What types of worms do cats have? Photos with names. Treatment of Murzik for parasites. Symptoms of the presence of worms in a cat The cat has white long worms in the feces

Cats are most often affected by roundworms and tapeworms. Roundworms live in the small intestine, feeding on blood, which can lead to anemia. Their eggs can already be found in the animal’s feces two weeks after infection. Cestodes (tapeworms) reach 70 cm and live in the small intestine, causing vomiting in kittens and cats, and often cause weight loss in the animal.

It’s worth paying attention to your pet’s health if you notice:

Diarrhea or constipation;
Vomiting (blood and worms can be seen in the vomit);
The presence of worms or their larvae resembling grains of rice around the anus of the animal;
The cat rubs its butt on the floor;
Bloody and mucous stools;
The animal has noticeably lost weight;
Cat cough;
Hard breath;
Hair falls out;
Retarded development of the kitten;
Fatigue;
Convulsions;
Premature birth.

If there are a lot of worms in the body, then their segments even appear on the fur, in the stool, which is mixed with mucus and blood.

You should pay attention to the fact that the symptoms of worm infection resemble manifestations of other diseases. Therefore, without waiting for a diagnosis, do not rush to self-medicate.

In very severe cases, convulsions appear and paralysis of the limbs occurs. And to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to treat the animal very carefully, periodically give antihelminthic drugs, and for any symptoms indicating a disease, contact a veterinarian.

Characteristics and types of worms that a cat may have

Worm eggs are found in ponds, sand, on the ground, grass, in raw meat, fish, on unwashed vegetables, and greens. The owner can carry them into the apartment on his shoes. Worms affect the liver, heart, gall bladder, intestines, and lungs.

There are several types of worms:

round,
tape (cestodes),
flat flukes (trematodes).

Each type has its own characteristics. Thus, many varieties of worms belong to the round type, and most often cats become infected with roundworms, which in appearance resemble spaghetti up to 50 mm in size. They are transmitted to kittens through the milk of an infected mother.

Worms infect the intestines, accumulating in it, damaging the gastric mucosa and gall bladder, causing a strong toxic effect. An animal can also become infected with hookworms, which are up to 2 mm long and infect the blood. Toxascariasis affects the liver, lungs, and heart (their length is from 30 to 50 mm). The helminths are inactive for some time, so symptoms do not always appear.

The disease is easily detected, since very often the larvae can be seen near the anus, in the feces. The class of cestodes includes tapeworms up to 1500 mm long, as well as alveococcus no more than 4 mm long, affecting the intestines. All of them have a toxic effect and cause a number of diseases.

Flatworms include the pulmonary fluke, up to 10 mm long, which infects and destroys the lungs and forms cysts. Trematodes, whose body resembles a white thread, have suckers. With their help, the worm attaches to the intestinal walls, thereby damaging its mucous surface and poisoning the body. This species is very dangerous as it can even cause death.

Treatment of worms in cats

Before starting treatment, it is advisable to determine what type of worms the animal is infected with. If you start giving your cat medication for a tapeworm and it is infected with a roundworm, the treatment will not bring the desired result. Drugs that destroy all types of worms are very harmful to the body, as they cause intoxication.

The drugs Polyvercan, Dirofen, Febtal, Profender, Panacur, often prescribed by veterinarians, are used once for helminthiasis. To avoid poisoning your animal, purchase medications from pharmacies. Considering the fact that all medications for worms are toxic, do not overdo it with the dosage.

Kittens and older cats should not be treated in the same way as adult animals because they may be harmed by the strong medication. It is better to give kittens suspensions instead of tablets. These are Pyrantel, Milbemax, Praciside, Dirofen, Kanikquantel.

Kittens should be treated with anthelmintics from two months of age. Pregnant and lactating cats are not prescribed anthelmintic treatment. Do not forget to carefully read the instructions for the drug!

Treatment of an animal for complications

If your cat does become intoxicated during anthelmintic treatment, contact your veterinarian.

