medication side affects?

[Grete123]

Last weekend I had noticed little short white spagetti-like worms in Troys stool. They looked exactly like tapeworm ends. I went to the vet on Monday and he gave me three pills, which supposedly should get rid of any worms, I guess the three most common ones. Everything seemed to be back to normal, nothing suspicious in his stool.
Now this morning (I gave the pills Monday evening) Troy's stool was a little looser than normal. Picking the stuff up constantly, I am really familiar with it by now. I walked him at noon, no pooping. My husband came home around 4:30pm and Troy had pooped in the living room, very soft.
On his walk an hour later he pooped twice, liquid brown.

Could that have to do with the worm-medicine? I kinda doubt that, but I just got handed 3 pills and did not get to read any possible sideaffects and forgot to ask about it.

I am not going to feed him tonight (poor thing) and see how he does tomorrow.

Any advise? Thanks Gretchen

[Carol Burke]

Why not call your vet and ask what the side effects of the medication might be? Sounds like that is what the problem is.

[Judi W]

If he was shedding worms that you could see in his stool, he was loaded. So, yes, there will be some GI upset just getting rid of the darn things, some from the meds and some from the worms shedding. Also, be aware he probably needs more than one worming to completely clean the little buggers out. Normally, two or three will be recommended spaced according to the vet's recommendation.

[Grete123]

They are closed already for today.
The vet said, that the pills work within 48 hrs, so would think, that their "working-time" (lacking vocabulary right now) should be over.
I was just wondering whether someone had a similar reaction in connection with worm treatment.

[Grete123]

Originally Posted by Judi W

If he was shedding worms that you could see in his stool, he was loaded. So, yes, there will be some GI upset just getting rid of the darn things, some from the meds and some from the worms shedding. Also, be aware he probably needs more than one worming to completely clean the little buggers out. Normally, two or three will be recommended spaced according to the vet's recommendation.

The vet didn't say anything about another treatment. I will call him and ask him.
If it's the worms coming out (yuk) should I feed him then, in order to keep the process going? (Although that would mean he would have to go during the night probably and that would suck since it is freakin' freezing.)

[Judi W]

don't know. Call your vet on that.

[BostonRott]

Most worms are treated a few times, often 2-3 weeks apart. The reason is that the medication works on the worms in one specific stage of their life cycle. So you get all of those worms in the first treatment, and then wait for any current eggs to hatch and mature, and then get the "new" adults.

Definitely check with your vet on this, but it's a likely cause.

--- The other Gretchen

[MARYDVM]

Tapeworms are different since they have an intermediate host that they develop in (flea or rabbit, depending on species) before infecting the dog. One worming will kill all attached tapes. It does not need to be repeated unless the dog eats another infected flea or bunny. All dogs treated for tapes should go on flea preventative too.
After 4 days the worms and the medication should be out of his system by now.