Common signs to look out for include:. Luckily, they are less common and are rarely fatal unlike in dogs. However, they can cause breathing problems and lung damage. Naturally, cats that hunt or are in contact with slugs and snails are most at risk. In severe cases of worm infestation s, they can block the intestines, causing very serious health issues. In rare cases, worms can be fatal, especially for kittens.
Worms are everywhere and no matter if your cat stays inside all day or is newly born, they are at risk. The only way to be sure your cat is fully protected is to regularly worm them, preventing worms from causing health problems. There is a huge range of worming products available to treat infected cat s and help prevent an infestation. These are targeted towards different types of worms and for different types of application, oral products such as worm tablets , pastes, powders, or syrups, and spot-on drops that are placed on the neck near the base of the skull.
Some products cover against both roundworm and tapeworm, while others will only treat one specific type of worm. You should always follow the advice from your vet about how and how often to worm your cat. Some fleas carry worms , so anywhere they go, the risk of parasites goes too.
Cats should be treated for fleas every month , so worming at roughly the same time helps reduce the likelihood of tapeworm eggs being ingested by your cat via an infected flea. Hookworms, Nichols says, release their eggs into the feces of an infected animal, which will later hatch into baby hookworms that live in the soil. The signs and symptoms of worms in cats vary by parasite and can also depend on how many worms the cat has.
According to Nichols, beyond the typical signs of infection such as diarrhea, the blood-sucking parasites can cause severe anemia and even sudden death. Kittens are most at risk. And because cats can have roundworms without showing any signs, she recommends using a fecal float test to screen all cats for the parasite once a year. Cats infected with roundworms are typically given a deworming medication by mouth, which will immediately start killing the worms, Nichols says.
Cats with a high number of roundworms may need multiple doses. Treatment of tapeworms involves a single dose of a dewormer by mouth, Nichols says. Lungworm can be extremely serious — It can cause haemorrhages in the lungs, liver, intestine, eyes and spinal cord but also just about anywhere in the body.
If left untreated, it can be fatal in severe cases. Lungworm can be treated with spot-on treatments or tablets, which should be prescribed by your vet to ensure that an appropriate product is used. Forms of treatment that can be managed at home could involve Exercising good hygiene precautions is very important, particularly with children, who should be taught not to share food plates with the cat and to wash their hands after stroking or playing with him or her.
Provided you worm your cat regularly, any risks should be kept to a minumum. If you need further advice, why not visit us at PetGP. Why do cats get worms? If fleas are brought into the house from outside, they may well be infected with tapeworm which would then be passed to the cat.
It is possible to catch worms from your cat, the commonest being roundworm and one particular type of tapeworm. There is also a risk from toxocara, which may be found in faeces left by cats outside. What do cat worms look like? Tapeworms look like flattened grains of rice joined together. Roundworms resemble spaghetti with tapered ends and are long and often curled around.
You may see these in vomit, particularly in kittens. After treatment, your cat will likely need another fecal exam to ensure the worms have been wiped out. Thankfully, most intestinal worms in cats are easily resolved with either a single dose of dewormer or a short course of deworming medication that your vet can prescribe and administer. Certain worms including hookworms and lungworms can be more stubborn to resolve, resulting in slightly longer treatment courses of intestinal dewormers.
Adhering to a strict year-round flea prevention regimen can help reduce the risk of tapeworm infection, since fleas carry worms. Equally, if your cats are avid hunters and especially if they spend time both indoors and outdoors, preventative deworming every 3 months can help eliminate any intestinal worms before they can become a large burden for your pet.
There are some worms that can be harmful to humans. In order to protect yourself, along with your cat and any other pets, clean up cat feces immediately, wash your hands, and if possible, wear gloves whenever cleaning the litter box. 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 and humans 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! Tapeworms in cats are common intestinal parasites. Understanding the symptoms, treatment options, and preventative measures for tapeworms can help you keep your cat active and healthy, as well as lower the risk of transmitting tapeworms to humans and other pets.
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