How long does it take for worms to die in cats? How do worms come out after deworming in cats?

Characteristics and types of worms that a cat may have

Worm eggs are found in ponds, sand, on the ground, grass, in raw meat, fish, on unwashed vegetables, and greens. The owner can carry them into the apartment on his shoes. Worms affect the liver, heart, gall bladder, intestines, and lungs.

There are several types of worms:

• round,
• tape (cestodes),
• flat flukes (trematodes).

Each type has its own characteristics. Thus, many varieties of worms belong to the round type, and most often cats become infected with roundworms, which in appearance resemble spaghetti up to 50 mm in size. They are transmitted to kittens through the milk of an infected mother.

Worms infect the intestines, accumulating in it, damaging the gastric mucosa and gall bladder, causing a strong toxic effect. An animal can also become infected with hookworms, which are up to 2 mm long and infect the blood. Toxascariasis affects the liver, lungs, and heart (their length is from 30 to 50 mm). The helminths are inactive for some time, so symptoms do not always appear.

The disease is easily detected, since very often the larvae can be seen near the anus, in the feces. The class of cestodes includes tapeworms up to 1500 mm long, as well as alveococcus no more than 4 mm long, affecting the intestines. All of them have a toxic effect and cause a number of diseases.

Flatworms include the pulmonary fluke, up to 10 mm long, which infects and destroys the lungs and forms cysts. Trematodes, whose body resembles a white thread, have suckers. With their help, the worm attaches to the intestinal walls, thereby damaging its mucous surface and poisoning the body. This species is very dangerous as it can even cause death.

Classification of anthelmintic drugs

All deworming drugs are divided into:

Mechanism of action:

• have a narcotic effect on the nervous system of worms;
• paralyze the muscle layer, stopping the movement of parasites;
• disrupt the metabolism of worms;
• destroy the cuticle (outer shell) of helminths, “burning” the cells of which it consists (most often they cause intoxication of the cat’s body, therefore they are considered the most unsafe).

By name of the parasites affected:

• anti-trematodes.
• antinematodes;
• anticestodes;

According to the active substance, derivatives:

• bithionol (against cestodes (tapeworms) with antifungal action);
• ditrazine (used for suspected strongyloidiasis);
• milbemycin oxime (strong substances that kill adult roundworms and their larvae, dirofilariasis, and demodex mites);
• naphthamon (they work well against toxocara, but they affect the liver, so they are not prescribed for problems with its functioning);
• piperazine (effective exclusively against roundworm nematodes; tapeworms and flukes are absolutely not sensitive);
• praziquantel (paralyze trematodes and cystodes);
• carbon tetrachloride (previously used for strongylatosis, but was banned due to high toxicity);
• fasciolin or hexachloroethane (effective for feline opisthorchiasis and kill liver flukes, but have a negative effect on the liver at the slightest overdose);
• phenasala (against intestinal cestodiasis);
• fenbendazole (neutralizes cestodes and nematodes, is not effective against cucumber tapeworm; given for 3 days in a row to obtain the desired effect);
• phenothiazine (effective against nematodes (ascaris);
• emodepside (a new group of substances against nematodes for cats, affecting sexually mature helminths, as well as their eggs and larvae).

The classification by chemical composition is far from complete, but these substances are most often found in modern anthelmintic products for cats. Also, this division is very conditional, because Most often, the drugs are complex, including several substances that do not contradict each other in combination. The names of many anthelmintic tablets are often based on the main active ingredient.

There is no classification as “good pills” and “bad pills” that pet owners love to use. With the correct selection of name and dosage, any drug will show its maximum effectiveness with minimal side effects.

Treatment of worms in cats

Before starting treatment, it is advisable to determine what type of worms the animal is infected with. If you start giving your cat medication for a tapeworm and it is infected with a roundworm, the treatment will not bring the desired result. Drugs that destroy all types of worms are very harmful to the body, as they cause intoxication.

The drugs Polyvercan, Dirofen, Febtal, Profender, Panacur, often prescribed by veterinarians, are used once for helminthiasis. To avoid poisoning your animal, purchase medications from pharmacies. Considering the fact that all medications for worms are toxic, do not overdo it with the dosage.

Kittens and older cats should not be treated in the same way as adult animals because they may be harmed by the strong medication. It is better to give kittens suspensions instead of tablets. These are Pyrantel, Milbemax, Praciside, Dirofen, Kanikquantel.

Kittens should be treated with anthelmintics from two months of age. Pregnant and lactating cats are not prescribed anthelmintic treatment. Do not forget to carefully read the instructions for the drug!

Treatment of an animal for complications

If your cat does become intoxicated during anthelmintic treatment, contact your veterinarian.

What can be done to alleviate the animal's suffering:

• Inject Gamavit into the withers;
• Inject saline solution subcutaneously;
• Give a sorbent (Enterosgel, Polisbor, activated carbon);
• An hour after taking the sorbent, give the cat Detoxify;
• If there is no vomiting, give the cat plenty of water;
• After the animal's condition improves, give the cat Linex.

Prevention

• Check your cat for fleas;
• Do not feed your animal raw fish and meat;
• Do not leave the cat litter box uncleaned for a long time; disinfect it periodically;
• Don't leave your shoes in plain sight;
• Do not neglect personal hygiene, wash your hands after interacting with the cat, do not bring the animal close to your face;
• If the animal visits the street, deworm it once a month;
• Carry out prophylaxis 14 days before mating or vaccination.

If there are several cats and kittens in the house, give the deworming drug to all animals.

The person himself, without knowing it, becomes a carrier of the disease. Worm eggs can be brought home on the soles of shoes or on clothes. Then the eggs fall on the floor where the animals walk. As you know, cats wash themselves with their tongue, and all the dirt gets into the body.

A cat can become infected from neighbor's pets when playing, mating or eating from a common bowl. Many insects are carriers of infection. Flies feed in trash and landfills, then fly into apartments, where they are attacked by domestic animals. Cats love to feast on their prey. After which the pet is found to have worms. It is necessary to remove fleas from cats. Fleas can cause infection.

The symptoms of the disease include lethargy, depression, weight loss, poor appetite, developmental delays, ruffled fur, restlessness, mucus and blood in the feces. Cats may lick their anus constantly due to severe itching.

