Domestic cats have long accompanied humans, giving them their love and care. In return, the owner provided housing and balanced meals. An equally important aspect of the relationship is caring for the pet’s health. It includes the fight against parasites. To understand which is the best product to buy, you need to find out the type of pest.
Those who are faced with a similar problem have a lot of questions: which company’s product is better, how much does the medicine for parasites cost, what are the best manufacturers and popular models? The editors of the Yanashl website answered all the questions, finding out what kind of parasites there are, what to look for in order to avoid mistakes when choosing a medicine. And I selected the TOP medications that have good reviews among pet owners.
Symptoms of helminthic infestations
Due to the varying degrees of pathogenicity, aggression and pronounced tropism of parasites towards certain tissues, organs, and external secretions, the symptoms of a cat’s damage also vary greatly. All signs can be divided into two large groups: general (nonspecific) and local symptoms.
The first group includes the following facts:
- Sharp (with massive infection) or gradual weight loss of the pet.
- Changes in behavior. In each specific situation, behavior can be strikingly different, for example, with parasites living in the nervous tissue, irritability, increased excitability, even convulsive syndrome are characteristic. At the same time, in the later stages of the infectious process, pronounced depression of the function of the nervous system is observed, up to coma. For intestinal worms, pathological drowsiness comes to the fore.
- Changes in appetite and food preferences can be caused by abdominal pain, the development of iron deficiency anemia with a perversion of taste.
- Due to a pronounced lack of vitamins, minerals, and folic acid, hair loss occurs very early.
- In some areas of the skin, either pigmented spots or spots with a complete absence of melanin appear.
- When the parasite is located inside the bile ducts, jaundice of the skin and mucous membrane (oral cavity, sclera of the eyes) quickly develops.
- A helminthic infestation often becomes an activator of the immune response, which is manifested by fever and excessive sweating in the pet.
Another nonspecific symptom is cramps or single muscle twitches.
The detection of specific symptoms allows one to almost immediately suspect a helminthic infestation:
- Rash around the anus.
- Visual detection of worms in the pet's stool.
Sometimes, instead of a full-fledged worm, helminth eggs are found, which must be reported to the veterinarian (various treatment regimens and dosages).
Side effects
There are pros and cons to any drug. The pros are the effectiveness of the treatment, and the cons are the consequences of taking the medicine. If the drug is selected correctly, there should be no side effects, but there are also undesirable consequences, namely:
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- foam from the mouth - from the bitterness of the medicine;
- bad breath;
- allergic itching;
- The animal behaves unusually and refuses to eat because it feels nauseous.
You can avoid such consequences by taking a responsible approach to treatment and choosing medications. A timely visit to the veterinarian will get your pet back on its feet in a few days and without unpleasant consequences.
Mechanisms of action of anthelmintic drugs
The pharmaceutical market is constantly updated with new products for the prevention and treatment of helminthic infestations in cats. The wide variety of drugs is due to the rapid adaptation of parasites to the chemical components of the drugs.
The main mechanisms of action of anthelmintic drugs include:
- Depression of the nervous system. Drugs in this group were the very first to appear on the shelves of veterinary pharmacies, and remain relevant today. The active components block the transmission of the parasite's nerve impulse, stopping its vital activity. All drugs in this group have a wide spectrum of action, but pose a danger to the pet itself. Manufacturers claim that the components of the product are not absorbed in the cat’s intestines, but side effects often refute this claim.
- Paralysis of parasite muscles. The principle of operation is similar to the means of the first group. There are also a number of side effects. In case of overdose, symptoms of acute poisoning with organophosphorus agents are observed.
- Medicines can affect the worms' metabolism. Most often, there is a change in enzyme activity or replacement of vital nutrients with their inactive counterparts.
There is a fourth group of drugs, the mechanism of which is associated with a direct damaging effect on the outer shell of the worm. Due to the presence of enzymes or their metabolites, they can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea in your pet.
The modern pharmaceutical market also offers anthelmintic drugs for special groups of cats (pregnant, lactating, kittens, elderly and weakened pets). The chemical formulas of such products have a lower concentration of the active substance.
There are home remedies for worms in cats, but their mechanism of action is a local irritant effect that causes increased intestinal motility.
Contraindications to deworming in kittens
Despite the large selection of modern anthelmintic drugs for kittens, deworming for preventive and therapeutic purposes is not recommended for self-prescription in the following cases:
- chronic viral or bacterial infections;
- general weakening of the body after surgery or serious illness;
- severe exhaustion of the body;
- serious disorders associated with liver and kidney disease;
- previously identified intolerance to anthelmintic drugs;
- significant helminth infestation.
In these cases, deworming is carried out only under the strict supervision of a doctor or is postponed until the condition stabilizes.
In any case, consultation with a specialist and selection of an individual treatment scheme is highly desirable.
Anthelmintic drops on the withers
One of the most convenient forms of application is drops that are applied to the withers. To do this, the animal’s fur is carefully parted, the area of skin is dried, and a strictly dosed amount of the drug is applied. As a rule, the products are produced in a disposable pipette, which makes the process of use easier.
The most well-known products in this group:
- Advocate.
- Dironet.
- Inspector.
After applying the drops, do not bathe the animal for 4 days, and do not stroke or pick up the pet. The dosage is selected by the doctor, taking into account individual characteristics.
