How often should you really deworm your pet?

"How often should I deworm?" is one of the most common questions vets hear — and the honest answer is: it depends on age and lifestyle.

Puppies and kittens carry worms far more often than people expect, frequently passed from the mother. The usual guidance is every two weeks from around two weeks of age until twelve weeks, then monthly until six months.

Adult pets are more individual. A cat that never goes outside is lower risk than a dog that hunts, scavenges, or shares parks with many others. As a rule of thumb, most adult dogs and cats are dewormed every three months, but hunters, scavengers, and homes with young children may warrant monthly treatment to reduce the tiny zoonotic risk to humans.

The trick isn't the perfect interval — it's actually remembering. Pick a recurring cadence, set a reminder, and log each dose so you can see when the next one is due. (NetForPet's health journal does exactly this: add a recurring "deworming" record and it reminds the whole household as the date approaches.)

Always match the product to the parasite and your pet's weight, and ask your vet about local risks like lungworm or heartworm, which need specific prevention. When in doubt, a quick fecal test tells you what you're actually dealing with.