How Does Your Dog Or Cat Get Intestinal Parasites
Ok, where are my poop eaters?
This unfortunately is the number one for your pet to become infected with roundworms and whipworms.
But roundworms can also be passed from the mother to the pup or kitten through the placenta or in the milk.
This is one of the main reasons why the vet deworms your puppies and kittens so frequently when you first get them.
Other routes of transmission include fleas or eating mice, rabbits, or small rodents.
So if you have an outdoor cat, you need to be checking stool samples frequently for intestinal parasites and the same with your dogs if you have a dog that is an avid hunter.
What Happens If Worms Go Untreated In Cats
Worm infestations that are left untreated can be dangerous, even fatal, for your cat.
Migration of larvae through the organs and tissues of the body as they make their way to the intestine could result in severe skin infections, blindness, convulsions, or pneumonia, depending on the path of larval migration.
Ongoing losses of blood and vital nutrients, which should be absorbed by the intestines, can result in progressive anemia, weight loss, dehydration, and death.
Summary Of Worms In Cats
There are many different types of worms that can infest cats, so be aware of the signs and symptoms. Immediate treatment will not only help prevent the infestation in your cat from becoming worse, but it will also help protect the other pets in your household. Discovering that your cat has worms may be disturbing, but with effective treatment from your vet, your cat will be worm-free before you know it!
Read Also: My Cat Keeps Peeing On My Dog’s Bed
What Are Intestinal Parasites And Why Is This Important
Roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms.
These are the most common internal parasites we see in our dogs and cats. Intestinal worms can be a serious problem for young dogs and cats.
Hookworms can lead to life-threatening anemia and roundworms can lead to malabsorption issues and poor growth and development.
In adult dogs, intestinal parasites are occasionally life-threatening.
Usually, animals that have a weakened immune system are more likely to experience severe intestinal parasitism and show clinical signs.
Approved Dewormers For Cats
After discussing the natural dewormers above, you may wonder which dewormers we trust to get the job done. Though it appears that some natural options can be extremely beneficial when it comes to preventing intestinal parasites in cats, there are only a few options that we trust to effectively treat an active parasitic infection. These options include:
- Panacur Broad Spectrum Dewormer
- Albon Dewormer
You can purchase many of these options at your veterinarians office, at pet stores, or even online with a prescription.
You May Like: Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Kitten Food
Clean Regularly To Keep Worms Away
Preventive measures are one of the best cures for any disease. So, disinfect your house often, clean the litter box regularly, and wash the water and food bowls. Moreover, you should check your cat for fleas regularly to prevent tapeworms.
Furthermore, you should try to keep your cat indoors. Outdoors cats hunt rodents that could be infected with worms. In addition to this, outdoor pets dig in gardens and soil, and the risk of contracting worms is greater. Not to mention that your kitty might come home full of fleas and ticks.
How To Naturally Worm Cats With Diatomaceous Earth
Be Sure to Check out my VIDEOS below!!
One of the most asked questions I get, is how do I worm my cat with diatomaceous earth?
It is an easy process and a bit different that most conventional treatments because diatomaceous earth works with physical action unlike chemicals. Traditional treatments using chemicals can lead to resistance where physical action wont or in the event it did it would take years for the parasites to adapt to the abrasive action diatomaceous earth has. With that said let me explain in more detail, how it works, dosage and the safety of DE.
If diatomaceous earth is abrasive will it hurt my cat or kittens stomach?
No not at all, food grade diatomaceous earth has been ground down to a fine powder, this fine powder is harmless to us and our pets but deadly to insects and parasites. It has even shown to have a cleaning effect on the lower intestine. kinda like scrubbing the colon clean. A clean colon allows for more nutrients to be absorbed. There are many benefits to regularly feeding diatomaceous earth to your cat or kitten, not only to keep them parasite free.
Exactly how does diatomaceous earth kill the parasites?
Like stated above, it works with physical action, the abrasive nature of food grade diatomaceous earth will scratch up the outer layer of the parasite, this environment causes the parasite to die. It is important to get a good dose in your cat or kitten daily, the 7 to 10 days will pick up and shedding eggs.
Also Check: What Do You Need For A Kitten
Apple Cider Vinegar For Deworming Cats
Apple cider vinegar is a trending topic when it comes to curing intestinal parasites in cats due to its ability to create an alkaline environment in the intestinal tract. Many holistic vets suggest that daily consumption of apple cider vinegar for 2 weeks is enough to cure your cat of their parasites, though there are no scientific studies to confirm this.
While an alkaline environment in the intestines may certainly impact any active worms, were a bit concerned about the possible effect of daily apple cider vinegar use in your cat. Apple cider vinegar can be a bit harsh on the kidneys, and can potentially worsen underlying issues in your cat that you are not aware of. Because of this, we do not recommend offering apple cider vinegar to your cat until you discuss it with your vet.
Prepare The Cat Worming Prescription
Once your vet Okays the medication, prepare to take the war to the worms when you get home.
