Worms in cats: how to treat

Cats frequently suffer from worms, which can negatively impact their health and vitality. These parasites can cause a variety of problems, from minor discomfort to serious illness, but they are frequently undetected. Keeping your cat healthy requires knowing how to recognize the symptoms of worms and how to treat them.

There are several ways for your cat to get worms: fleas, contaminated soil, and animal contact. Fortunately, worms are usually easy to treat, and your cat can get well quickly if you take the right approach.

This post will walk you through the various worm species that can afflict cats, how to identify the symptoms, and what actions you can take to treat them successfully. Together, let’s ensure that your pet remains content and free of worms.

Cat worms are a common problem that can negatively impact their health, but they can be promptly treated with the appropriate care. It’s crucial to see a veterinarian for a correct diagnosis and to use safe deworming drugs when treating worms. Preventive care and routine examinations can help keep your cat healthy and free of worms.

Where do cats get worms from

Worms are also carried by mice.

The news of worm appearances is shocking to many cat owners. How could a pet that lives in an apartment in the city for days on end get worms?

But, sadly, they are available somewhere. Particularly during the summer, when helminth carriers fly into the apartment (even with mosquito nets covering the windows) and land on food, including bowls of cat food that appear to have been specially prepared for them.

When you consider the amount of infection the animal’s owner brings into the house on his shoes and clothing, flies are a far lesser evil. The one with the mustachioed stripes is constantly curious to smell its owner’s feet, who has been absent all day. Of course, the animal is completely unaware of the threat posed by entire colonies (often up to a thousand eggs) of helminths that people pick up throughout the day from public transportation to a grocery store.

Consequently, the worms’ eggs and larvae "move" to the cat’s fur coat. The animal then contracts the infection by licking the fur.

Worms in a domestic cat can appear for a number of reasons overall. Among them are:

• Infection through raw fish and meat.
• Insect bites (for example, mosquitoes), which is fraught with the appearance of heartworms.
• Even the shortest walk in the yard, which is accompanied by contact with grass, sand and waste products of other pets.
• Worms "inherited" – the result of intrauterine transmission from the mother cat.

Types

Cats can have a variety of worm infestations.

The habitat of parasites may vary. Some species choose the intestines of the animal, others prefer the liver or lungs. Heartworms live in the heart sac of the animal. These are roundworms one and a half millimeters thick. Females are more dangerous – they are usually twice as large as males. The result of their appearance in the body over time can be damage to the central nervous system of the animal and disruption of blood flow. Carriers of such worms are dogs. If parasites are detected in time and treatment is started, then the animal can still be saved. But the problem is that the symptoms of the disease are almost imperceptible, and then the animal rapidly fades away.

Flatworms are just as sneaky. They are frequently referred to as the most harmful parasites. The animal dies when they appear. They damage internal organs and tissues and have an adverse effect on the pet’s liver, bladder, and lungs. Such worms can grow up to 15 millimeters in length. When raw sea fish is consumed, its larvae most frequently enter the body.

By the way, if one consumes undercooked seafood in their diet, they are not safe from these worms.

Elible helminths as a habitat choose light animals. The infection penetrates the animal’s body along with an eaten mouse or bird, which had previously had contact with parasites – snails or slugs. As a result, the larva of the pulmonary worm is in the intestines of the cat, then it enters the bloodstream and with it gets to the lungs. Here, the larvae ripen to adult worms and egg laying. Then the process of distribution of parasites begins: the cat affected by the disease is a lot and seriously coughing, sending out new old larvae, ready to hit other animals. For the cat itself, the presence of such worms is fraught with numerous complications, pathology and transition to a chronic condition, which is accompanied by an incessant cough.

Flukes are a different kind of worm that affects animals with four legs. Thankfully, they are not very widespread. They pose a risk to the animal’s pancreas and liver. They may impact the heart and digestive system, which may result in extremely challenging circumstances or even the pet’s demise.

Worm eggs, on the other hand, are extremely small. It is not possible to find them with the unaided eye. Frequently, a microscope’s power is insufficient for this. The ones that are visible differ in form and hue. These symptoms are used by veterinarians to identify the type of parasite that has taken up residence in the animal.

