What to do if a cat has worms

Infection with worms is a very unpleasant business and rather dangerous, but you should not panic. Correct and timely treatment allows you to quickly get rid of parasites.

Before giving any medication, an accurate diagnosis must first be made. In the case of worms, this means determining which type of parasite is tormenting the animal. There are three groups of worms:

• tape, or flatworms, they are also cestodes;
• nematodes, or roundworms;
• trematodes, or flukes.

Each type of parasite has its own symptoms. But it is possible to accurately determine their type only in the laboratory by donating feces for analysis. Based on the results, the veterinarian will prescribe a drug to treat the cat.

Self-medication is dangerous because drugs against one type of parasite may not work on others. You can be sure that you have treated the cat, but it will get worse. Broad-spectrum drugs are directed against all types of parasites, but they are less tolerated by animals and can cause severe reactions. Therefore, it is best to know for sure which enemy you need to fight against, so as not to poison the cat in vain.

Antihelminthic drugs are available in the form of tablets, suspensions, or injections. The dosage is usually indicated on the medicine label, but it is best to consult a veterinarian to take into account the degree of infection and the health of the animal. The doctor will tell you how many times to give the medicine and how much.

After the cat has received the drug, you need to monitor her well-being in order to help in time if she gets worse. To avoid intoxication, you need to help the animal:

• 4 hours after the medication, give the cat a sorbent: a charcoal tablet or a teaspoon of Enterosgel.
• Monitor the animal’s stool. If the cat cannot get off in a big way, you need to give her a teaspoon of laxative syrup. If this is not done, poisoning with the decay products of dead parasites inside her body may occur.

Most often, cats tolerate treatment well, side effects are rare with the right choice of drug and adherence to the dosage.

Simultaneously with the treatment of the animal, it is necessary to make prophylaxis for all family members, even if there are no symptoms of infection. Worms that infect cats are easily transmitted to humans and can be very dangerous. In a family where cats live, regular prophylaxis of both pets and their owners should be a rule at least once every six months.

Having identified the infection of the cat with worms in a timely manner and correctly approaching the treatment, you can quickly and without complications get rid of this unpleasant problem.