Tapeworms

I wouldn't waste any money on the stuff you get over-the-counter. Call a local vet and get the real deal. I don't know the name of the tapeworm-specific type of wormer, but Capstar is what is used as the "Knock 'em, Sock 'em" on a wider variety of worms. Both are inexpensive and single dose "one shot" cures.

If an office visit fee presents a financial issue as it has for me at times, many vets can be persuaded to sell you the medicine without the exam. Rural vets are usually alot more liberal in this. They may need to know if you have actually seen the worms, which are small and white and generally around (or coming out of) kitty's bottom. They'll definitely need an approximate weight so they can give the proper dose.

You won't be able to order this medicine without a prescription and most vets won't approve any medications through the pet popular sites. My vet pointed out that the meds can arrive expired or may be shipped from an area on the globe that uses formulations other than those they are familiar/comfortable with.

If I'm not mistaken, tapeworms can come from fleas and may be recurrent. I use flea drops on my animals as a preventative.

Tape Worms: An intestinal parasite frequently found in felines, tapeworms infect a cat when it ingests a host such as a rodent, a rabbit, or an adult flea harboring infective tapeworm larvae. There are two common types of tapeworms in the United States: Taenia, which comes from rodents or rabbits, and Dipylidium, which is transmitted by fleas. Dipylidium caninum and Taenia taeniaformis are the tapeworms found most commonly in cats. Cats with adult tapeworms release a proglottid -- a mature body segment from the tail end of a tapeworm containing eggs -- into the digestive tract. These segments can be noted on the fur around the anus or in the feces. Tapeworms occasionally irritate a cat's rear end and cause itching, but generally do not pose a severe health risk to the animal. Underweight cats and young kittens can lose valuable nutrients to tapeworms and fail to gain weight. Medications are available that effectively eliminate the parasite, although they can become reinfected quickly if preventive measures are not initiated.

Clinical Signs:

Single proglottid or chain seen in feces or pasted to perianal area; animal may have perianal pruritus.

Symptoms:

Individual body segment of the tapeworm, called a proglottid, noted in the cat's feces or stuck in the fur around the anus. The cat may drag or lick its rear end often.

Description: Tapeworms infect the small intestine of cats and release proglottids, or tapeworm body segments. The proglottids travel through the intestinal tract and out of the body into the feces. Cats also can release tapeworm segments when they are relaxed or asleep. Cats get tapeworms from ingesting rodents, rabbits, or adult fleas. Generally, tapeworms do not compromise a cat's health greatly, although especially thin cats and kittens can lose needed nutrients due to an infection. There are two common species of the tapeworm parasite that effect cats in the United States: Taenia, which comes from ingesting a rodent or rabbit, and Dipylidium, transmitted when a cat eats an adult flea. Cats can swallow a flea accidentally when grooming themselves. Both types of tapeworms are treatable with medication from the examining veterinarian. Reinfection of tapeworms will occur as early as two to three weeks after treatment if fleas are not eliminated or the animal continues to hunt.

Diagnosis:

A tapeworm infection can be diagnosed easily by collecting a tapeworm segment from the cat. A veterinarian may perform a test on the proglottid to determine the species of the tapeworm. Proglottids do not show up commonly on a routine fecal floatation exam because they are too heavy to float. The cat also should be examined for fleas.

Prognosis:

Good if treated and fleas are controlled.

Treatment:

Although dewormers available over the counter are not effective, there are prescription medications that will eliminate tapeworm infections. Flea control should be instituted to avoid recurrence of the infection of Dipylidium caninum.

Prevention:

Measures to control fleas on the cat and in the environment should be undertaken. Hunting behavior should be discouraged. To avoid human infection with Echinococcus, humans should wear gloves when gardening, cover childrens' outdoor sandboxes, and wash their hands well after cleaning the litter box or working in soil.

Well, you need to use this very effective drug called "Praziquantel". . It used to require a prescription from a vet, but now it's available without a prescription and you can find it at online pet pharmacies or at most pet supply stores!! Hope that helped ya!!

~Boo~

Yes, most of the available dewormers do not kill the eggs of parasites or even the parasites (just paralyse them so that these can detach from intestinal wall and pass out with the stool).

The eggs of these parasites can complete the life-cycle and infect the same dog again and other dogs as well.

Thats why it is recommended to give dewormers to all petsin the household at the same time and repeat within 15 days and recheck the stool for any parasites every 6 months or so.

They can be.

Related Information:

If your cat has had the tape worm for a long time, it can latch onto your cats small intestine and eat all of the nutrients out of the food without your cat getting it. But if you treat your cat early then you can easily get rid of it. It is kind of hard to get rid of a tape worm that has already latched on to your cat. Surgery might be necessary, which of course, is dangerous also. Bottom line: early detection and intervention is important.