What can be done to alleviate the animal's suffering:

Inject Gamavit into the withers;
Inject saline solution subcutaneously;
Give a sorbent (Enterosgel, Polisbor, activated carbon);
An hour after taking the sorbent, give the cat Detoxify;
If there is no vomiting, give the cat plenty of water;
After the animal's condition improves, give the cat Linex.

Prevention

Check your cat for fleas;
Do not feed your animal raw fish and meat;
Do not leave the cat litter box uncleaned for a long time; disinfect it periodically;
Don't leave your shoes in plain sight;
Do not neglect personal hygiene, wash your hands after interacting with the cat, do not bring the animal close to your face;
If the animal visits the street, deworm it once a month;
Carry out prophylaxis 14 days before mating or vaccination.

If there are several cats and kittens in the house, give the deworming drug to all animals.

Any cat owner knows (and if he doesn’t know, he suspects) that his pet may develop worms. Since this topic is unpleasant, and society has instilled in it a shade of shame, inconvenient questions are postponed until the last moment. Shy owners sound the alarm when white worms appear in the feces. After all, it’s obvious here that these are worms that can live not only in a cat, but also in a person.

The prevalence of roundworms is based on their unpretentiousness in finding a host. Roundworms can live in the bodies of cats, dogs, rodents and even insects. Some of them can change hosts throughout their lives, but in this case the source of infection is considered an intermediate host. Your cat may pick up fly, flea or mosquito repellent sheets.

Important! Not all roundworms are as harmless as roundworms; some of them, after entering the intestines, invade the bloodstream, lungs, heart and even the brain.

Read also: Brown discharge from a cat's eyes: causes, treatment

Note! The body fragments of flatworms are called segments, and the head is called the scolex.

Important! Against the background of worm prevention, one must not lose attention to the destruction of fleas. The latter are intermediate carriers of some types of flatworms.

Unlike roundworms, cestodes are not only securely attached to the intestinal walls, they also hide. In most cases, stool analysis does not clarify the picture, since the separated member simply did not end up in the feces. Eggs are also not easy to detect, since they are laid by young individuals that have already emerged from the cat. Before deciding what to do with the patient, the doctor takes not only a stool sample, but also a scraping from the anus. This procedure is a little unpleasant, but painless.

The only positive point worth mentioning is the following - flatworms are difficult to get infected with. Almost all representatives of this species require an intermediate host to mature. If a cat swallows a detached penis, infection will occur, but for the process to start, someone must carry the egg. The most famous cucumber tapeworm uses fleas as intermediate carriers. That is, the egg, which is not visible to the human eye, is eaten by a flea, matures in it and is then passed on from the flea to the cat.

The first signs of helminths in cats may be the following:

Weight loss;
Poor appetite;
Rapid fatigue and other signs indicating the animal’s ill health.

Depending on the shape and size, method of feeding and reproduction, helminths are classified into three main categories:

flukes;
tape;
roundworms.

You should know the enemy by sight, so it’s worth getting to know him better. Types of worms in cats with photos and names:

In some cases, the temperature rises. Standard types of medications in this case are ineffective, so complex therapy is used to treat the cat.

Metastases in internal organs and even the brain;
Liver tumor.

The source of infection is eaten rodents.

Cucumber tapeworm

The most common uninvited guest in an animal's body is the cucumber tapeworm. Therefore, in the majority of cases, a person picks up these worms. They do not always pose a serious danger, but in any case the body receives some damage from their presence. After infection, a person may notice the following symptoms:

Stomach upset;
Headache;
Impaired appetite.

Echinococcus

Roundworms

Cestodes

In general, cestodes are the most dangerous worms in cats for humans. Penetrating into the body, they quickly develop vigorous activity:

Reproduce;
Distributed throughout the body;
They poison the body.

The bottom line is that you can get infected from cats, and in some cases this leads to serious health and even life problems. But the pet, in turn, can also suffer from worms that came to it from a person. Therefore, you should not neglect the minimum requirements for prevention:

Hygiene monitoring;
High-quality prepared food;
Use of anthelmintics.