The too familiar phrase, shake well before use comes into play here if the medication is liquid or topical. As you do this, keep the medication away from the cats sight. Remember when we were kids and would disappear when we sighted mom preparing to give us medicine, your cat/kitten behaves the exact same way.
Keep the medication away from the cats sight.
If she does not disappear, she gets a little moody. You know cats, always thinking the whole world revolves around them. These cunny cute cheeky creatures are princesses though. Prepare the medication away from her, and she will not know what hit her. I call this the power of surprise.
Don’t Miss: What Is Felv In Cats
Can Garlic Be Used To Treat Tapeworms In Cats
No, garlic cannot be used to treat tapeworms in cats, as no study has given any evidence of that. Garlic may have a temporary inhibitory impact on larvae and egg production of the intestinal worm species studied.
Tapeworms are long, flat worms with a large number of segments. The tapeworms mature segments, which contain eggs, are discharged and passed in the feces.
All tapeworms require an intermediate host to complete their life cycle.
The intermediate host must first ingest the eggs from the environment, and then the cat must eat the intermediate host to become infected.
Depending on the tapeworm type, different animals serve as intermediary hosts.
Dipylidium caninum and Taenia taeniaeformis are the most frequent tapeworms found in cats around the world.
Garlic contains compounds called disulfides and thiosulphates, which can cause the red blood cells circulating through a cats body to become very fragile and burst.
Therefore, ingesting garlic may result in the destruction of a cats red blood cells, a deadly condition known as hemolytic anemia.
You might find it interesting to know can i get worms from my cat sleeping in my bed
How Do You Use Coconut Oil For Worms
There are two ways to use coconut oil for worms, first is to swallow a tablespoon of pure coconut oil or rub it onto the infected worms.
Coconut is reported to have antibacterial and antiviral characteristics, which could aid in the treatment of worms in your cat.
This treatment necessitates a two-step procedure. Each morning, take a spoonful of pure coconut oil and give it directly to your cat or add it to its diet. Apply a tiny amount of coconut oil to the affected region at night.
You must like to read about are worms in cats deadly
Don’t Miss: Can You Declaw A Cat In Pa
Can Cats Die From Worms
This is indeed possible, especially if you have a kitten at home. They are more vulnerable to worm infestations because their immune systems are not yet fully developed.
A cat that has diarrhea for too long may suffer from severe dehydration. In addition, you now know that certain worms can cause anemia, a condition that can lead to death if left untreated.
In short, all the symptoms mentioned above must be addressed quickly to avoid a gloomy prognosis.
What Is A Dewormer
So what is a cat dewormer, anyway? Simply put, a dewormer is a substance that kills intestinal parasites within your cats intestinal tract once its ingested. These medications are also called anthelmintics, which are any type of medication that tackles and expels worms from the body, human or animal.
Cat dewormers work in many different ways depending on which type of intestinal parasite your cat has. When your cat has tapeworms, the medication will cure the infection by breaking apart the tapeworm eggs in the intestinal tract until they are no longer active. When your cat has roundworms, the medication essentially paralyzes the roundworms, causing them to let go of the intestinal lining and be flushed out with their stool.
There are different types of dewormers for different parasitic infections, all of which have the goal of curing your feline friend of these pesky parasites.
Read Also: How To Get A Kitten To Like You
Be Careful About The Medication
When you are about to purchase deworming medication for your cat, you need to keep your furballs health and safety in mind. Be sure to check the potential side effects of medications. If your cat is already suffering from sickness, its highly recommended to consult with your veterinarian before proceeding further.
The vet must diagnose pregnant and nursing cats before feeding them any medication. When it comes to feeding medicine to cats, its always best to get the ones that can be mixed or given in their diets.
However, if you prefer worm pills for cats, a pill-gun will make it less hassle for you. Be sure to follow up with the treatment to make the worms gone for good.
Keep Your Cat Indoors
Rodents, rabbits, and birds are the carrier host of worms. If your cat spends a lot of time outdoors, its more likely that the feline will hunt them and consume later on.
Even if its not possible for you to keep your cat inside the house all the time, be sure to keep an eye on whether the cat is hunting any rodents or not. However, when it comes to your kittens, you must ensure that they dont go outside until they are adults.
Recommended Reading: How To Keep Cats From Pooping In Yard
Can Cats Get Worms From Dogs
Yes, cats can pick up infected eggs from dog poop, as not all roundworms and hookworms are species-specific. Ancylostoma braziliense hookworm can affect both dogs and cats, as well as Toxascaris leonina roundworm.
Cats can also get tapeworms via the flea on dogs if they are living in an infested home or yard. If a flea from a dog jumps onto a cat and gets ingested, there is the potential for a tapeworm infestation to develop.
The most common types of worms in cats are:
-
Roundworms
-
Tapeworms
-
Whipworms
There are also a number of less commonly diagnosed worms in cats that can cause serious health problems and can even be fatal, including:
-
Lungworms
Severe infestations of liver flukes may cause:
-
Swelling of the liver
-
Abdominal distention
Calm Cat Down After Cat Worming Prescription
Before administering the oral medication, ensure your cat is calm.