Instructions

Get ready for a much more unpleasant procedure and examine the animal's stool for the presence of moving worms. If there are larvae, then buy an anthelmintic agent, sold in all specialized stores and veterinary hospitals. But see your veterinarian first.

If the stool is clean, then monitor your pet's appetite. With an increased appetite, a constant feeling of hunger, the animal can also be infected, especially if it does not gain weight, but, on the contrary, melts like a candle every day.

Remember that helminthiasis can be transmitted to humans. Therefore, in any case, you will have to undergo the treatment procedure together with your pet. If you follow these simple rules, keeping a cat in the house will not cause much trouble. The animal will feel like a full member of the family and will thank its owners with its affection and love.

Sources:

• how to determine the presence of worms

When purchasing a pet, not everyone is prepared for what awaits them. Animals, like humans, have their own character and can change their moods and preferences. And just like people, they get sick. The difficulty lies in the fact that a person is not always able to recognize the disease in time, because many symptoms do not appear immediately, and animals are not always able to report their illness in a way that the owner understands.

Instructions

Remember that the presence can only be accurately determined

The first signs of helminths in cats may be the following:

• Weight loss;
• Poor appetite;
• Rapid fatigue and other signs indicating the animal’s ill health.

Depending on the shape and size, method of feeding and reproduction, helminths are classified into three main categories:

• flukes;
• tape;
• roundworms.

You should know the enemy by sight, so it’s worth getting to know him better. Types of worms in cats with photos and names:

In some cases, the temperature rises. Standard types of medications in this case are ineffective, so complex therapy is used to treat the cat.

• Metastases in internal organs and even the brain;
• Liver tumor.

The source of infection is eaten rodents.

Cucumber tapeworm

The most common uninvited guest in an animal's body is the cucumber tapeworm. Therefore, in the majority of cases, a person picks up these worms. They do not always pose a serious danger, but in any case the body receives some damage from their presence. After infection, a person may notice the following symptoms:

• Stomach upset;
• Headache;
• Impaired appetite.

Echinococcus

Roundworms

Cestodes

In general, cestodes are the most dangerous worms in cats for humans. Penetrating into the body, they quickly develop vigorous activity:

• Reproduce;
• Distributed throughout the body;
• They poison the body.

The bottom line is that you can get infected from cats, and in some cases this leads to serious health and even life problems. But the pet, in turn, can also suffer from worms that came to it from a person. Therefore, you should not neglect the minimum requirements for prevention:

• Hygiene monitoring;
• High-quality prepared food;
• Use of anthelmintics.

Use of folk remedies

It would be useful to understand how to remove worms from a cat using traditional methods. Folk remedies, unlike drugs, are not harmful and do not cause allergic reactions. The main thing is to know what tools to use. Treatment with folk remedies can also be used for kittens and pregnant cats. There are the following recommendations for the use of traditional methods:

• Garlic. This plant component is the main enemy of parasites. Every day your cat needs to add a crushed clove of garlic to her food until the worms completely disappear.
• You can poison parasites using an infusion of tansy and wormwood. This drink should be given to your pet every day until complete recovery.
• Pumpkin seeds have a high effect against worms. To do this, they need to be crushed and mixed with pork fat and sunflower oil. Feed this mixture for 5 days.

Garlic can help treat worms in cats

Many people believe that celandine can quickly remove worms. But it is worth remembering that this plant contains poisonous alkaloids. For this reason, this plant should not be used to eliminate parasites in animals.

Before figuring out how to treat your pet, it's worth considering the pros and cons. It is advisable to create in advance all the conditions that will prevent the appearance of all unpleasant parasites in the pet - you need to regularly clean and rinse the cat's litter box, clean the pet's place and carry out disinfectant cleaning throughout the entire room. This is the only way to protect your cat from serious consequences.

With the advent of veterinary clinics, pet owners undeservedly forgot about folk remedies. You can resort to them immediately if you detect symptoms of infection in cats. Ordinary products, plant collections, seeds, which are found in every home, can be useful for preparing infusions for helminths. How to remove worms from a cat using folk remedies? There are several of the most common methods of preparing decoctions and mixtures.

Well-known folk remedies are herbal decoctions. A collection made from tansy and wormwood helps well against parasites. Flowers are taken from the plants, dried and stored in a tin can. To prepare a decoction, you need to mix two teaspoons of each component and scald with boiling water, 250 ml. To treat helminths, give the cat three tablespoons of decoction in the morning for three days.

Garlic

Not every cat will agree to eat garlic. There are lovers who eat vegetables and fruits, and this folk remedy was invented for them. One clove of garlic is crushed and added in portions to the food. The period of application is seven days. One clove of garlic is enough for a day. This excellent remedy is more suitable for the prevention of helminths. It is still not worthwhile to completely replace treatment with garlic. It is better to contact a specialist and determine how to remove worms from cats.

Pumpkin seeds are used to treat diseases not only in humans, but also in animals. They are known for their beneficial properties. To treat helminthiasis you will need peeled pumpkin seeds. They need to be crushed, and for 300 g of seeds add 50 ml of water (unboiled water is not recommended) and 15 g of honey.

Symptoms of worms in cats and kittens

The degree of manifestation of symptoms characterizing the presence of worms in cats depends on various factors:

• Degree of damage;
• Type of worm;
• Features of the animal's body.

How to identify worms in cats? Basically, when worms are just beginning to settle inside a pet, signs of their presence may not be noticed, or they may be mild. The most common symptoms and signs of worms in cats include:

• Bloated belly;
• Premature birth in cats;
• Blood in stool;
• Purulent discharge from the nose and eyes;
• Itching in the anus (the cat constantly rubs and licks the affected area);
• Hair loss and dullness;
• Yellowness on the mucous membranes;
• Coughing attacks (especially with roundworms);
• Gastrointestinal disorder;
• Signs of intoxication.

Kittens may additionally exhibit symptoms of anemia and developmental delays.

It should be noted that the symptoms of worms in cats are in some cases similar to the signs characteristic of infectious and viral diseases. Carrying out deworming in this case is extremely contraindicated, as this can only aggravate the situation. Therefore, if any illness manifests itself, it is better to undergo laboratory and clinical tests to confirm the nature of the cat’s disease.

