10 Superfoods to Keep your Chi Free from Dog Worms

Storecupboard Items that can Help Protects your Chihuahua against Dog Worms

Did you know that some food and herbs can also help protect your dog against parasites and worms? We are always looking at more natural ways to manage the day to day health of our dogs. We want to move away from the routine dosing of chemicals and insecticides. Dog worms can make your chihuahua sick and some infestations can be fatal.

So, here are some everyday foods that can help support and protect your dog in the fight against parasites and worms.

They can be incorporated into a home cooked or raw regime or as treats and additions to their normal commercial diet.

Diatomaceous Earth (Human food grade)

Maybe not an everyday food but a tub goes a long way once you have some. It seems to have a host of good properties and is also super effective at killing bugs and parasites. It seems not only does it kill bugs internally but you can use it as a flea control in your home. So, I will update Natural flea control. Read the instructions as inhales the dust is bad for you.

Directions: tsp for every 4.5kg or 10 lbs of body weight.

Papaya

This contains an enzyme that is especially useful for dealing with worms. It is also good at helping digestion and dealing with flatulence in dogs. It is considered a bit of a superfood. Do not feed them the seeds and only feed small amounts to see how your chi gets on digesting it. You can also get papaya enzymes. Follow the directions for dosage.

Turmeric

Turmeric has many health benefits for humans and dogs. It is a natural inflammatory and can be used in the fight against IBS, cancer, and arthritis (you may also want to look into getting a dog bed for arthritis to help your poor chi stay comfy in their condition). Of course, turmeric can help to control dog worms. Here is a recipe from Dogs Naturally magazine on how to make a dog friendly past.

 

Grated Carrot, Watercress, Greens & Squash.

All these items can be incorporated into home cooked foods and help support your dog’s gut and immune system. A dog with a healthy diet is less prone to picking up worms. Dogs that are fed poor quality commercial food that contains a lot of starch and therefore sugar provide an ideal environment for worms to thrive.

Pumpkin Seed

Good for expelling dog worms. Grind them up and add them to your dog’s food. Avoid salted seeds for obvious reasons.

Directions: tsp for every 4.5kg or 10 lbs of body weight.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This came up in our article about natural flea control as well. Add teaspoon to their water. If you have cats that share the water bowl don’t worry it is good for cats as well.

Coconut Oil.

This is reported to be good at getting rid of tapeworms. According to IB Pet;

‘When coconut oil is fed to your pet it’s body converts lauric acid to monolaurin, which has been effective in the treatment of tapeworms, giardia and other parasites.‘

You can also rub it into your chihuahua’s coat as a flea repellent! Is there anything that you can’t use coconut oil for? I have been using it to clean their teeth, they love the taste and it is getting them used to me poking my finger in their mouths.

Directions: 1 teaspoon per 4.5kg or 10 lbs of body weight.

 

Parsley

Make a parsley tea by boiling a bunch of parsley in a about a litre of water. Simmer for a few minutes. Chuck out the parsley and keep the tea in the fridge. Give a tablespoon per day a couple of time a week. You could freeze into ice cubes for storage or give an ice cube to your dog to chase about.

Fermented Vegetables.

There is a bit of a foodie movement in the UK around fermented vegetables. It seems they are also super effective in helping your dog get rid of worms and parasites. Some may love them and other may turn their nose up, try mixing them in with their food if you cook your own.

Directions: Build it up slowly with 1.5 teaspoon per 4.5kg or 10 lbs of body weight a couple of times a week.

Non Dairy Kefir

Like fermented vegetables this can be extremely good for your dog in the fight against worms. I brought some in Sainsburys today for us (as it is dairy) not the chis. It is a bit pricey but is more available in the UK. Go for a coconut or a goat milk version. Or make your own at home.

Directions: You can give your chi a teaspoonful a day.

We home cook our dog’s food as it is a lot cheaper and it is easier to control what goes in it. (There are some recipes and videos coming soon.) But if you feed commercial kibble or wet food you can still include a mixture of the above to support your dog’s health. 20% of your dog’s diet can be fruit or veggies.

Herbal Worming Treatments

If you are dead set against chemical worming there are other herbal treatments available. Verm-X and Billy No Mates are two that are easy to purchase on line. (UK) They are completely natural and easy to incorporate into your dog’s feeding routine.

Assessing your Dog’s Worm Burdon

It is extremely important to make sure your dog is protected against worms. Infestations can be fatal, especially lungworm. It is possible to buy kits that can assess if your dog has a worm burden. Worm count kits are available online from My Itchy Dog; https://www.myitchydog.co.uk/my-itchy-dog-worm-egg-count-testing-kit.html (this is not an afflicate link) Once you know what you are dealing with you can make decisions on how to treat effectivley.

If you think your dog has lungworm you must take him to the vet as he will need antibiotics.