Deworming

Deworming is an important part of your cat’s preventative health care plan. Basically, we want to kill those creepy internal parasites before they cause disease. Like any parasite, they can also reinfect themselves with repeated exposure to the worm (or appropriate infective life stage) so regular deworming or fecal screens may be a routine part of your cat’s care.

What are some types of parasites found in cats?

Cats can have parasites such as tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, lungworms, Toxoplasma, fleas, ticks, mites, etc. Before you wrap your cat in shrink-wrap, please remember parasites are contracted based on lifestyle and there are many treatment options available.

If my cat has worms, what symptoms should I look for?

The most common sign you will see is nothing. An intestinal worm has evolved to be the perfect freeloader – it is not in their best interest to make a pet sick. You see illness when there are large numbers of worms or they may have migrated to an inappropriate organ. A fecal exam and deworming program are invaluable in preventing symptoms from developing.

Are worms dangerous to humans?

Danger is a tricky word that is based on an individual’s perspective. There are species of hookworm and roundworm that can infect people and cause serious health problems. The odds of you contracting these infestations are based on whether your cat is infected, your immune system health and general hygiene. Our goal is to gather information about your household and your cat to determine the level of risk then take steps to reduce any danger.

What is the deworming schedule?

A deworming schedule is like any of the programs we develop for your pet. It is a plan for deworming that is based on your cat’s lifestyle and deworming history. The deworming schedule is considered at your cat’s annual exam.

Are there any side effects from deworming medication?

A dewormer is a medication so there is the possibility of an adverse effect. The majority of reports we receive are related more to the passing of dead worms – disturbing and satisfying.