Yon Alesander Palacio, Technical Coordinator of the Companion Animals Unit of MSD Animal Health Mexico, explained that deworming is essential, not only for dogs, since it is increasingly common to find people with zoonotic diseases.
Mexico City, May 28 (However).- On May 28, the World Day of the non-breed dog is celebrated, also called a single breed or mestizo, in order to raise awareness that all dogs deserve a home. This date focuses on two key aspects that appear when talking about dogs: sterilization and deworming.
“Neutering is the most effective action we can take to control the overpopulation of dogs. […] according to INEGI, which is the National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico, we have approximately 43.8 million dogs […] there is a dog for every 3 people”, shared in an interview Yon Alesander Palacio, Technical Coordinator of the Companion Animal Unit of MSD Animal Health Mexico.
One thing to highlight that Yon shared is that there are female dogs that can have more than 6 canines, the gestation period of a female dog is 58 to 62 days and after the dog gives birth, the puppies will be with her between 1 and 2 months and immediately when the puppies are removed and nursing stops, the bitch goes into heat.
Palacio stressed that if a dog is on the street with her puppies, it is very possible that the dog will go into heat and become pregnant again; a dog in a street situation can have another birth in a few months; In one year, a stray dog can have up to 4 or 5 births.
“Sterilization is essential and not only is responsible ownership of the guardians required, but also that cities, states and government entities take action on the matter and hopefully there will be more structured campaigns of mass sterilization,” said Yon Alesander Palacio.
How long should the dog have to be sterilized?
Yon pointed out that an effective mechanism is to sterilize males, it is a less complex surgery, with faster healing, it takes less time and is less traumatic for the puppy. In order to sterilize a puppy, you must wait until it is sexually mature, for example, on average dogs must be sterilized after 8 or 9 months of age when they are puppies, it is important in females not to wait until they have the first zeal.
Care after sterilization surgery requires disinfecting the dua several times and being aware that the puppy does not have a fever in the following days; after 8 or 10 days the points are removed in the females, when speaking of males after 4 or 5 days it is fine.
Why deworm dogs?
The specialist explained that deworming is essential, not only for dogs, since it is increasingly common to find people with zoonotic diseases. If a puppy is not properly dewormed, he probably has parasites and can pass them on.
There are two types of parasites: one is internal, which we commonly call worms, and others are external. For example, “a puppy with ticks and fleas, that tick that bites the dog contracts some bacteria and blood parasites that if that tick bites someone, the probability of contagion is very high and I am seeing more and more people infected by transmitted diseases by ticks that got them from the dog.”
In general terms, a puppy should be dewormed four times a year, that is, every 3 months; However, One Healt points out that if the dog lives with vulnerable people such as children under 5 years of age, people with immunosuppressive diseases such as cancer or lupus, and people with the elderly, puppies must be tested for coprology, otherwise they must be dewormed. monthly.
Nancy Chávez
Journalist graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), editor of the Magazine supplement focused on culture, entertainment, gastronomy, travel and current affairs.
