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How Much Safeguard Goat Wormer to Give a Puppy?

You should use 1 cc (cubic centimeter) for every 4 pounds of puppy weight. So, for example, if your puppy weighs 16 pounds, your puppy will need 4 ccs of Safeguard goat wormer.

There are instructions on the back of the bottle, but you shouldn't use them.

Safeguard goat wormer’s primary purpose was to deworm goats, so you shouldn’t rely on those instructions for your puppy to avoid harming him.

How to use Safeguard goat wormer, for how long, and until which age? We’ll answer everything you need to know.

How to Use Safeguard Goat Wormer?

You should administer Safeguard goat wormer orally to your puppy. Some people try to mix it with the puppy’s food, but most of it will go to waste. So we don’t recommend that.

Instead, use a plastic syringe to load the appropriate amount and give it to your puppy.

Giving Puppy a Drug by Mouth

In our example, we have a 16-pound puppy. Here’s what you’ll do:

  1. Load four ccs of Safeguard goat wormer in a plastic syringe (without the needle.)
  2. Hold your puppy with one hand in a comfortable position.
  3. Place the syringe’s tip in the side of your puppy’s mouth. Avoid placing it in the front of his mouth to prevent choking him out by accident.
  4. Slowly inject the Safeguard goat wormer into your puppy’s mouth.

Some puppies make like the taste, and some others may not. What’s essential is to inject the whole syringe to benefit from the solution.

If your puppy spits out too much of the wormer, you should compensate for that by giving him some more.

Don’t worry about the side effects. Wormers are pretty safe, and some of them can stay safe for up to 100 times the recommended dose.

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When Should I Use Safeguard Goat Wormer?

Deworming your puppies should start around four weeks old. This is when intestinal worms begin to pose a risk.

Male vet giving puppy medication by syringe while nurse helps

You should use the Safeguard goat wormer for three consecutive days at the same time every day.

The ideal time is in the morning after the puppies have had their first meal. That’s when their playful energy hasn’t kicked in yet, and they’re easier to control.

This is especially helpful for those puppies who don’t like the taste of the goat wormer.

Keep repeating that three-day protocol every two weeks. If you’re the breeder, you’ll keep deworming your puppy every two weeks until you find him a new home.

That’s when deworming becomes the owner’s responsibility.

If you’re the owner, you should keep deworming your puppy until you potty train him. That’s when your dog can cleanly use the bathroom without risking getting infected with worms.

We recommend using the Safeguard goat wormer for six months, whether you have potty trained your puppy or not.

It’s a bit of a stretch, but it guarantees that your puppy doesn’t catch these worms. The worms can cause quite some issues (more on that very soon.)

What Happens if I Don’t Use Safeguard Goat Wormer?

Here’s what may happen if you skip deworming your puppy:

Worms and Parasites

Tapeworms and hookworms are the most common parasites that infect puppies.

These worms live inside the intestines of the puppies and feed on their food. Your puppy would then look weak and tired as if he doesn’t eat enough.

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Physical Illness

Your dog will get visibility sick and show many signs and symptoms like:

1.    Vomiting

Worms and their eggs can cause a block in some areas of the intestine. This may lead to repeated cramping that can result in vomiting.

2.    Dehydration

The worms don’t only feed on the food, but they also absorb some of the water that your puppy drinks.

This will keep the puppy dehydrated and thirsty most of the time. If you notice that your puppy is always seeking and drinking water, that’s a red flag. You should take him to the vet as soon as you can.

3.    Swollen Abdomen

When the infection lingers around untreated for a long time, the reproduction rate of the worms increases substantially.

Remember the occasional worm blockage we mentioned earlier? The excessive increase in numbers won’t only lead to vomiting but will also cause swelling in the abdominal area.

4.    Diarrhea

Worms irritate the intestine, especially when they latch to the intestinal walls.

This irritation can sometimes lead to diarrhea. Puppies do get diarrhea from time to time. However, if diarrhea persists for over 10 days, you should take your puppy to a vet.

5.    Blocked Intestines

Blocked intestines only happen in severe cases of roundworm and hookworm infections.

The worms’ multiplication increases so much that they no longer find space. This will lead to a complete blockage of the intestine.

Your dog would then be unable to use the bathroom. If the puppy doesn’t get treatment at this point, it could be fatal.

Risk of Human Infection

Dog and Owner Lying in Bed

This only happens rarely, but humans can actually catch the parasitic infection from their puppies.

Constant diarrhea and vomiting can contain some of the eggs. If you don’t clean them enough, the eggs may still be around.

Getting infected by eggs can be as simple as walking on them. They penetrate the skin and go inside the bloodstream.

So, if your puppy ever gets worms, you should have a quick check on yourself as well for good measure.

Should I Use Safeguard Goat Wormer for a Mature Dog?

Adult dogs may not need the Safeguard goat wormer as often as puppies, but they still need it from time to time.

We recommend using the goat wormer four or five times a year for your dog. Pair that with your annual vet checkup, and your dog should stay worm-free.

The breed and the size of the dog don’t matter. You should still use the same formula to calculate how much Safeguard goat wormer to give.

Keep in mind that these worms’ eggs can penetrate the uterus. An infected mother dog can easily pass on the infection to her puppy before even giving birth to him.

For that, you should use the Safeguard goat wormer for a pregnant mother dog for three days every two weeks until she gives birth.