Symptoms of worms in cats and kittens

The degree of manifestation of symptoms characterizing the presence of worms in cats depends on various factors:

Degree of damage;
Type of worm;
Features of the animal's body.

How to identify worms in cats? Basically, when worms are just beginning to settle inside a pet, signs of their presence may not be noticed, or they may be mild. The most common symptoms and signs of worms in cats include:

Bloated belly;
Premature birth in cats;
Blood in stool;
Purulent discharge from the nose and eyes;
Itching in the anus (the cat constantly rubs and licks the affected area);
Hair loss and dullness;
Yellowness on the mucous membranes;
Coughing attacks (especially with roundworms);
Gastrointestinal disorder;
Signs of intoxication.

Kittens may additionally exhibit symptoms of anemia and developmental delays.

It should be noted that the symptoms of worms in cats are in some cases similar to the signs characteristic of infectious and viral diseases. Carrying out deworming in this case is extremely contraindicated, as this can only aggravate the situation. Therefore, if any illness manifests itself, it is better to undergo laboratory and clinical tests to confirm the nature of the cat’s disease.

Treatment of worms in cats

How to remove worms from cats? At the first dangerous symptoms of helminth infection, it is necessary to urgently carry out a deworming procedure. It is worth considering that for this procedure it is necessary to use drugs specially developed for the animal body and the use of drugs produced for humans is unacceptable in this case. If this factor is not taken into account, the consequences can be unpredictable.

Dewormers for cats

What should you give your cat for worms? If you study various anthelmintic drugs in detail, you can draw a logical conclusion: deworming tablets for cats are divided into only two categories. In the first case, these are narrow-profile drugs that can cure an animal of one specific problem. Secondly, the medicine contains different components that can fight different types of unwanted travel companions. Such drugs are called complex, with a wide spectrum of action.

It is also worth noting that some medications are produced in the form of drops and suspensions, which makes it easier to administer the drug to a sick pet and facilitates accurate dosing of the drug.

You can now see the current price of anti-worm medications and buy them right here:

Top medicines

Leaders are everywhere, and this point is not spared by anthelmintic drugs for worms for cats. The following funds made it into the top three.

Drontal

The drug Drontal received first place for a reason. It is this type of tablets for deworming in cats that has received the most positive reviews from pet owners. They appreciate the quality of the drug and its effectiveness. Also, an additional advantage is the price of Drontal - it is the most acceptable for this market segment.

The main components of the drug are praziquantel and pyrantel. They are the ones who successfully deal with round and tape helminths. For an adult cat weighing four kg, one tablet is enough to get the required dose of medicine.

Milbemax

What makes the medicine so popular is its multitasking properties. The drug is produced for both adult cats and small kittens. Although for babies under 6 weeks of age, it is still better to choose something else. Also, you should not give Milbemax to pregnant cats. The predominant number of reviews about this product are positive, which allows the product to take an honorable place in the list of the best deworming medications for the cat family.

Dirofen

Dirofen is one of the complex drugs. It is produced in the form of tablets and paste suspensions. The product contains pumpkin oil, which has a beneficial effect on the healing of the animal’s intestines and the general condition of the gastrointestinal tract after injury. The cost of the drug depends on the type of medicine, but in any case the price is quite reasonable. Most often, Dirofen is used to treat cestodosis and nematodosis in cats and kittens. This product has proven itself due to its speed and high level of efficiency.

What if the cat is pregnant?

How to give a cat an anti-worming tablet?

The tablet should be crushed. The resulting powder should be mixed with your pet’s favorite liquid food. You can treat the “little patient” with the prepared treat.
The cat is seated on your lap so that its back is to the person. Now, if the animal tries to back away, it will have nowhere to retreat. Then the pet will need to unclench its jaws and put the dewormer in its mouth. After this, holding the animal’s mouth closed, you need to start stroking the cat’s throat. This will cause a swallowing reflex and as a result the animal will receive the necessary dose of the medicinal drug.
The thoroughly crushed tablet must be mixed with water. There should be little water, since the entire resulting mixture will need to be injected into the cat’s mouth using a syringe (without a needle, of course). As in the previous case, after administering the medicine you will need to close the animal’s mouth and induce a swallowing reflex.

