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Expert: - 9/13/2011


Question
I have a approximately 4 year old dashound who is due any day now the 09/15/11 I we believe this is not her first litter she is a rescue found in a rest area eating a deer carcasses. The proper authorities were notified and a poster was put in the local store  she was immediately taken to the vet to get checked out and we started over with her vaccination... And besides being under nourished  and weighing a whopping 6 lbs and in heat  she was pretty healthy playful and a joy to have in our family....above info leads to these questions
1) she is eating very well  and her pregnancy as far as I can tell is normal she started having a clear jelly like discharge about 1 week ago just enough to be noticeable but since then no more. Is this normal at the time I thought she was in labor but no.
2)  just today I've noticed she has worms white maggoty looking I had had her to the vet when we first thought she was pregnant and she was "worm free" per the vet. Is it ok to deworm her in such late stages of pregnancy and are the worms product of being abandon and foraging where she could?and will always be an issue
3) and if so what is the best over the counter wormer out there

Answer
It sounds like she has tapeworms. You didn't mention how long you have had her but tapeworms come from them eating mice or chewing on fleas. Fleas are more likely in her case.

They are not maggots. Over the counter wormers do NOT work on tapeworms. You must get the medicine from a vet for them. I don't have a bottle of them in front of me so I cannot tell you if it safe to worm her this late but when you pick up the pills the vet can tell you.  

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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