Worming schedule / United Kingdom
Puppy worming schedule in United Kingdom
British practice follows ESCCAP UK: fortnightly worming from two weeks, monthly to six months, then at least four times a year. The two British specialities are lungworm, which ESCCAP UK says all dogs should be treated preventatively for, and the absence of heartworm.
Worms, fleas, ticks and heartworm
| Treatment | From | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intestinal worming | From 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks | ESCCAP UK: treatment starts at two weeks of age and repeats fortnightly until two weeks after weaning, which usually falls around 8 to 10 weeks. The aim is to stop Toxocara canis egg shedding from infection acquired before birth and through the milk. |
| Intestinal worming, monthly | From about 3 months | Monthly to 6 months | ESCCAP UK states this flatly as monthly until 6 months old. The European guideline it derives from makes it conditional on ongoing risk, so the British advice is the firmer of the two. |
| Lungworm prevention | From the age on the product label | Monthly | ESCCAP UK: lungworm is easily prevented and all dogs should be treated preventatively. Angiostrongylus vasorum is thought to be endemic throughout the UK though not uniformly. Monthly cover is advised for high risk dogs, which includes any dog that eats slugs and snails or grazes on grass. There is no lasting immunity, so a previously infected dog needs monthly treatment indefinitely. |
| Flea and tick prevention | From the age on the product label | Monthly, or per product | Flea control also controls the flea tapeworm, which dogs catch by swallowing an infected flea while grooming. Many British monthly products combine flea, tick and lungworm cover in one dose, which is why the product choice belongs to your vet. |
- No heartworm. ESCCAP lists Dirofilaria immitis as a southern European parasite and does not list it as a British one. It only becomes relevant for dogs that travel to or come from endemic countries.
- Hydatid tapeworm is a real risk in mid Wales, the Welsh border, Herefordshire and the Western Isles of Scotland. High risk dogs in those areas should be wormed with a praziquantel product at least every six weeks.
- Dogs entering Great Britain need tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival.
This is general guidance, your vet sets the actual schedule. Local disease risk, the products your clinic stocks and your puppy’s own history all change the plan. Take this page to your vet as a starting point, not as an instruction.
Common questions
Do dogs in the UK need heartworm prevention?
Not for life in the UK. Heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, is not endemic here. ESCCAP lists it as a southern and southeastern European parasite. It becomes relevant if your dog travels to an endemic country or was imported from one, in which case prevention and testing both need discussing with your vet before you go.
What is lungworm and does my puppy need cover?
Angiostrongylus vasorum, picked up by eating slugs and snails, including tiny ones hidden in grass or on toys left outside. ESCCAP UK considers it endemic throughout the UK though patchy, and says all dogs should be treated preventatively because it is easily prevented and serious when it is not. Puppies eat everything, which puts them squarely in the risk group. There is no lasting immunity after infection.
Other countries
Next
Sources
- ESCCAP UK and Ireland, deworming frequency advice: https://www.esccapuk.org.uk/uploads/docs/q8e61ahf_003_Deworming_frequency_advice.pdf
- ESCCAP UK and Ireland, worms: https://www.esccapuk.org.uk/page/Worms/6/
- ESCCAP guideline 01, worm control in dogs and cats, seventh edition (June 2025): https://www.esccapuk.org.uk/link-document/20/
- GOV.UK, take your pet abroad, tapeworm treatment on return: https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad
Last reviewed 2026-09-05.