, 2022
      Reply

      Hi Tessa, I’m not a vet so unfortunately can’t provide that information, you could try contacting Rita Hogan (who wrote the Dogs Naturally article) and ask her advice. Good luck!

  15. nae
    January 29, 2023
    Reply

    Hello Karen,
    Thank you for your article. My family just adopted a 2 year old cur mix and a 4 month old lab puppy. The puppy is having live worms in her stool and coming from her behind (I see them moving). I’m worried because she is acting somewhat uninterested in moving around and going on walks. We adopted her yesterday but the shelter advised us that they just treated her for worms. I am afraid to treat her again because I’ve read about horror stories where people’s puppies have died after being treated for worms too often. What do you suggest? She is about 30 pounds so she is a pretty big girl

    • January 30, 2023
      Reply

      Hi Nae, I would get your puppy to a vet to be checked ASAP if she is uninterested in moving around and going on walks. Lethargy can be a symptom of many illnesses and a vet will determine if she is sick. Also, I would find out what the shelter gave her for worms and when, and bring that information with you to the vet so your vet knows what the puppy has been given. Please update us, I hope your sweet new puppy is OK!

  16. Kimberly
    May 15, 2023
    Reply

    I rescued a Sheba inu puppy last August he’s 1&1/2 now I’ve used dewormer and the vet has given a dewormer through prescription he and the other 2 dogs are hunters here I’ve read they can usually fight them off without deworming methods but I’m not sure if it’s worms or a UTI AGAIN how can I treat either issue without a costly vet visit ty

    • May 16, 2023
      Reply

      Hi Kimberly, If you’re thinking it might be a UTI I would be getting it checked at the vet, untreated UTIs could end up causing a kidney infection and be much more costly vs. if you catch it now and treat it. If you’ve been to the vet recently sometimes they will let you make a lab appt and just get a fecal and urine analysis done without paying for another appt. Better safe than sorry tho, let us know what you find out!

  17. Lisa
    May 30, 2023
    Reply

    I have a question, will any of these methods work for ringworm? Our puppies had it. I used homeopet and they seem to be gone. But I can’t get any more right now plus they have added an odd ingredient. Semen. Yes that is freakishly weird. I have questions. Anyway if their ringworm comes back I would love a natural remedy! So do you know if any of these work?

    • May 30, 2023
      Reply

      Hi Lisa, Ringworm is actually not a parasitic worm like we are talking about in this article, it’s a fungal infection that can be spread to humans. I haven’t researched this topic so will add it to my list, I would definitely consult with a holistic vet to try and find a natural remedy that will take care of this fungal infection.

  18. Jodi Friedlander
    March 22, 2024
    Reply

    Thank you for such an informative article! I had no idea there were so many natural worm/parasite remedies. Six years ago, when we rescued our now 7 year old blue heeler, he came to us with a huge tapeworm infestation. I’m a nutritionist, and somewhere along the line I’d heard or read that ground pumpkin seeds could eliminate worms. The vet laughed when I told her I didn’t want medication and was going to try this. She said, derisively, You’ll be back!. Nope, I never went back. It took about a month, but the ground pumpkin seeds definitely worked. He’s been worm-free for six years. I just found, and shared, your article in one of the heeler groups I follow on FB.

    • March 22, 2024
      Reply

      Hi Jodi, This is such an awesome story, thanks so much for sharing it! It really is the best way to learn about these options and if they work or not. My dogs eat bunny poop like it’s going out of style and there is just no way to let them exist outside and not let it happen, I feed them pumpkin seeds at every meal and every year their fecal is negative. Thanks for sharing the article too – the recent Google algorithm updates are keeping the blog from showing on many Google searches – it’s so frustrating – so people like you help other people find this information!

  19. Jane
    May 18, 2024
    Reply

    Thank you for your research and sharing of what you have learned. My dog drank some stagnant water at a local park. I was concerned about her contracting worms/parasites from the water, so I took a stool sample to the vet and they confirmed that my dog had parasites. The vet recommended meds, but I decided to research some natural solutions. I gave my dog ground raw (unsalted) pumpkin seeds and fresh carrots chopped into 1/4 inch cubes/dice (not slices). I mixed these into her dry dog food and added a little water for moisture.. After a few weeks of treatment, I submitted another stool sample to the vet and they confirmed that the worms/parasites were gone! IT WORKS!! It’s also way cheaper than the meds that vets prescribe.

