When getting a cat, know that you will encounter difficulties, and one of these difficulties is called helminths, better known as catworms. According to Russian researchers, they infected almost half of the pets. Parasites lay their eggs almost everywhere: in gardens, on the streets of the city, in children's sandboxes, on trees, etc. That is, in those places where a cat can climb. But even an animal that has never left a house or apartment can become infected.
Symptoms and possible consequences
Feline worms harm the entire feline body. This is manifested in a decrease in immunity, and in digestive problems. Damage to internal organs is possible, the appearance changes, the shine of the hair changes to dullness, poor appetite, weight loss, lack of strength, drowsiness, diarrhea, anemia are observed. Moreover, this is manifested not only in adult cats, but also in kittens. The only difference is that in an adult cat these symptoms are not so noticeable externally.
You can check whether the kitten has worms or not, by passing tests to identify their eggs in the feces. If the initial stage of the disease has already passed, then the kitten may experience blockage and subsequent rupture of the intestines, which will inevitably lead to the death of the animal.
Cats living next to humans can have the same diseases as humans caused by worms. It is for this reason that a sick animal is very dangerous for humans, especially if there are children in the family.
Classification of feline helminths
There are two types of parasites most common in cats - roundworms (called nematodes) and tapeworms (cestodes)
Nematodes
Nematodes are the smallest representatives of these parasites. They have a threadlike shape, and their length is about ten millimeters. Parasites attach to the intestines and feed on the blood cells of a cat. A cat can become infected with nematodes by simply leaning against the soil containing the nematodes, or by touching other people's feces. When a cat enters the body, larvae are transferred to the lungs, and from the lungs to the intestines. After half a month of this “journey”, feline worms appear in the feces. As a rule, all this causes diseases such as toxocariasis and toxascaridosis.
Cestodes
Often affect older cats. Cestodes are a narrow ribbon consisting of many sections in which larvae grow. When these sections mature, they come out with feces. Therefore, the infection of the cat is easy to track by its feces, the larvae are quite large and visible to the naked eye. The growth of cestodes occurs in stages, and they are assisted by the so-called “intermediate host” cyclops, and “additional hosts” - freshwater fish. These helminths perform their parasitic functions, attaching themselves with the front part with suction cups to the intestinal walls. And if, for everything else, the pet is infected with fleas, the danger increases because they transfer pestol larvae. The most common disease transmitted by these parasites is dipyliosis.
In the modern world, there are methods of prevention. To prevent feline worms from disturbing your pet, anthelmintic drugs are used to kill parasites.
How to prevent cats:
Procedures are needed to minimize the likelihood of infection. Worms in a cat will not appear if:
• maintain cleanliness in the maintenance of pets, proper diet, ensure adequate care;
• limit contact with other animals;
• do not feed cats raw meat, fish products and their waste;
• constantly clean cats care items, their habitats and toys.
• carry out deworming of the animal, strictly following the instructions.
To reduce the likelihood of contracting parasites of the whole family, you need to observe personal hygiene and disinfect your hands with soap or special gel after talking with your pet.
For treatment of the animal, Azinox or Prazicide preparations are not recommended now, as they, if you choose the wrong dosage, can have quite strong side effects up to paralysis of the animal. It is best to use drugs:
- "Drontal";
- "Profender";
- "Pratel."