Worms may occasionally be found after an animal uses the restroom. Typically, they have a leaf-like shape, are white, and measure slightly less than a centimeter in length.

How to determine if a cat has worms

Cat coughing can indicate various medical conditions in addition to worms.

Sadly, a pet cannot sense what or how they are hurting, unlike a human. Only the four-legged animal’s altered behavior will be able to reveal whether or not worms are present in a pet. When parasites manifest, it can cause coughing, vomiting, or even foaming at the mouth. In other situations, it can cause diarrhea, fever, or abrupt behavioral changes. The animal almost always chooses a secluded corner of the room to lie down in.

A cat that typically plays, purrs, runs around the apartment, and eats well should have a sudden and unexplained change in mood. The four-legged creature’s normal body temperature ranges from 37.5 to 39 degrees, so you will need to take its temperature.

It’s important to observe additional behavioral traits as well. Take unexpected hiccups, for instance. Among other symptoms include the cat’s coat changing (becoming paler), breathing difficulties, or extreme thirst.

Active salivation is a concerning symptom. Additionally, there is a noticeable shift in the animal’s bowel habits: an extended period of constipation is abruptly followed by constant diarrhea.

At times, the waste products are expelled by the worms themselves. However, these are the most challenging situations, where the animal requires immediate assistance.

Certain worm species require specific testing, not just an examination of the animal’s excrement. The results of a blood test will reveal whether or not a heartworm is present. Furthermore, an X-ray of the cat’s chest cavity can be used to accurately diagnose lungworm disease in addition to the animal’s wearisome cough.

Worms in a cat’s eyes is another topic. This type of lesion is known scientifically as a thelaziosis. It is not common. The cause is typically an infection carried in by the wind. Worms like this are white. The tear ducts are their home. Without even using any equipment, the animal’s owner can see them when the worms start to move around the eyeball and wriggle in an uncomfortable way.

Why are they dangerous?

In order to avoid ignoring the animal’s condition, it is critical to begin treatment on time.

Not just because they "drink" the animal’s blood makes worms dangerous. But also because they seriously injure a cat or cats’ entire body. A body full of worms frequently prevents an animal from being able to empty its intestines. The immune system deteriorates, allergic reactions start, metabolic processes are disturbed, and harmful substances are released into the body, all of which can result in the most terrible outcome possible: death.

Are owners of pets concerned about the possibility of contracting a disease from a four-legged animal if they have frequent contact with it? It is possible for this to occur. There’s only one solution (apart from taking care of your pet): adhering to widely recognized hygiene guidelines. Please wash your hands, pet.

Though it is important to note that there aren’t many helminths in common between cats and humans. In other words, humans are not home to the majority of parasites that inhabit four-legged animals. Alternatively, they are unable to survive there because the environment they enter when they enter the human body is too hostile for them.

A few years back, 2,000 domestic cats were observed by Russian researchers, who then published their findings. Six hundred of them had worms, as a result. Out of the six hundred, two hundred cats had parasites that are not contagious to humans, and roughly three hundred four-legged animals had parasites that are extremely harmful to pet owners.

It’s thought that pregnant women and young children are especially vulnerable to helminth infections in cats.

Treatment

The only person who can accurately identify the type of worms a cat has and how to treat them is a veterinarian.

You need to get in touch with a veterinarian and start treating the cat if you notice any similar symptoms and its condition changes. To address this issue, a variety of pharmaceuticals and home remedies are available.

Anthelmintics for cats

If giving your cat a pill isn’t possible, you can hide it in their favorite food.

Only professionals should administer treatment; amateur work is not acceptable. Veterinary stores, of course, stock a wide range of "super-remedies" that, if you believe the labels, will have the four-legged patient back on his feet in no time. On the other hand, you shouldn’t take them without first consulting a veterinarian and getting tested.

It is important that you know exactly what you have to fight before you begin treatment. The owner of the cat will need to gather the animal’s waste, put it in a designated container for examination, and transport it to a veterinarian office for study. It will be feasible to identify the kind of worms that are keeping the pet from surviving in the lab, which will enable you to calculate the dosage and recommend the appropriate medication for treatment.

