Care guide

Deworming, Flea, Tick and Heartworm in the Tropics

In the tropics, deworm puppies every 2 weeks at first, then monthly, and protect against fleas, ticks and heartworm all year, as your vet and the label advise.

What to do

Ask your vet for a plan that fits your puppy's age, weight and where you live. The product label and your vet set the exact timing.
Worms: puppies are usually treated from 2 weeks old and every 2 weeks until 8 weeks, then monthly. In the tropics, adult dogs are usually dewormed monthly.
Fleas and ticks: keep your dog protected all year with a product licensed for dogs, used as the label directs.
Check for ticks every day, especially after parks or grooming, and remove any you find promptly.
Heartworm: start prevention as early as the label allows, by 8 weeks old, and keep it going all year.
Expect your vet to test for heartworm once a year, and to check poop samples several times in the first year.
Treat every pet in your home at the same time.

Don't

Don't skip months. In the tropics, parasites are around all year.
Don't use a product on a puppy younger or smaller than its label allows, or split a bigger dog's dose.
Don't use a dog flea or tick product on a cat. Many contain permethrin or amitraz, which are toxic to cats and can kill them; use only products labeled for cats.

When to call your vet

Worms in poop or vomit
A pot belly, diarrhea or vomiting
Bloody diarrhea or pale gums
Coughing or tiring quickly on walks
Fever, low energy or not eating
Lots of ticks, even with treatment

Why

Parasite experts advise protection all year in the tropics. Ticks there can spread serious infections such as ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, and heartworm, spread by mosquitoes, is a leading cause of heart failure in dogs.

Sources

Guide reviewed 9 October 2026.

General information from the sources above, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call your vet.