My pup was last wormed at 12 weeks.
Is it now every 4 weeks to 6 months of age then every 3 months for life ?

And also, I have been using Drontal but I am concerned about her eating slugs/snails so was thinking of getting the appropriate one from the vet (can't remember the name !) Does anyone else use it and have you had any problems/concerns with it ?

Bump !

You need to read the info as each product is different

Thanks.

The thing you are talking about with the slugs and snails issue is lungworm, and the med you are probably talking about for it is Advocate.

I am deeply suspicious of the need for a monthly spot-on product - for life - as a lungworm preventative.  With any wormer you need to assess the risks involved:  How likely is it that your dog will contract the disease?  Dogs which eat slugs and snails are at increased risk of contracting lung worm, with some evidence that dogs which are BIG grass eaters may also be ingesting slugs and snails unknowingly.  If you have a dog which does either of those then it MIGHT be at increased risk. 

Even then, though, there are some oral meds which combat lungworm:  Panacur and Milbemax.

Most vets in my area would quickly happily sell you every preventative product on the market, year round.  If you even 'asked' them about it, they would encourage you to buy it.  What they're not going to tell you about is the health risks involved in putting powerful pesticides on your dog constantly - health risks to humans in the house as well as the dog itself.  Just 5 yrs ago, no one had heard of lungworm.  Suddenly it is being aggressively marketed by vets, on the front of every reception desk, and being sold to people as totally necessary for all dogs, life-long.  Has the incidence of it really increased?  Is there some sort of panic driven reaction going on?  Are vets in cahoots with manufacturers to sell Advocate?

I'm not anti all pesticide use:  I do believe there are some parasites for which pesticides are the only effective answer (ticks in summer, and in tick-heavy areas, being the main one), but I remain unconvinced of the necessity for using spot-on pesticides for other parasites, year round.  If there is an oral med which will do the same thing, that would always be my first choice.

My pup is a grass eater, she also likes to dig down to get the roots. She munches on plants, grass, twigs and stones. She is a real pain and it is a worry at times. She is 4 months old and I so hope it is a habit she grows out of.
As for slugs and snails, I had my suspicions that she was eating them and then found her with one in her mouth. All snails are now quickly dispatched next door !

My question would be, if she is eating slugs how likely is she to get lungworm as I have had a dog before some years ago and I had never heard of it ?
I got some Advocate from the vet - she was more interested in telling me to treat for fleas eventhough my dog doesn't have them ! - but haven't used it yet as I am concerned about using it but she is eating slugs so I can't decide what to do !
I have just wormed with Drontal so the vet said to wait a couple of days before using the Advocate. I think that this pup is more of a worry than my kids ever were !

I use Advocate every month for my boy - a necessary evil as my last boy died from lungworm infection. He has no visible side effects from it apart from smelling slightly of the product, for a few days.My girl developed a reaction to Advocate - a breathing problem that got worse over 3 months, each time we used it, so now has Panacur every month. Her breath, urine and coat would smell of it for days. Advocate is the only one licensed to prevent lungworm, Panacur and Milbemax are used to treat lungworm. My girl is effectively being treated, partially, for lungworm every month, thereby lessening her worm load. I would hope that in a few years, I will be able to go back to a more normal worming routine, but I don't know if I can take the risk! My dogs are both 2 years old. You have to remember that there are 4 different types of lungworm, no one drug treats them all although studies show that certain drugs - panacur and possibly milbemax - do indeed treat more types than the data sheets show.

Puppies and young dogs do seem to be at most risk - in affected areas ( and these areas are increasing) - as they are the ones who mouth, chew, lick, eat and pick up everything! Dogs who show symptoms of lungworm infection - coughing, breathlessness, exercise fatigue and problems with their blood clotting, are more likely to survive an infection than ones who show no sign until the worm burden is so large as to be fatal.

You may find this article interesting :-)   http://galody.com/2011/11/21/lungworm-milbemax-without-prescription-panacur-advocat/