My 5 month old dachshund has white worms in her stool. Is there a medication I can purchase without seeing a vet to treat this? Or should I make an appointment to bring her in?

Sorry to hear your Dachschund is having trouble.  It sounds as though she may have Tapeworms. There are many types of intestinal parasites (worms) dogs can contract and they all have unique appearances.  Tapeworm is generally treated with praziquantel, a de-worming medication that can be given by mouth or  by injection.  For any veterinary hospital to dispense or administer medication (including a de-worming medication) there has to be a valid client-patient-veterinarian relationship in place.  In the state of Florida that means an examination has been performed on the patient within 12 months of prescribing or dispensing any medication.  We would need to perform an exam, then we could prescribe medicine.  Many times, pets may have more than one type of worm and identifying which type of worm to give medications for based on verbal information from someone is not a good idea.  So, in general, a fecal (intestinal parasiste test) needs to be performed to identify the type of worm and therefore the type of de-wormer to give.  There are many types of de-worming medications for the many types of worms out there.  In addition, a current weight of the patient would be needed to dose the patient correctly.  In short, yes, an examination is needed.  If you are in the Temple Terrace area, you can call 813 988 1189, or in the New Tampa area call 813 973 8566 or in the West Tampa area call 813 885 4477 and they can get you and your pet in today to help you!  ps.. in any and all cases, be very wary of buying medications over the counter, it rarely is a better alternative than going to your pet’s doctor.  See you soon!