Symptoms

Each type of helminthiasis, regardless of the location of the worms, is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• change in behavior: the pet becomes lethargic or restless;
• loss of appetite: increased gluttony or refusal to eat;
• faded, tufted fur;
• skin dermatitis;
• bowel disorder: diarrhea, constipation;
• weight loss.

In adult cats with healthy immune systems, helminthiasis is often asymptomatic; external signs appear when the number of worms increases.

Intestines, stomach:

Symptoms of helminthiasis are more pronounced in older cats and animals with weakened immune systems. Infected kittens lag behind their littermates in development and die in advanced cases.

Treatment of worms in cats

How to remove worms from cats? At the first dangerous symptoms of helminth infection, it is necessary to urgently carry out a deworming procedure. It is worth considering that for this procedure it is necessary to use drugs specially developed for the animal body and the use of drugs produced for humans is unacceptable in this case. If this factor is not taken into account, the consequences can be unpredictable.

Dewormers for cats

What should you give your cat for worms? If you study various anthelmintic drugs in detail, you can draw a logical conclusion: deworming tablets for cats are divided into only two categories. In the first case, these are narrow-profile drugs that can cure an animal of one specific problem. Secondly, the medicine contains different components that can fight different types of unwanted travel companions. Such drugs are called complex, with a wide spectrum of action.

It is also worth noting that some medications are produced in the form of drops and suspensions, which makes it easier to administer the drug to a sick pet and facilitates accurate dosing of the drug.

You can now see the current price of anti-worm medications and buy them right here:

Top medicines

Leaders are everywhere, and this point is not spared by anthelmintic drugs for worms for cats. The following funds made it into the top three.

Drontal

The drug Drontal received first place for a reason. It is this type of tablets for deworming in cats that has received the most positive reviews from pet owners. They appreciate the quality of the drug and its effectiveness. Also, an additional advantage is the price of Drontal - it is the most acceptable for this market segment.

The main components of the drug are praziquantel and pyrantel. They are the ones who successfully deal with round and tape helminths. For an adult cat weighing four kg, one tablet is enough to get the required dose of medicine.

Milbemax

What makes the medicine so popular is its multitasking properties. The drug is produced for both adult cats and small kittens. Although for babies under 6 weeks of age, it is still better to choose something else. Also, you should not give Milbemax to pregnant cats. The predominant number of reviews about this product are positive, which allows the product to take an honorable place in the list of the best deworming medications for the cat family.

Dirofen

Dirofen is one of the complex drugs. It is produced in the form of tablets and paste suspensions. The product contains pumpkin oil, which has a beneficial effect on the healing of the animal’s intestines and the general condition of the gastrointestinal tract after injury. The cost of the drug depends on the type of medicine, but in any case the price is quite reasonable. Most often, Dirofen is used to treat cestodosis and nematodosis in cats and kittens. This product has proven itself due to its speed and high level of efficiency.

What if the cat is pregnant?

How to give a cat an anti-worming tablet?

1. The tablet should be crushed. The resulting powder should be mixed with your pet’s favorite liquid food. You can treat the “little patient” with the prepared treat.
2. The cat is seated on your lap so that its back is to the person. Now, if the animal tries to back away, it will have nowhere to retreat. Then the pet will need to unclench its jaws and put the dewormer in its mouth. After this, holding the animal’s mouth closed, you need to start stroking the cat’s throat. This will cause a swallowing reflex and as a result the animal will receive the necessary dose of the medicinal drug.
3. The thoroughly crushed tablet must be mixed with water. There should be little water, since the entire resulting mixture will need to be injected into the cat’s mouth using a syringe (without a needle, of course). As in the previous case, after administering the medicine you will need to close the animal’s mouth and induce a swallowing reflex.

For those who don’t want to invent anything, anti-worm drops, as well as pastes and suspensions are available for sale. But if we take drops as an example, they are recommended to be used only for preventive purposes, since they have a less pronounced therapeutic effect. For complete treatment, especially in advanced cases, it is better to use tablets.

How to give a cat an anti-worming tablet - watch the instructions in the video:

How to remove worms?

There are many medications that act on different stages of helminth development and can completely cure the animal of parasites.
The majority of drugs affect all types of helminths simultaneously. Medicine for worms for cats is produced in the form of suspensions, tablets, drops on the withers. Modern drugs have a slight toxic effect on the pet’s body, but it is important to consider contraindications and follow their dosage. If a cat is found to have worms, what to do is the main question that concerns a caring owner. At the initial stage of the disease, it is advisable to use folk recipes:

• Give the animal a decoction of chamomile instead of water.
• Cut the onion into 4 parts and pour a glass of warm water over it. Give the infusion to your pet in the morning on an empty stomach for a week.
• 1 tbsp. Infuse a spoonful of tansy flowers in a glass of boiled water for 60 minutes, strain. Give the cat the infusion 2-3 times a day an hour before meals.
• Inject 20 ml of carrot juice into your pet's anus once a day for a week.
• Grind a clove of garlic and add it to the food, treatment is carried out within a week.

Folk remedies need to be given for a long time, unlike medications, but they are non-toxic to the body. It is advisable to use them if the cat is pregnant, nursing babies, or has additional diseases; kittens up to 3 weeks of age can also be treated with such drugs. It is advisable to carry out several courses of therapy at intervals of half a month.

The most common deworming medications for cats:

• Kanikquantel plus is given after one month of age at the rate of 0.5 dosage form per 5 kg of body weight. The drug has a fishy or meaty smell.
• Dirofen - the dose depends on body weight and age, the drug has almost no side effects.
• Milbemax - given once, for babies from 6 months.
• Pratel - the action begins after 3-4 hours and lasts several days. Babies from 6 weeks are given ¼ tablet.

The main thing is to make sure that the pet swallows the tablet and the drug enters the body in the required volume. The following methods are used for this:

• Crush the tablet and mix with your cat's treat (wet food works best).
• Grind the drug, dissolve it in water and inject it into the animal’s cheek with a syringe without a needle.
• Use a piller - a syringe with a soft rubber tip. In this case, the tablet is fixed and pushed into the pet’s mouth with a piston.

If a cat has worms, what to do is the main question. There are injections for helminths, this is a very effective treatment, the main thing is that the owner can do this procedure - correctly fix the animal so that during intramuscular injection it does not damage its skin, and choose the right dosage of the medicine for a large or small pet.

