The effectiveness of a cat dewormer depends largely on its ingredients and the type of worm you are trying to treat. Certain medicines will not effectively treat some types of worms, but will quickly eliminate others.
To ensure that an over-the-counter cat dewormer is effective, you should always consider the type of worm you are treating, and see that your cat is properly diagnosed. In some cases, this may involve blood tests.
OTC Worm Treatments
Tapeworms, roundworms and hookworms are the three most common types of worms that infect cats. All three require different medications.
- For tapeworms, the only FDA approved over-the-counter medication is Praziquantel, known as Tape Worm Tabs.
- Roundworms may be treated with Piperazine paste.
- For hookworms, it is often recommended that you find a good heartworm medication that also covers hookworms. There are many heartworm medications available over-the-counter offering this extra protection.
- Certain over-the-counter dewormers are more effective with certain types of worms and not others. It's always possible that severe infections may require a prescription medication. Many veterinarians generally recommend a monthly deworming to avoid an infection altogether.