Is there a home remedy for worms in dogs?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
No home remedy is recommended by the veterinary parasite guidelines. TroCCAP, ESCCAP and the Merck Veterinary Manual all treat worms with a dewormer chosen by a vet, or a stool test followed by treatment. The most common kitchen remedy, garlic (lehsun), is toxic to dogs. Waiting on remedies also lets worms harm puppies, which can die of hookworm anaemia.
If you think your dog has worms, book a vet visit and take a fresh stool sample. Puppies, and any dog with bloody or black stools, pale gums or weakness, need a vet the same day.
When are worms an emergency?
Most worm infections are not urgent in an adult dog. These are.
If A puppy with pale gums, weakness, or dark, tarry stools.
See a vet today. Merck says anaemia in young puppies is the characteristic, and often fatal, sign of hookworms. Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version)
If Bloody diarrhoea in any dog, especially a puppy.
See a vet today. Hookworms and whipworms can cause it, and so can parvovirus, which needs urgent treatment. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
If A swollen belly, vomiting worms, or a puppy that is not growing.
Book a vet visit soon. Heavy roundworm burdens cause poor growth and a pot-bellied look. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
If Your dog ate garlic or onion given as a 'remedy'.
Call your vet. Both are toxic to dogs and can damage red blood cells. Merck Veterinary Manual
Do the common home remedies work?
What Indian owners are told, against what the veterinary sources say.
You may have read
Garlic (lehsun) clears worms.
Myth
What the sources say
Garlic is toxic to dogs. Merck lists garlic and onion toxicosis in animals, and WSAVA calls garlic a known toxic plant for many dogs and all cats. Merck Veterinary Manual
You may have read
Pumpkin seeds, papaya seeds, neem or haldi will deworm a dog.
Myth
What the sources say
We found no veterinary guideline that recommends any of them. TroCCAP specifies a registered dewormer labelled for the dog's age; ESCCAP and Merck likewise rely on licensed treatments and stool tests. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
You may have read
If I cannot see worms, my dog does not have them.
Myth
What the sources say
Many infected dogs show no signs, Merck says. Worms and their eggs are usually found by microscopic examination of the stool. Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version)
You may have read
One dewormer a year is enough.
Myth
What the sources say
ESCCAP says that where risk cannot be judged, dogs should be dewormed or stool-tested at least 4 times a year, and that 1 to 3 dewormings a year do not give enough protection. European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP)
Why not try a natural remedy first and see?
Because the cost of waiting falls on the dog, and sometimes on the family. In puppies, hookworms can cause anaemia that kills, and roundworms passed from the mother before birth can cause pneumonia and sudden death, TroCCAP says. Neither waits politely while a remedy is tried.
Some dog worms also infect people. Merck notes that roundworms can cause larval migration in people, hookworms can cause skin infections, and some tapeworms can infect humans. TroCCAP says children are most at risk of roundworm infection because of how they play, and the larvae can damage the eye. Roundworm eggs can survive in soil for years, ESCCAP says, so an untreated dog keeps contaminating the places children play.
There is also the problem of not knowing which worm it is. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms are treated differently, and Merck says roundworms, hookworms and whipworms are diagnosed by examining the stool under a microscope. A remedy cannot be matched to a worm nobody has identified.
Which worms do Indian dogs get, and how are they found?
From the Merck owner manual and TroCCAP's tropical guidelines.
| Common signs | How it is found | Infects people? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roundworms (Toxocara) Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version) | Often none; diarrhoea, poor growth, swollen belly, worms in stool or vomit | Stool test | Yes, children most at risk |
| Hookworms Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version) | Anaemia in puppies, dark tarry or bloody stools | Stool test | Yes, through the skin |
| Whipworms Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version) | Often none; fresh blood in stools in heavy infection | Stool test | Not listed by Merck |
| Tapeworms Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version) | Few signs; segments in stools or stuck to fur near the anus | Seeing segments or eggs | Some species, including the flea tapeworm |
What actually works against worms?
- A dewormer prescribed by your vet for the type of worm, your dog's age and its weight. Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version)
- A schedule: puppies every 2 weeks from 2 weeks old, then monthly; adults on a plan your vet sets by risk. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
- Or regular stool tests with treatment when worms are found, which ESCCAP accepts as an alternative to routine deworming. European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP)
- Flea control, which Merck calls the critical step against the flea tapeworm, even for indoor dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version)
- Picking up faeces promptly every time, which Merck says is critical against whipworms. Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version)
- Treating a pregnant or nursing mother on the vet's advice, to cut transmission to the puppies. Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version)
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
How do I know if my dog has worms?
- Often you cannot tell: Merck says many infected dogs show no signs. Possible signs are diarrhoea, poor growth, a swollen belly, worms in stool or vomit, tapeworm segments near the anus, and in puppies pale gums from anaemia. A vet confirms most worms with a stool test under the microscope.
Is garlic safe to deworm a dog?
- No. Garlic is toxic to dogs, damaging red blood cells, and WSAVA calls it a known toxic plant for many dogs and all cats. It is not a dewormer in any veterinary guideline we read. If your dog has eaten garlic or onion, call your vet.
Can I buy a dewormer without seeing a vet?
- Whatever is on the shelf, the right product and dose depend on the type of worm, your dog's age and its weight. Merck says your vet will choose the medication. A stool test also tells you whether treatment worked. Ask your vet before buying.
Can worms spread from my dog to my children?
- Yes. Roundworm eggs from dog faeces can infect children who touch contaminated soil and then their mouths, and the larvae can damage the eye, TroCCAP says. Hookworm larvae can enter bare skin. Regular deworming, prompt cleanup and handwashing protect the family.
Keep reading
Free tools for this
Words on this page, explained
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual (dog owner version): Gastrointestinal parasites of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Canine guidelines: roundworms (opens in a new tab)
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Canine guidelines: hookworms (opens in a new tab)
- European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP): GL1: worm control in dogs and cats (7th edition, June 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Garlic and onion (Allium spp) toxicosis in animals (opens in a new tab)
- WSAVA: Frequently asked questions and myths (Global Nutrition Committee) (opens in a new tab)
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About toxocariasis (opens in a new tab)