Sadly, parasites have a strong will. As a result, medications used to treat worms typically have a noticeable impact. Making sure the medicine dose is calculated accurately is crucial for a veterinarian to avoid hurting a four-legged patient.

Today’s arsenal of tools for combating parasites is vast.

• Tablets. Most veterinarians are inclined in their favor. After all, the animal itself knows how much and what it needs. Therefore, the excess of the drug will definitely come out through vomiting. The same cannot be said about injections or ointments. In their case, it is more difficult to avoid an overdose. Oral drugs should be given in the morning and on an empty stomach for better absorption.
• Suspension. It is considered one of the most reliable remedies for worms. Although the reaction to the drug often frightens animal owners – the animal almost immediately begins to cough terribly, and foamy saliva flows without stopping. Bottles with suspension are traditionally equipped with a dispenser, they have a pleasant taste for cats, which makes treatment easier.
• Drops. They vary depending on the age of the pet. Preparations on the withers get rid not only of worms, but also of insects living on the fur.
• Injections. They can only be given by the owner, who has a medical education. Injections – in several doses. The course of treatment can take up to two weeks.
• Paste. This is a mixture of crushed tablets, which can be added to food and to cat treats. The opinions of experts regarding this drug differ. Some consider it a good means of prevention, but not treatment.

It is crucial to keep in mind that receiving this kind of care is best done outside, away from combustible materials.

It takes time and is not always easy to assist a sick animal. The animal needs to be ready for therapy, and keep in mind that it will probably urinate shortly after receiving the medication. The excrement will also release the internal parasites. You will need to administer a laxative to the patient if this doesn’t happen.

Another crucial point is that only big worms emerge following the initial dosage of medication. They also lay eggs, which stay inside the cat. To eradicate the parasites that will hatch from the eggs, the medication will need to be administered once more.

Folk remedies

Certain home remedies for worms can be applied to cats as well.

Folk remedies, according to those who dislike "chemistry," should be more successful in treating animals. including the ones people employ to fend off worms. It’s also crucial to remember that a compassionate cat owner would never attempt to treat their pet with a "home" medication that contains celandine. After all, an animal may be seriously harmed by something that is beneficial to humans. A celandine overdose can be deadly for mustachioed-striped people.

Human folk remedies are comparable to other medications in many aspects. As an illustration:

• Pumpkin seeds. They need to be crushed into powder, mixed with sunflower oil or lard, and then given to the animal for five days.
• Tansy infusion. Dried flowers of the plant are infused in boiling water (one hour is enough). The product must be injected into the mouth with a syringe without a needle a couple of times a day. The course is designed for a week.
• Chamomile decoction. It will also have to be given to the cat by injection. Although some animals agree to the procedure voluntarily.

Special cases

Newborns are not prescribed anthelmintics until they are 21 days old.

Cats in pregnancy are treated differently as well. Numerous drugs have negative effects on progeny. Veterinarians observe that during the first trimester of pregnancy, when the kitten’s major organs and systems are developing, drugs are most dangerous. The appropriate medication can be chosen by the veterinarian.

Pregnancy-infected newborn kittens are also given medication under strict supervision. In addition, kittens and nursing cats can share the drug’s dosage with the young by nursing it to them.

Symptoms of worms	How to treat
Weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, or bloated belly	Use deworming medication prescribed by a vet
Visible worms in stool or around the anus	Follow treatment plan as directed by a professional
Lethargy and dull coat	Ensure proper hygiene and regular vet check-ups
Coughing or difficulty breathing	Seek immediate veterinary care for severe infestations

Cats frequently get worm infestations, but they are treatable with the right care. Keeping your cat’s environment clean and deworming them on a regular basis are essential to their health. Always keep an eye out for symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite.

To determine the proper diagnosis and course of action if you think your cat has worms, speak with your veterinarian. Since different worms require different treatments, it’s crucial to seek professional advice before using over-the-counter remedies.

You can make sure your cat stays healthy and happy by taking proactive measures to keep them free of worms. Prevention is the best defense for your pet, and this can be achieved with routine examinations and treatments.

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