If you think your cat has tapeworms, treatment for tapeworms in cats is a relatively simple matter.
The first step is to determine that your cat does have tapeworms. You will know this if you see tapeworm segments called proglottids crawling around your cat's anus or its feces. The tapeworm sheds these proglottids as it grows. When they first appear, the proglottids are white and look like tiny grains of rice. However, they quickly become dehydrated, hard and golden colored.
In addition to seeing the proglottids, there are other symptoms of tapeworms in cats. You may see you cat dragging or scooting her bottom along the carpet or floor. You may also see your cat constantly licking its genital area. Your cat might even have a fever, cough continuously or show signs of frequent or difficult urination.
If your cat shows the signs of a tapeworm infection, treatment for tapeworms in cats first involves taking your cat the vet. In most cases, your vet will be able to identify the tapeworms simply by examining your cat. However, in other cases, he or she may want to do a physical examination to confirm the infestation, particularly if this is the first time that your cat has shown signs of having a tapeworm.
Your veterinarian will treat the cat, either orally or by injection, using the medication Praziquintal (brand name Droncit). As an alternative, your vet may give you the Droncit in tablet form so that you can treat the cat yourself. Another option is your vet may recommend a cheaper version of the Praziquintal which is available over-the-counter as Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs. The amount of this tapeworm medication you give the cat will depend on its weight. Cats weighing 4 pounds or less can be given just 1/2 a tablet. The dosage for cats weighing six to 10 pounds is one tablet and for cats weighing more than 11 pounds, the recommended dosage is usually 1 1/2 tablets. Regardless of which option your vet chooses, one treatment for tapeworms in cats is usually all that is necessary.
How Did My Cat Get Tapeworms?
You may wonder how cats get tapeworms in the first place. Cats get infected with tapeworms by ingesting a flea that is carrying a tapeworm larva.
How does the flea get a tapeworm larva? It starts when the tapeworm proglottids dry out, they break open and liberate the eggs inside. When a flea larva ingests the eggs, the egg develops into a tapeworm larva in the developing flea.
When your cat is grooming itself, it accidentally eats the tapeworm infected flea. The tapeworm larva will then develop into an adult tapeworm and the life cycle begins anew.
Preventing Tapeworms In Cats
This means the treatment for tapeworms in cats will only be effective if you prevent your cat from becoming re-infested. The key to preventing tapeworms in cats is to get rid of the fleas.
Fortunately, there are a number of good cat flea treatments available on the market. In addition to ridding your cat of fleas, you also need to kill the fleas in your home. There are a number of flea sprays that are particularly effective for killing fleas in your home. Good examples are Frontline® Spray, Raid® Flea Killer Plus Carpet and Room Spray, Bio-Spot® Inverted Carpet and Premise Spray, Adams Carpet Spray, and Ectopamin Flea and Tick Spray, which is advertised as an all-natural flea killer. Your veterinarian should be able to suggest which of these might be best for you, given your home and your situation. However, in general, be absolutely sure you choose a flea spray that contains an insect growth regulator (IGR) that will interfere with the fleas' lifecycle and not just kill the adult fleas.
While it is not as easy to rid your lawn of fleas, you can spray your yard with a good insecticide – which should eliminate most, if not all, of them.
Treatment for tapeworms in cats not a complicated issue. However, as with any parasite that has infested your cat, it’s important that you get your cat treated as quickly as possible to eliminate the possibility of a more serious infestation.
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