    • May 19, 2024
      Reply

      Hi Jane, Thanks so much for sharing your story, that is awesome! Kudos for you for trying an alternative and for checking to be sure it worked for your pup. 🙂

  20. Jay
    July 21, 2024
    Reply

    Karen,

    I had acquired two puppies who had giardia and coccidiosis . The Albon nailed the latter organism but the giardia lingered for five months . The panacur was prescribed for months not killing the giardia. .
    I started administering kale and beet juice ( no added sugar} after finding an article on hikers removing giardia naturally . Both dogs responded within days but I continued giving the beet juice for weeks wanting to make sure they were clean
    I fastidiously cleaned up their stool and sprayed with diluted bleach ..
    Both dogs now have sensitive stomachs since being on panacur so diarrhea always occurred after the monthly deworming . I tried giving rice after a chemical deworming but one dog would have an upset stomach for a week. I was offering Apple cider vinegar with the mother in their feed daily for the last four years which worked until we took a forest walk last Feb
    We had a snow covered forest walk where one of the dogs did not return when called .
    Have no idea what he ate
    Two months later I found the tape worm segments on the bedding and his tail
    I started the coconut oil immediately .
    The vet had an emergency and could not take any calls so I ordered the OTC dewormer . I gave coconut oil twice a day while waiting for the chemical med to arrive by post finding dead worms
    I stopped the coconut oil once the pyrantel/? Was given . This was a mistake
    I also did not deworm the other dog which was also a mistake .
    So two months later all the dogs are on a mixture of daily coconut oil, carrots and pumpkin seeds .
    I have given stool samples in the past having negative results but find worms in stools so now I just keep to a natural regimen
    I find that too much coconut oil gives one dog an upset stomach so I titrate his dose
    I grate the carrots daily finding this is more effective.
    I have two more dogs on my watch for a relative who just had a baby . She said they were on heartworm ……….
    One of her pooches has allergies which flared although on an allergy feed
    I started her on coconut oil a week ago to support her immune system. Coconut oil is fantastic for allergy ridden dogs. This morning stool collection showed dead worms .
    Rabbit droppings are plentiful in this area which always had me question what worms can the dogs pick up. I did not know tapes can be picked up in rabbit droppings .

    Your deworming advice is realistic, informative , and testament that natural works
    Worms have cycles so the eggs must hatch and be killed in order to kill all the worms
    The eggs mature around day ten to 14 so within four days the worms are laying a new cycle
    By giving a daily natural regimen you break that cycle
    Lastly some folks give too much coconut oil which can cause an upset intestine
    There are appropriate doses to give based on the dog’s weight which should be followed .

    Lastly garlic is nasty and not tolerated by small dogs . Folks tend to overdose thinking a little more won’t hurt . I have used garlic but my dogs are over 50 pounds . I never recommend to use garlic for small dogs

    Just as ivermectin is not tolerated by some breeds some of the natural dewormers can be strong
    I steer clear of cloves and nigella
    I understand they work but have read too many articles saying some breeds struggle
    I have a dog who can not tolerate potatoes
    The key is to be open minded , diligent and careful
    I loved your article
    Thank you for posting

    • July 21, 2024
      Reply

      Thanks for this informative comment Jay, so glad you found solutions that are getting rid of your dogs’ worms and giardia! Karen

  21. Suzanne
    January 18, 2025
    Reply

    Hi! How long would a pet owner expect to see worms in the stool as a result of effective natural deworming?

    • January 18, 2025
      Reply

      Hi Suzanne, That is a good question for your holistic vet, if you find out post here for others to see!

  22. Heather
    January 23, 2025
    Reply

    Thank you for the information. While I absolutely prefer natural remedies over those produced by Big Pharma, I am not sure why you would refer to Ivermectin as a toxic medication. It is very safe and a very effective antiparasitic. I would direct you to the book “The Real Anthony Fauci”. This book presents several studies and other resources to support its safety.

    • January 24, 2025
      Reply

      Hi Heather, thank you for sharing the title of this book, I appreciate it and will look for it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

New Blog Notification Sign UpReceive email notifications when new articles are published!