If such difficulties do not frighten you, then you can give injections with Ivomek, Novomek, Barmek. It is better to consult a doctor before using them, at least during the first injection. Injections against worms in cats are also given to small kittens, as they allow you to accurately calculate the dosage. Injections are also well suited for nervous animals who refuse to take medications and spit out pills.

If worms are found in cats, treatment can be done using special drops. They are considered the best drugs for pets; they kill not only parasites, but also rid them of fleas and ticks. The drops are easy to use; you just need to use a convenient dispenser to apply them to the withers - the skin between the shoulder blades. Thanks to their oily consistency, they spread throughout the animal’s body and affect parasites. Popular drops:

• Profender is a German drug, suitable for cats from 8 weeks weighing more than 0.5 kg.
• Helminthal K - removes worms from cats, will also get rid of insects, suitable for animals from 7 weeks weighing more than 4 kg.

For prevention (even for the most “domestic” animal), anthelmintics are given twice a year. If there is a high risk of infection, deworming can be done once every three months. It is necessary to remove worms 10-14 days before vaccination.

The anthelmintic should be given twice with a period of 10-14 days. A single dose destroys only the adult, but not the eggs. In 10-12 days, new worms hatch from the eggs, and repeated administration will destroy them. If after this the animal still shows signs of infestation, you should consult a doctor. Some drugs destroy all phases of helminth development at once, so they are given once (Milbemax, Profender).

Pregnant animals are prescribed in the last third of pregnancy, lactating animals - 2-3 weeks after birth, only those drugs that have appropriate indications in the instructions (for example, Milbemax), otherwise they can harm the health of the offspring. It would be correct to drive away worms 10-14 days before mating. If this has not been done, kittens should be wormed no earlier than 21 days after birth. Unfortunately, infection of kittens with worms can even occur in utero, during childbirth and breastfeeding.

There are a great many remedies for worms. Veterinary anthelmintic drugs can be in the form of tablets (prazicide, canikquantel, milbemax, drontal, etc.), pastes (dirofen), suspensions (prazicide, dirofen), drops on the withers (profender, leopard spot-on, prazicide complex). If you find it difficult to give your pet a pill, you can give it a drink or treat it with special drops by squeezing the contents of a pipette between the shoulder blades, after first spreading the fur (in a place inaccessible to licking by the cat’s tongue).

Pay attention to what type of animal the drug is intended for, at what age it can be used, and for what weight the dose is calculated. Read the instructions especially carefully if your cat is pregnant or nursing kittens(!). Modern products are designed for all types of worms (round and tape). They must be given strictly by weight(!), so the animal should be weighed and the dose strictly observed!

Cats are most often affected by roundworms and tapeworms. Roundworms live in the small intestine, feeding on blood, which can lead to anemia. Their eggs can already be found in the animal’s feces two weeks after infection. Cestodes (tapeworms) reach 70 cm and live in the small intestine, causing vomiting in kittens and cats, and often cause weight loss in the animal.

It’s worth paying attention to your pet’s health if you notice:

• Diarrhea or constipation;
• Vomiting (blood and worms can be seen in the vomit);
• The presence of worms or their larvae resembling grains of rice around the anus of the animal;
• The cat rubs its butt on the floor;
• Bloody and mucous stools;
• The animal has noticeably lost weight;
• Cat cough;
• Hard breath;
• Hair falls out;
• Retarded development of the kitten;
• Fatigue;
• Convulsions;
• Premature birth.

If there are a lot of worms in the body, then their segments even appear on the fur, in the stool, which is mixed with mucus and blood.

You should pay attention to the fact that the symptoms of worm infection resemble manifestations of other diseases. Therefore, without waiting for a diagnosis, do not rush to self-medicate.

In very severe cases, convulsions appear and paralysis of the limbs occurs. And to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to treat the animal very carefully, periodically give antihelminthic drugs, and for any symptoms indicating a disease, contact a veterinarian.

Prevention of worms

Preventive deworming in kittens and cats should be carried out at least four times a year. And for pets walking outside, the schedule can be tightened. Compliance with hygiene and cleanliness standards. Several rules for preventing worms in cats:

1. Something as simple as washing your hands after handling animals is a good way to prevent accidental infection.
2. Also, don't let the cat touch your face and especially your lips. This also applies to kissing a pet.
3. The cat's litter box should be changed frequently. It won't hurt to wash and disinfect it from time to time either.
4. It is better not to give your cat raw foods, especially meat and fish.
5. If there are several cats in the house, deworming medications will need to be given to everyone, and this should be done at the same time.

Compliance with simple prevention methods greatly reduces the risk of infection of a cat and, as a result, a person.

If you still have questions about the treatment of worms in cats, write in the comments, we will try to answer!

The most common disease among cats is worms or helminthic diseases of cats.

Cats during walks, in close contact with the environment, expose themselves to the danger of becoming infected with helminth eggs, which are found in large numbers on various objects. A particularly great danger in this regard is provided by the direct contact of your cat with other homeless, stray animals.

Being essentially predators, cats never refuse raw fish or meat offered to them, which in our time of market relations can be infected with helminthic infestation.

Some types of worms cause characteristic, pronounced symptoms of helminthic disease, while other worms, for a long period of time, hiding in the muscles or liver of the cat do not show themselves in any way.

Taking into account the above, cat owners need to carry out preventive deworming with anthelmintic drugs.

Why do kittens diarrhea after deworming?

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is a condition characterized by frequent bowel movements and the release of watery, mushy stool. If the kitten begins to diarrhea after deworming and diarrhea lasts no more than 24-38 hours , this is normal. In this case, diarrhea is a protective reaction of the body, which can be provoked by substances contained in anthelmintic drugs.

In addition, some components of anthelmintics enhance peristalsis , intestinal motility to accelerate the natural process of eliminating intestinal parasites from the body of animals.

If the kitten is diarrhea heavily, there is mucus, blood, foam in the stool, particles of undigested food are noticeable, and intestinal upset occurs in the first hours after deworming, most likely the kitten is heavily infected with endoparasites.

It is possible that if a small pet becomes diarrhea after taking an anthelmintic, the pet is infected with a viral-bacterial intestinal infection . Therefore, only clinically healthy pets can be vaccinated and wormed. The body, weakened by pathology, disease, or infection, tolerates such preventive and therapeutic manipulations worse.

