How cats get tapeworms is a more complicated process than you might guess. Cats get tapeworms by ingesting a flea infected with a tapeworm larva. The flea reaches the cat's stomach where is digested, releasing the larva to eventually grow into an adult tapeworm.
As the tapeworm grows, it sheds segments called proglottids. If your cat has become infested with a tapeworm or worms, you may see these proglottids crawling around your cat’s anus or on its feces. When they first emerge from the cat, the proglottids are white and look like long grains of rice. However, they soon become dehydrated and turn hard and sort of golden colored. As the segments dry out, they break open and release the eggs inside.
Tapeworm eggs are eaten by flea larvae, which then hatch into a tapeworm larva that grows inside the flea's body. When your cat swallows a flea infected with a tapeworm larva, it is digested and the larva is released to grow into an adult tapeworm and the worm's lifecycle begins again.
This lifecycle of the tapeworm is very complex. It requires one intermediate host (the flea) and a final or definitive host (your cat) to reproduce.
How Do You Get Rid Of Tapeworms In Cats?
If you believe your cat has become infested with a tapeworm or worms, the first step is to get your cat to your veterinarian. In most cases, he or she can diagnose the presence of a tapeworm simply by examining the cat. In rare cases, your vet may want to do a fecal examination before making a definitive diagnosis.
When your vet determines that you cat does have a tapeworm, he or she will treat the cat, either orally or by injection, with a medication containing Prazaquintal. This medication goes by the brand named Droncit. As an alternative, your vet may suggest you buy an over-the-counter medication named Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs. You can give your cat these tablets yourself, following the recommended dosage.
The best news is that the treatment for tapeworms in cats is very effective. One dosage of the Droncit or Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs is almost always enough to disintegrate the tapeworm and, thus, rid your cat of this intestinal parasite.
Avoid Tapeworms In Cats By Getting Rid Of Fleas
Whether your veterinarian administers the Droncit or suggests you treat the cat with the Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs, to avoid your cat getting reinfected with tapeworms, you need to get rid of your cat's fleas. There are a number of cat flea treatments available over-the-counter. You can find these at your neighborhood pet store or even in your supermarket.
In addition to treating your cat, you will also need to rid your home of fleas. Some of the more popular flea sprays are Frontline® Spray, Raid® Flea Killer Plus Carpet and Room Spray, Bio-Spot® Inverted Carpet and Premise Spray, and Adams Carpet Spray. Whichever of these flea sprays you choose, make sure it includes an insect growth regulator (IGR). This is because it is not enough to just kill the adult fleas. You must interrupt their life cycle. Insect growth regulators are chemicals such as hydroprene and methoprene that disrupt and impede the insect's lifecycle in the larvae stage of development. The idea with an IGR is that if the insect is prevented from reaching adulthood, it cannot reproduce. Another way to put it is that IGR is a form of "birth control" for fleas to keep them under control by preventing future infestations.
While the anti-flea treatments mentioned above are capable of killing fleas in your house, you also need to think about ridding your yard of fleas. The simplest way to do this is to keep your grass short, remove dead leaves and spray your lawn with a good insecticide. Examples of such insecticides are Catalyst EC, Diatomaceous earth, and Flea Fix (which is an IGR). However, be sure to talk with your vet before using any of these products.
Now you know how cats get tapeworms you can take the appropriate action to make sure you rid your cat of these intestinal parasites. Tapeworms in cats may not be a life-threatening problem but you wouldn’t want your intestines filled with tapeworms and neither does your cat.
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