For those who don’t want to invent anything, anti-worm drops, as well as pastes and suspensions are available for sale. But if we take drops as an example, they are recommended to be used only for preventive purposes, since they have a less pronounced therapeutic effect. For complete treatment, especially in advanced cases, it is better to use tablets.

How to give a cat an anti-worming tablet - watch the instructions in the video:

Prevention of worms

Preventive deworming in kittens and cats should be carried out at least four times a year. And for pets walking outside, the schedule can be tightened. Compliance with hygiene and cleanliness standards. Several rules for preventing worms in cats:

Something as simple as washing your hands after handling animals is a good way to prevent accidental infection.
Also, don't let the cat touch your face and especially your lips. This also applies to kissing a pet.
The cat's litter box should be changed frequently. It won't hurt to wash and disinfect it from time to time either.
It is better not to give your cat raw foods, especially meat and fish.
If there are several cats in the house, deworming medications will need to be given to everyone, and this should be done at the same time.

Compliance with simple prevention methods greatly reduces the risk of infection of a cat and, as a result, a person.

If you still have questions about the treatment of worms in cats, write in the comments, we will try to answer!

Tapeworms are hermaphrodites, meaning they reproduce and fertilize eggs themselves. The body of a tapeworm is made up of segments, each of which breaks off when the eggs are ready to move into the body of an intermediate host. Tapeworms are record holders in size; some of their species grow from 1.5 to 20 m in length.

What do tapeworm egg larvae look like?

Once inside the host's body, the worm's head clings to the intestinal wall and begins to drink blood. Within 20–60 days, the worm matures and becomes sexually mature. Afterwards, it begins to form new segments, each of which is a reservoir for eggs. After fertilization, the eggs mature. When the time comes for the eggs to molt, the last segment of the worm's body breaks off and exits into the external environment.

The eggs of tapeworms have a peculiarity - they move due to the flat muscles that make up the membrane of the segment. The active behavior of the eggs attracts the attention of intermediate carriers. Once the segment has been swallowed by the intermediate carrier, the muscle is digested and the eggs are released. After molting, the eggs turn into larvae and grow in the body of the intermediate host.

Flatworms or flukes in cats

Note! Flatworms have a symmetrical shape, the length of the worm ranges from 2 to 15 mm, the width barely reaches 2 mm. Body color ranges from white to pinkish.

This is incredible! One sexually mature female roundworm can reproduce up to 800 eggs per day.

In what cases can you see worms in a cat?

If you suspect your pet has worms but can't find them, you'll have more success if you know where to look. Microscopic types of worms that live in the organs or muscles of a cat cannot be detected at home.

Apathy, decreased activity, restless sleep.
Vitamin deficiency, weight loss due to normal nutrition, perversion or a sharp decrease in appetite.
Active secretion of saliva and hyperactive functioning of the mucous membranes.
Anemia of the mucous membranes.
Anemia.
Alternating diarrhea and.
Diarrhea with large amounts of mucus and blood.
Noticeable deterioration in the quality of wool and skin.
Bloated abdomen, pain in the peritoneum or hypochondrium.

In most cases, if you see worms coming out of a cat’s body, the infestation has already reached a critical level, and the animal needs emergency help.

Sign of infestation - eggs and worms in feces, at the place of sleep, on fur

Almost all worms take time to mature, ranges from 3 to 60 days. When the worms become adults and sexually mature, they begin to reproduce eggs (multiply), constantly “increasing” the symptoms of the infestation.

Experience shows that most owners manage to detect tapeworm eggs. The most common tapeworm that affects cats is the cucumber tapeworm.

Important! Certain types of flukes infect the respiratory organs, including the lungs.

Many inexperienced owners are shocked when they see what comes out of their pets after taking the medicine.