The process is tricky enough, so you need a happy kitten held in your lap. You will not medicate the cat when she is all jumpy and frightened as hell. Have you ever watched that TV series called My Cat from Hell? If you havent then after you are done with your cat, grab some popcorn and sit back, then enjoy the show.
Also Check: How To Get Cat Urine Out Of Luggage
Gastrointestinal Parasites In Kittens By Dr Erica Ellis Dvm
What is the culprit?The most common organisms who infect the gastrointestinal tract of kittens include protozoa like giardia, tritrichomonas feotus, and cryptosporidium parvum. Worms like diplidium caninum are also possible cause of diarrhea, and weaned kittens are susceptible to ancylostoma tubaeforme and toxocara cati .How are different parasites transmitted?Protozoa are spread by infective feces that can contaminate food, water, or other objects that even a young kitten could lick. The queen may not be showing any symptoms despite a chronic infection, so do not rule this cause out even if the kittens mother is healthy. Tape worms are spread when kittens ingest fleas. Round worms or hook worms transmission requires ingestion of contaminated feces or of hosts ranging from rabbits to earthworms. As such, these parasites are less likely to infect neonatal and infant kittens but are still worth ruling out in older kittens.What symptoms will the kitten show?Protozoal parasites: Diarrhea, which can tend to be mucoid and foul-smellingHook worms: Malaise, poor weight gain, a distended abdomen, anemia, a rough hair coat, diarrhea, and blood in the stool
Round worms: Intermittent diarrhea, a distended abdomen, failure to gain weight despite ravenous appetite, possibly white, noodle like worms in the stool
Tape worms: You may see no symptoms, or you may see worms resembling rice grains in the stool
Home Remedies For Deworming My Cat
See files for
Despite the independent nature of cats, whoever has one as a pet will know they are faithful and beloved companions with which you can create a very special bond.
Welcoming a cat into your home as a pet involves being able to meet all their needs in order to ensure a good quality of life. You also need to remain vigilant of the presence of external parasites. Even if it can seem unpleasant, you will need to meet this responsibility as a good pet owner.
Find out how to treat this condition naturally as AnimalWised shows you the best home remedies for deworming your cat.
Recommended Reading: Do You Have To Trim Cat Nails
Read Also: 40 Lb Clumping Cat Litter
The Best Cat Dewormers And Intestinal Parasite Preventives In 2022
Best oral tapeworm dewormer:Droncit Tablets, $28.40 from ChewyOne Droncit tablet quickly and safely kills tapeworms in cats and can be given mixed with food.
Safe for use in kittens as young as 8 weeks, Revolution Plus Topical Solution treats, controls, and prevents more parasites than any other topical product, including roundworms, hookworms, heartworms, fleas, ticks, and mites.
How To Prevent Worms In Cats
If your cat already has contracted worms, veterinary diagnosis and a treatment plan are the only way to deworm your cat. But if you want to prevent your cat from getting worms, there are some guidelines to follow. Kornreich says that pet parents should practice good sanitation including cleaning litter boxes on a daily basis and disinfecting them weekly, avoiding overcrowding of cats and litter boxes, and asking your veterinarian to perform regular stool analysis as part of your cats routine wellness exams. Additionally, there are prescription and over the counter preventive worm medications that keep cats protected. Year-round preventative is the best way to protect your cat from worms, says Arndt. Even cats that stay inside are at risk of getting worms. Cat parents should talk with their veterinarian each visit about the best products to keep cats protected.
Dont Miss: How Much Is A Himalayan Cat
Also Check: What To Use Instead Of Cat Litter
How Do Cats Get Worms
Cats most commonly contract worms after coming into contact with parasite eggs or infected feces.
A cat may walk through an area with eggs or infected feces, and since cats are often such fastidious groomers, they will then ingest the eggs or fecal particles as they clean their fur and feet.
This can occur in indoor cats as easily as it can in outdoor cats, particularly if multiple cats share a litter box that is contaminated with infected feces.
Cats that live outdoors and regularly hunt small rodents are also at a higher risk of contracting worms because the worms can live in the muscle tissues of their prey.
After eating a rodent thats infected with worm larvae, a cat can develop a worm infestation as those larvae develop to maturity in the cats intestines.
Why Is Cat Deworming Important
Just the thought of your cat having worms is gross and disconcerting. No one wants their cuddly fur-baby – that sleeps where they sleep – to have worms. Most importantly, deworming your cat is important because of the negative health impact an infestation can have on your cat. Having worms can vary from just being annoying to life-threatening. Kittens and cats that are medically compromised or fragile with age are vulnerable to health issues from worms. They can get anemia or become severely dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea. Kittens can have so many worms that they can not pass them through the GI tract, and that can cause an intestinal blockage, a fatal condition. Infected kittens that are not dewormed can also have their growth and development negatively impacted. Healthy adult cats rarely have significant health issues from having worms, but they are at risk enough to say they need to be dewormed.
You May Like: Are Oriental Lilies Poisonous To Cats