Important! If, after preventive, therapeutic deworming, in addition to acute diarrhea, the kitten has vomiting, nausea, itching, weakness, apathy, muscle spasms, salivation, allergic manifestations, this condition is provoked by individual intolerance to the constituent medications.

Profuse diarrhea in small kittens after deworming occurs when counterfeit medications are used, an incorrectly selected drug, or a violation of the therapeutic dosage recommended in the annotation.

What types of worms that infect cats are there?

There are several types of helminthiasis in cats, which are classified by experts depending on the type of worm that caused the helminthiasis in the cat.

Larvae migrating throughout the cat’s body can be found not only in the liver and lungs. Some of the larvae, quickly making their way through the lungs, enter the systemic circulation, and from there into various tissues of the animal, where a membrane is formed around them. Light nodules appear in the kidneys, liver, heart muscle and other muscles, with larvae located in the center.

Such nodules also form in the internal organs of accidentally infected mice and rats. A cat that eats a sick mouse also becomes ill.

In kittens, intrauterine infection is also possible through the systemic circulation, when they are introduced into the fetus through the placenta. The larvae linger in the liver and lungs of the fetus, and in the first days of the kittens’ life, they penetrate their intestines.

Symptoms.

With severe infestation, the cat loses a lot of weight, even with a good appetite. A sick cat vomits, sometimes with blood, and gastrointestinal upset occurs - diarrhea. Kittens infected in utero may die from blockage or rupture of the small intestine. In young cats, we also note gastrointestinal tract disorders.

Treatment

. When carrying out deworming for toxascariasis, the following anthelmintics are used: pyrantel, ditrazine, fembendazole according to the instructions for their use.

Hookworm

– Ankylostomosis. Whitish nematode with a reddish tint. In her mouth she has a capsule in which there are three pairs of symmetrically located teeth. The teeth are curved inward, like hooks, and those on the sides are larger than the rest.

Hookworms - males reach 9-12 mm in length, females do not grow more than 21 mm. Oval-shaped eggs are released into the external environment with feces. One hookworm lays about 16 thousand eggs every day. The lifespan of hookworms is from 43 to 100 weeks. In the cat's body, the larvae develop into adult worms after 17 days. Adults are localized in the intestines and feed on blood, causing anemia in the cat. A cat is infected in two ways - orally (swallowing eggs) and through the skin (larvae enter the circulatory system through the skin).

Pathogenesis.

Hookworms in a cat's body cause mechanical damage to tissues, leading to intestinal bleeding and general intoxication of the body.

Symptoms.

A sick cat eats poorly, drinks a lot, and becomes inactive. The cat has a gastrointestinal disorder accompanied by vomiting blood and diarrhea mixed with blood.

Treatment

. For deworming, pyrantel, fembendazole, febantel are used in accordance with the available instructions for the use of these drugs.

Signs of roundworm infection in cats are as follows:

• Frequent vomiting, sometimes worms come out along with vomit and feces.
• Loss of appetite.
• Increased thirst.
• Constant diarrhea.
• Lethargy, loss of strength, decreased activity.

Types of helminthiases

There are several types of helminthiases, which are classified depending on the type of worm that provokes the pathological process. Common types of parasites in cats at home:

• roundworms – nematodes;
• flatworms – trematodes and flukes;
• ribbon type.

One of the types of worms that can be found in cats are roundworms.

Tapeworms during their active development can reach a length of up to 70 cm. Often this type of parasite uses a cat as an intermediate host, and these parasites spend the majority of their life cycle in other organisms.

Roundworms are small in size, but with advanced infestations their numbers reach large numbers. Roundworms often parasitize the small intestine, but can also affect the esophagus and liver. Flatworms or flukes - these types of helminths often affect the liver and lungs. They are small in size, but when they affect the respiratory system, they create large cysts that cause serious pulmonary dysfunction.

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Helminthiasis is the collective name for dangerous parasitic diseases caused by helminths. The pet becomes lethargic, vomiting and diarrhea occurs, appetite and general condition of the body worsen. It is necessary to quickly establish the cause of the disease. Helminthiasis is treated at all stages of development.

Helminths can be divided into two groups: nematodes and cestodes. Roundworms and tapeworms differ in appearance and size. Both types occur in cats, so the medications have a double effect; they are designed to combat all helminths at once. You can distinguish nematodes from cestodes if you get tested at a veterinary clinic. When the helminths leave the cat's body through vomiting, the pet owner will see what form they were in.

• Nematodes are roundworms. In appearance they are similar to spaghetti, reaching a length from a couple of millimeters to 20 cm. These parasites enter the body of cats if she likes to hunt in nature and eat mice or other small rodents. A common type of roundworm in domestic animals is hookworm. This is a small parasite, 2 cm long, that settles in the animal’s stomach and feeds on its blood. If hookworm remains in the animal's body for a long time, liver damage and anemia can occur, which in advanced cases can be fatal.
• Cestodes are tapeworms. These are flat flukes, alveococci, diphyllobothriases, and tapeworms, which can grow from 2 mm to 10 m in length and easily weave into a ball. They reproduce quickly and can change several hosts during their lifetime. On the body of tapeworms there are suckers with hooks. They lay larvae inside the body of cats, which are released into the external environment along with feces, and infect insects, animals (even large ones like snow leopards) or people.

Symptoms of infection

The owner of a pet can immediately discover that something has happened to his friend. Behavior and appetite change, the cat constantly sleeps or meows desperately. It is difficult to make a correct diagnosis on your own. It is better to immediately contact a veterinarian - call him at home or take the animal to the clinic. In advanced cases, a simple anti-parasite pill will not get rid of helminths. You can find out without a diagnosis that your pet needs urgent help by looking at the following symptoms:

• loss of appetite or incessant eating;
• vomit;
• upset stomach or constipation;
• itching – the pet begins to scratch itself;
• rash in the perineal area;
• salivation;
• round, distended belly;
• spasm;
• developmental delays and heart failure occur in kittens;
• pus from the mucous membrane of the eyes.

Tapeworms in cats

Alveococcosis-

Alveococcosis is a helminthic disease. With this disease, small worms in a cat are localized in the small intestine. Intermediate hosts are rodents. A cat becomes infected by ingesting the larvae by eating an infected mouse, rat, etc.