Many owners do not understand why inspect feces after deworming? The problem is that in case of critical infestation, anthelmintic measures, although necessary, can lead to a sharp deterioration in health. For example, if the worms come up with a lot of green mucus, this may indicate a necrotic or inflammatory process.

How to treat worms in a cat

How to treat worms in a cat so as not to cause even more harm? The best way to prevent problems is regular prevention. If a cat receives anthelmintic drugs once every 3-4 months, the helminthic infestation will not reach critical proportions and the health of the animal will not be threatened.

What should you do if you picked up a kitten on the street, bought it at a poultry market, or want to give an anthelmintic to a cat with an unknown medical history? Naturally, it is best to consult a veterinarian who will examine the animal and determine its current condition.

Under three weeks of age.
Over 12 years of age.
Has chronic kidney or liver disease.
Dehydrated or exhausted.
Sick or recovering from an illness.
Pregnant or nursing kittens.

Anthelmintic drugs are divided according to the type of dosage form:

In case of critical helminthic infestation, after 2–4 hours (depending on the active ingredients of the drug), the cat is given adsorbents. After another 30–40 minutes, a laxative is given. This approach reduces the therapeutic effectiveness of anthelmintic drugs, but helps prevent intestinal blockage and a sharp increase in intoxication.

Such worms in cats look like spaghetti in feces and are usually 8-10 cm long. A kitten can become infected by drinking milk from a sick mother., and adult cats - when eating infected rodents or feces of other cats.

The presence of stool with round worms, no more than 1 cm in length, indicates the presence of hookworm.

Hookworms can cause a number of symptoms in your cat:

diarrhea;
anorexia;
vomiting;
deterioration in wool quality;
flatulence.

Prazitel;
Profender;
Troncil;
Vacation.

Tapeworms

Quite often you can find worms 10-70 cm long in a cat’s feces. These are tapeworms.

Their body is divided into segments. Infection occurs from an intermediate host (rodents, fleas). It is impossible to detect worms of this type in their entirety in a cat’s feces. Only their white segments, which look like rice grains, can come out.

Symptoms of this type of helminthiasis include:

irritability;
decreased appetite;
weight loss;
cough;
the presence of blood in the stool.

Treatment of a cat in this case is carried out using:

Kanikwantela;
Azinoxa;
Bifitrilaka.

Absence of larvae in feces

It is worth saying that the absence of worms in the feces does not mean the absence of worms in the animal.

You should be wary if your pet has the following signs:

Fecal analysis

If the owner of the animal is not sure what type of worms his pet has, he can take his feces to a veterinary clinic for analysis.

Adult worms lay eggs, which are later passed in the feces. These eggs look different (have different sizes, shades and shapes). It is by this criterion that it is determined which type of helminth lives in the cat’s intestines.

This test is highly recommended if your cat has a large, round, hard belly and is feeling unwell, but there are no worms in the stool. The fact is that Not every animal has helminths that come out, even if they have accumulated in the intestines in huge quantities.

Therapy

Treatment of helminthiasis depends not only on the type of worms, but also on the age of the cat itself and its individual characteristics of the body. This is why it is so important that medications and their dosage are determined by a veterinarian.

In most cases, a single dose of medication is not enough. The fact is that the medicine can only affect the worm itself, but not the eggs that it laid.

That is why doctors advise, after the first treatment of a pet, to deworm it with the same drug and in the same dosage after 10-12 days.

To make it easier for an animal to tolerate heavy medications, it needs to be given activated charcoal, which will remove toxins. Also, there must be a container of clean water in the apartment. In advanced cases, the pet may be prescribed a laxative. This is necessary so that the worm comes out as easily as possible in the feces.

After treatment, your cat should be given vitamin and mineral supplements. All dishes from which the cat eats must be thoroughly washed.. The same rule applies to the tray. The animal itself needs to be bathed (the tail, hind legs and the area around the anus need to be washed especially thoroughly). This is necessary in order to remove helminth eggs from the fur and avoid re-infection. A month after performing these steps, the cat’s feces must again be taken to a veterinary clinic for a control analysis.