Deworming refers to treating your cat to get rid of intestinal parasites, which are fairly common especially in outdoor cats. Worms can cause digestive issues, are easily transmittable to humans and other pets and are just plain yucky. Our veterinarians can offer simple solutions to treat or prevent an infestation.
What are some internal cat parasites?
The most common internal parasites that are found in cats are tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms, none of which are pleasant.
What are worm infestation symptoms in cats?
Some infestation symptoms can include weight loss, diarrhea, or bloody stools. You can often notice a bloated belly in kittens and even occasional vomiting. As well, increased licking or grooming around the anal area may require further investigation. If you notice little white rice-like sections in or around stools, your kitty definitely has an issue.
Can worms affect humans?
Parasitic worms can indeed be transferable to humans and this is why we highly recommend regular preventive treatment especially if you have young children. Protecting yourself by keeping the litter box clean, washing your hands after cleaning it and keeping an eye out for symptoms of infestation will help to avoid transmission.
What is the deworming schedule?
A deworming schedule is entirely dependant on your cat’s lifestyle. For an indoor cat, we may only recommend deworming annually, but if your cat is a barnyard hunter, more frequent, even monthly treatment will be required. Please contact us and we can determine the best treatment schedule for your kitty.
Are there any deworming medication side effects?
Deworming medications rarely have any side effects. On rare occasions, there may be some stomach upset after an oral treatment or some hair loss after topical treatment.