In most cases, there are no symptoms of the disease in cats.

It must be borne in mind that this helminthic disease is very dangerous for a cat, as it can be fatal.

Treatment.

The following anthelmintic drugs are used in treatment: cetovex, fenasal, filixan according to the instructions for their use.

Symptoms.

A sick cat develops apathy, eats poorly, and becomes inactive. There is damage to the gastrointestinal tract - rumbling in the stomach, diarrhea, the cat vomits.

Treatment.

For deworming, phenosal, skoben, and praziquantel are used. These drugs are used according to the instructions for their use.

The development cycle occurs with the participation of intermediate hosts - cyclops crustaceans, diaptomus, etc. and additional hosts - pike, perch, catfish and other fish.

Cats become infected when they eat raw, dried or poorly cooked fish that contain diphyllobothriasis larvae in their bodies.

Symptoms.

An infected cat loses its appetite, becomes weaker, and its fur becomes dull. The cat often vomits, sometimes mixed with blood. In cats, owners note disturbances in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by both diarrhea and constipation. With prolonged invasion, anemia is recorded, the number of leukocytes increases, the amount of sodium and potassium in the blood serum decreases, and protein appears in the urine. Damage from the nervous system - in a cat it is accompanied by convulsions, intestinal blockage is possible.

Diagnosis

diagnosed in a veterinary laboratory based on fecal ovoscopy.

Treatment.

Praziquantel, phenalidone, phenosal are used for deworming. These drugs are used according to the instructions for their use.

Signs of tapeworm infection in a cat:

• Indigestion is accompanied by alternating loose stools with constipation.
• Lost appetite.
• Poor hair condition, sometimes hair loss.
• Anemia develops.
• Drowsiness, apathy.

After a cat is infected with tapeworms, they do not manifest themselves in any way; the disease is asymptomatic. Tapeworms are very dangerous to human health, as they can be fatal.

Why is regular deworming necessary?

Getting rid of worms simply by giving pills is a utopia. If the rules for keeping animals are regularly violated, the cat will become infected within a few days or weeks. As a preventative measure, be sure to follow these rules:

• Clean your cat's litter box daily - no matter what the litter, feces and "old" urine are a very favorable environment for the rapid growth of helminth larvae. A cat that has gone into a dirty litter box licks its paws, parasites get into its mouth and everything starts all over again.

• Protect your cat from a successful hunt. Sporting interest is a “sacred” thing, but catching a rat or mouse is not at all necessary; a collar with a rattle will allow the “victim” to hear the cat. If the animal “works as a hunter,” special attention should be paid to anthelmintic measures.

• Follow the rules of personal hygiene and do not infect your cat - no matter how trivial it may sound, human foods are much more likely to be sources of worms than cat food, which is fully heat-treated.

• If you don’t know how often to give anthelmintic to your cat due to allergies or congenital diseases, consult a specialist. Traditionally, a cat is dewormed once every 3 months and before vaccination, if the timing of the events does not coincide.

• It is better to start counting the dates from February - March, this is the most active phase of parasite reproduction.

Worms feed on their “host” – his blood, lymph, tissues, etc. Many worms, with their fixation devices, damage the mucous membranes of the intestines and organ tissues. All worms, during their life processes, secrete substances that poison the host’s body. Worms in a kitten often lead to blockage and rupture of the intestines.

Flatworms in cats

Flatworms

(trematodes and flukes). Flatworms in cats are quite rare. Flatworms cause diseases in cats such as:

Symptoms.

The disease is chronic, the sick cat coughs, sometimes with severe wheezing, eats poorly, shakes, body temperature may be elevated, sometimes the cat has a fever, the cat develops foamy vomiting, and diarrhea.

Diagnosis

A cat is diagnosed with a disease based on the results of fecal ovoscopy.

Treatment.

Praziquantel is used for deworming.

Opisthorchises develop with the participation of an intermediate host - a freshwater gill mollusk and additional hosts - carp fish (ide, dace, chebak, roach, bream, rudd, etc.). From the eggs swallowed by the mollusk, larvae develop - cercariae, which enter the water and actively penetrate the body of carp fish, encyst in their subcutaneous tissue and muscles, turning into metacercariae. Cats become infected by eating raw fish infested with metacercariae. The duration of development of opisthorchis from egg to the mature stage is about 4 months.

Symptoms.

With severe intoxication, the cat is exhausted, has sharply disheveled hair and a large belly, the development of dropsy; during the examination, the cat, due to the presence of pain, does not allow the owner to touch the stomach. When palpating the liver, one can detect a sharp thickening of the liver, the presence of tubercles of various shapes and sizes on it. We note jaundice in a sick cat. Poor appetite appears, which alternates with periods of “gluttony,” during which the cat greedily swallows food in whole pieces. Periodically, the cat vomits yellow masses and diarrhea. A sick cat sometimes has a fever.

Diagnosis

placed on the basis of clinical and epizootic data and the results of helminthocoprological studies.

Treatment.

The use of conventional anthelmintic drugs for cats is not very effective. Complex treatment is required under the supervision of specialists from a veterinary clinic.

Routes of infection and localization in the body

There are three categories of helminths: round

,
ribbon
and
flat flukes
. They have different life cycles, habitats and routes of entry into the body of cats.

Round, or nematodes

The following representatives of this species are more common in cats:

• Roundworms
  and
  toxacaras
  are considered typical cat worms. Adults grow up to 3-5 cm in length, less often 10 cm, live and reproduce in the small intestine. Eggs are released into the environment with feces, and reach mammals with contaminated soil, street dust or water. The larvae form in the intestine, pass through its walls, enter the blood vessels, and spread throughout the body. Then they ripen in the lungs, from where they exit through the respiratory tract with sputum. The animal swallows some of it again, and they return to the intestines.
• Hookworms
  do not exceed 2 mm in size, are able to penetrate the body through the skin, and affect the intestines.
• Heartworms
  , or
  heartworms
  . Eggs are transferred by mosquitoes from sick animals to healthy ones. Mature individuals live in the lungs, muscles, heart, and blood vessels.

A person can easily become infected with nematodes from a cat if they do not wash their hands after cleaning the litter box or handling a sick pet.