A chemical drug from this group is recognized as the best deworming remedy for cats (strictly dosed, easy to use).
What danger do parasites pose?
Many parasites are dangerous to the health and life of not only cats, but also their owners. These include fleas or helminths. Skin flakes, secretions of the sebaceous glands, and blood become food for pests. The animal experiences pain and becomes restless. Severe cases cause the development of anemia or anemia. Blood-sucking inhabitants can cause a dangerous disease - infectious anemia. Fleas provoke skin inflammation, helminths lower immunity.
In case of infection, it is very important to start treatment promptly. Medicines that can be universal or, for example, only against intestinal parasites, will help. The doctor must prescribe treatment, and the pet owner must follow all his recommendations.
Suspensions for oral administration
The second most popular dosage form is an oral suspension of an anthelmintic drug. The suspension is available in a sealed bottle; each milliliter of the drug contains a strictly dosed amount of the active substance.
The most famous representatives of this group:
- Dironet.
- Piradek.
- Celandine (not to be confused with a natural concentrated solution of celandine).
Immediately before use, the product should be mixed so that the active substance is evenly distributed in the bottle.
- If the cat is small in age or weight, the dose is minimal, which presents difficulties for the owner.
- In this case, it is necessary to dilute the suspension (single portion) in a small amount of water.
- The drug must be administered to the root of the tongue so that the animal accurately swallows the medicine.
Prices for dewormers for cats range from 150 to 300 rubles (depending on the pharmacy and manufacturer).
Causes of parasites
There are many reasons for external and internal pest infestations. They are equally dangerous for all animals: street and domestic.
Reasons for the development of worms
Helminth larvae enter the house with shoes. After which it enters the animal’s body when it cleans its paws or fur.
Other reasons:
- larvae travel on fleas or lice eaters;
- raw fish;
- communication with infected animals;
- intrauterine infection.
Raw meat carries diseases even after being frozen and washed. Most often, helminths settle in river fish; their body is the most favorable for their maturation.
Tablets for oral administration
This form of the drug appeared first, and today it is also widely used in everyday life. The photo of the deworming product for cats shows that the tablets have standard large sizes.
Therefore, if necessary, the tablet is ground into powder, which greatly facilitates the administration of the anthelmintic drug.
The drug names are similar to other forms of the drugs, and the tablet contains Praziquantel and Albendazole.
If after treatment the cat is poisoned
As a rule, possible complications after treatment for worms arise due to poisoning of the body, provoked by the decomposition of dead parasites inside the cat. Malaise sometimes occurs due to inaccurate dosage of medications used to treat an infected pet, as well as due to intolerance to a particular medication. If vomiting occurs, the cat has difficulty breathing, muscle tremors or increased lethargy are observed, it is necessary to urgently call a veterinarian. At the Murkosha shelter, incoming kittens are treated for helminths only after all possible infections have been excluded and under the strict supervision of a veterinarian. Treatment should begin no earlier than 2 weeks after you take the kitten into your home, provided that it is absolutely healthy. Also, you should not immediately use different drugs - for helminths, fleas, ticks, etc., otherwise intoxication cannot be avoided.
Thus, if you notice general symptoms of an unhealthy cat, contact your veterinarian immediately. It is quite possible that the problem is the presence of worms. In the absence of qualified help, parasites can cause enormous harm to a pet's health. At the same time, if treatment is not delayed, then deworming a cat with the help of modern drugs is quite successful. And simple preventive measures such as high-quality food, lack of self-walking and regular treatment for parasites will generally save you and your mustachioed pet from such a problem as worms.
Home remedies for worms
Many cat owners deliberately refuse to take industrial medications. The reason may be allergic reactions to the active components, uncertainty about the quality of the effect, or mistrust of the composition of the drug.
How to remove worms from cats using home remedies:
- Roundworms and tapeworms are very sensitive to extractive substances. Therefore, chopped garlic is added to cats’ food as a preventative measure.
- As another preventative measure, shampoos and flea treatments are used, which transmit worm eggs on the paws.
- Quite often in practice, infusions and decoctions of antiseptic herbs are used: tansy, chamomile, fennel.
However, folk remedies for treating worms in cats are not the standard of anthelmintic therapy. When the first signs of a parasitic infection appear, you should take your pet to a veterinarian.
"Azinox"
This drug is used to control tapeworms in cats and dogs. Such parasites can be present in the body as sexually mature individuals in the definitive hosts (usually carnivores) and form special “cysts” in the internal organs, severely disrupting their functions, in intermediate hosts (herbivores, rodents, fish, etc.). For cats, the most important infections are dipylidia, hydatigerosis and diphyllobothriasis.
Compound.
The active ingredient is praziquantel (50 mg). It causes disruption of the nervous system of helminths, which leads to their death. After taking the drug, its concentration in the blood reaches its highest therapeutic value after 30–60 minutes.
Release form. "
Azinox" is a flat tablet with a score in the middle, which allows you to conveniently divide one dose into two. One tablet is designed for 10 kg of live weight.
Features of use. "
Azinox can be used both for the treatment of helminthiasis and for the prevention of these diseases. In the first case, the drug is given according to indications, in the second - once every 3 months. Do not use on kittens under 3 weeks of age.