Tape or cestodes

Helminths of this variety live in the intestines and attach to the walls with hooks. You can only become infected with larvae that mature in the body of intermediate hosts; the eggs are not dangerous.

• The cucumber tapeworm
  reaches a length of 0.1 to 0.7 meters, consists of a head and segments where the eggs mature. Individual segments come out with feces, the eggs are freed from the shell and penetrate the body of the fleas. A cat becomes infected if it swallows an insect with a larva.
• The broad tapeworm
  is similar to a tapeworm, but its temporary hosts are freshwater fish and crustaceans. Mammals become infected with tapeworm through river water and thermally untreated fish.
• Alveococci and echinococci
  are no larger than 4 mm in size; temporary carriers are rodents and rabbits. For cats, these helminths pose an increased danger because they become both final hosts and intermediate hosts. Adult worms live in the intestines. The larvae penetrate the liver, brain, eyes and other organs.

Cestodes cannot pass directly from a cat to a person; infection is possible only through intermediate carriers.

Flukes, or trematodes

Representatives of this species are less common, but pose a mortal danger. They attach to organs with suction cups, feed on tissues, damage and destroy.

The complex development cycle excludes human infection with trematodes directly from a cat. Pets run the same risk of contracting worms as street animals: nematode eggs enter the apartment on the soles of their owners’ shoes, cestode larvae and flukes enter the apartment with undercooked fish.

How to remove worms from a kitten?

The kitten's body is more vulnerable and more susceptible to helminthic diseases. When kittens are infected with helminths, they weaken faster and their bodies become exhausted more quickly. Based on this, you need to start treating them for worms as early as possible. Veterinary pharmacies sell special gentle medications for kittens that do not injure the kitten’s delicate gastrointestinal tract. These drugs include: milbemax, polyvercan, prazicide, pyrantel, dirofen suspension.

Treatment regimen

Let's look at the entire treatment regimen step by step:

• Give the medicine to the kitten.
• Make sure that after about 20-30 minutes he goes to the toilet. If this does not happen, it is necessary to give a laxative to prevent intoxication.
• Immediately after the kitten goes to the toilet, it is necessary to throw away waste products in a place inaccessible to it.
• It is advisable to stay at home all the time on the day of treatment to clean up after the kitten after each trip to the toilet.
• Check that the treatment is successful. Worms should be observed in the feces.
• After 10-12 days, repeat the procedure in the same order.

What should you consider when treating your cat for worms?

1. Only healthy cats should be treated.
2. When treating cats for helminths, it is necessary to additionally administer Gamavit.
3. After giving the medicine, the cat must be given an adsorbent drug (activated carbon, enterosgel).
4. After using an anthelmintic, you will need to carefully monitor his toilet. It is necessary for the cat to go about its business, otherwise intoxication of the body will occur. If this does not happen within the first 3-4 hours, then the cat will need to be given a laxative syrup or a little Vaseline oil.
5. Repeated deworming must be done after 2 weeks. If you carry out preventive treatment rather than treatment, then once will be enough.

Additionally you should keep in mind that:

• A nursing or pregnant cat should not be dewormed (an exception can be carried out in case of urgent need).
• Kittens infected in the womb of a cat can be dewormed no earlier than 3 weeks after birth.
• Before being vaccinated against any infectious disease, a cat must be treated for worms.
• Drugs intended for humans should not be used on cats.

Treatment of weakened animals, small kittens and pregnant cats

Features of treatment of weakened animals, kittens and pregnant cats:

It is important to follow the instructions and read the dosage carefully. The amount of the drug designed for an adult animal will simply lead to the death of the kitten.

Suitable drugs

The drug Milbemax

can be given to a cat in early pregnancy,
Drontal
- in later stages.

Use of folk remedies

Folk remedies:

• You can use alcohol tincture of wormwood (10 drops twice a day, an hour before meals).
• Do an enema with carrot juice, just 20 ml per day is enough.
• Replace drinking water with chamomile or fennel infusion.
• Instead of plain water, you can also use onion solution; to do this, pour warm water over the coarsely chopped onion. This drink should only be consumed on an empty stomach.
• Brew tansy flowers, strain and give to your cat three times a day an hour before feeding.

Possible complications in cats from the use of helminthic drugs

There are cases when a cat may have an individual intolerance to the drug used.

If your cat’s intoxication continues to increase, then you urgently need to take your pet to a veterinary clinic.

Most cats, when being treated for worms when given a tablet, begin to break free from you, scratch and spit out the given tablet. As a result, after several unsuccessful attempts to set the tablet, it becomes unusable and has to be thrown away.

To still give your cat a pill, there are several cunning tricks:

• You need to take the cat on your lap, placing it with its back to you. After this, the cat will need to unclench its jaws and place the tablet in its mouth, without allowing it to spit it out. After this, the cat must be stroked on the throat so that it swallows the tablet given to it. As an aid, you can give your cat a little water.
• We grind the tablet into powder and mix it with the cat’s favorite treat and give it to the cat, making sure that she eats everything.
• Grind the tablet into powder and stir in a small amount of water. We collect all this into a disposable syringe without a needle, and slowly pour it into the cat’s mouth. During the procedure, it is necessary to hold the cat's muzzle so that it does not spit out the given medicine.
• We wrap the cat in a towel or any piece of thick fabric like a baby, laying it with its back up so that it cannot choke. Then pour the solution containing water and the crushed tablet into your mouth a little at a time.

How are anthelmintics given?

Anthelmintics for cats and kittens are available in four different forms:

Pills

How to give a cat an anti-worming tablet? Solid forms of medications are given to cats in three ways:

• crush the drug into powder, mix with water and pour through the toothless edge with a syringe without a needle, after fixing it in a towel (if necessary);
• add the tablet to food or a piece of some cat treat;
• open the mouth of the restrained cat, place the whole tablet slightly to the side of the root of the tongue, close the mouth and stroke the neck until the animal makes a swallowing movement and licks its lips. You can give it to drink from a syringe.

Drops on the withers

The drops on the withers “speak” for themselves. The drug is applied to the skin in the area of ​​the withers - neck and between the shoulder blades to prevent licking of the drug. Sometimes light rubbing may be necessary. It does not bring any discomfort to the animal, it is very convenient to use if the cat completely refuses any oral medications (by mouth).

Prevention of worms in cats

In order for your cat to be healthy and not be able to infect your children, who are constantly hanging around a common pet, it is necessary to promptly prevent the appearance of worms in the cat. In order to prevent helminthiases in cats, you need to fight:

• Raw fish and meat should be excluded from your cat's diet.
• Avoid contact of your cat with stray animals.
• Disinfect your cat's litter box periodically.
• Store your clothes and shoes in closed cabinets and cabinets.
• After contact with a cat, especially children, they need to wash their hands thoroughly with soap.

Carry out deworming regularly.

An affectionate and funny animal, the cat can be a carrier of numerous colonies of helminths. But despite this, lovers of these animals cannot refuse to keep them. This may be hazardous to your health.

The owners do not understand the danger of this. After all, their pet is clean and well-groomed, but even the healthiest and most well-fed animal can be a carrier of many worms, which, if they infect a person, can cause great harm to health.

Is helminthiasis transmitted?

This may be damage to internal organs and the hormonal system. In particular, some types of nematodes and trematodes can affect vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, and intestines. They can also affect the human brain and thyroid gland, and in some cases the damage can affect the entire hematopoietic system, heart, and lymphatic system.

Types of helminths

In addition to hookworms, your pet may be infected with:

• Roundworms or nematodes
• Flatworms or cestodes
• Trematodes or flukes.

An infected animal may be so debilitated by the worms that it may die. Since these can completely poison the entire body with toxic waste from their vital activity.

It is important to remember that furry guests are carriers of diseases dangerous to humans such as:

• Roundworms
• Cucumber tapeworm
• Echinococcus
• enterobiasis

Roundworms are roundworms that cause dangerous problems. They produce toxins and poison the entire body. Signs of roundworm infection may include nausea and vomiting. This is due to the fact that roundworm produces powerful allergens. There is also a mechanical effect on the intestines, as a result of which a pathology can develop in which the intestinal walls are damaged.

Enterobiasis is a human infection with pinworms. This in itself is not dangerous, but it causes unpleasant sensations that cannot be called normal life activities.

Many may say that having a furry pet in the house is not associated with its going outside, which means it cannot be infected with helminths. But it is necessary to remember that a cat, eating raw fish and licking itself, is constantly a carrier of helminths. More than 30 types of helminths that live in the body of cats can be dangerous to humans.

Causes of infection

A cat is by nature a predatory animal. In any situation, she will try to catch prey and eat it raw. It could be a bird or a mouse. Could be a rat or other animal.

But in any case, it is necessary to remember that a cat, having drunk from a puddle or from another source on the street, can bring entire colonies of worms into the house. In addition, she can eat in a place where garbage collects. And you can't keep track of her.

So, how can worms get into an animal’s body:

• From carriers - fleas, flies, rodents
• When eating raw meat or fish
• On a walk
• In contact with other animals

Based on all this, we can conclude that meat and fish for cats must be subjected to heat treatment. It is also necessary to constantly monitor the pet’s condition and carry out deworming every six months for prevention. And keep an eye on cat litter boxes, clean them in a timely manner and treat them with disinfectant solutions.

Small kittens become infected with helminths through their mother's milk. Therefore, it is necessary, after adopting a kitten, to carry out anti-worm therapy. So that later you don’t have to worry about your health and the health of your cat.

Routes of infection

It must be remembered that having an animal makes you responsible not only for its life and health, but also for the health of the entire family. Since children are the first to be infected. It is necessary to strictly monitor compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards. There are many ways of infection. This is both through dirty hands and through the cat’s saliva when we bring it closer to our face.

It is also necessary to strictly ensure that she does not sleep in bed or climb on tables. It is also necessary to remove the tray using gloves and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Treatment and prevention

Even in the most critical cases, the worst situations can be avoided.

Now we need to figure out how to prevent and treat the animal.

Cats that do not walk outside, or only walk from time to time, must be subjected to preventive deworming once every 4 months, and outdoor cats once every 3 months. Such prevention, of course, will not cure your animal completely. But it will reduce the risk of infection from it.

This worming is carried out using special preparations. Here are some examples of such drugs:

• Profinder
• Kanikvatel
• Prazicide
• Drontal

Each drug must be used according to the instructions in the instructions for use.

But in addition to this, it is necessary to observe hygienic precautions, such as washing hands, handling the tray with gloves, and processing raw meat and fish using high temperature.

What to do in case of poisoning during deworming?

In the process of treating helminthic infestations, you can encounter two types of poisoning:

• poisoning due to the accumulation of harmful substances in the body due to the massive decay of helminths (especially with severe infection);
• poisoning directly with anthelmintic drugs due to incorrectly calculated dosage and its excess.

Urgently see a veterinarian if:

• the cat became apathetic and lethargic;
• the animal does not drink or eat anything at all;
• there is diarrhea or vomiting;
• loss of consciousness.

You should not try to remove a sick animal from an obvious state of intoxication yourself. It is likely that gastric and intestinal lavage will be required, which is very dangerous to do on your own at home without the appropriate skills and experience.

In the hospital, in addition to washing the intestines and stomach, the animal will be given various detoxifying solutions - this is the only way to reduce the effect of total poisoning. It is possible that surgical intervention will be required due to blockage of the intestines by helminthic balls in case of severe infestation.

Helminths or worms are internal parasites of animals, incl. and man. Worm eggs are everywhere - in the soil, water, on grass, in raw meat and fish, on unwashed vegetables and even in the air. A cat that never leaves the house can ingest worm eggs brought into the house by a person on shoes, hands or clothing. Most worms that parasitize a cat's body are dangerous to dogs and humans.

Why are they dangerous?

It is important to start treatment on time so as not to worsen the animal’s condition.

Worms are dangerous not only because they “drink” the blood of an animal.

But also because they cause serious harm to the entire body of the cat. Often, a large number of worms in the body simply does not allow the animal to empty its intestines. Metabolic processes are disrupted, the immune system weakens, allergic reactions begin, toxic substances are released into the body, which lead, among other things, to the most tragic consequences - death.

Pet owners are interested in whether they can catch a disease from a four-legged animal while being in constant contact with it? Yes, this can happen. There is only one way out (besides treating the pet): compliance with generally accepted standards of hygiene. If you pet your pet, wash your hands.

It is believed that helminths in cats and kittens pose a particular danger to children and pregnant women.