Understanding Kitten Worms: Symptoms and Treatments

For newborn kittens, worms are common dangers. The internal parasites cause malnutrition, dehydration and anemia. Whether you are dealing with intestinal worms or troublesome heartworm, cats and kittens need dewormers before the infestation leads to serious health issues.

Revolution prevents all parasites including heartworm, fleas, hookworms, ear mites and roundworms. With one medication, you prevent and kill a number of troublesome kitten worms.

Heartworm in Cats

Because outdoor cats in certain regions face regular exposure to mosquitoes, their owners need to consider the danger of heartworms; however, the indoor cats are still suspectible. In fact, studies find that indoor cats seem more susceptible to heartworms because they lack some immunities that outdoor cats possess from frequent exposure. In areas where heartworm is common in dogs, it is important to limit your cat's exposure to mosquitoes.

Heartworms develop from the bite of an infected mosquito. The larvae grow within the bloodstream, lodging in the heart and lung vessels. As they grow, they create blockages that stops the blood flow eventually leading to death. Symptoms of heartworm disease in cats include:

  • Convulsions
  • Labored breathing
  • Lethargy
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Persistent coughing
  • Weight loss

The problem with heartworms in cats is heartworm medications cause blood clots in cats. Only three out of ten cats survive the medications. Prevention is the best way to keep heartworm from killing your cat. Ask your veterinarian for a prescription for heartworm prevention medication.

Feline Hookworms

Feline hookworms enter a kitten's body through pores in the skin, ingesting dirt with hookworm eggs or through their mother's milk. Once the larvae develop, they attach themselves to the small intestines where they deprive the kittens of nutrients leading to malnutrition and anemia. Symptoms of a hookworm infestation include:

  • Anemia
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Nausea and vomiting

Your veterinarian checks your kitten's stool for eggs. If the kitten is anemic, a blood transfusion may be necessary. In infected kittens, worms are killed with deworming medications. Hookworms also infect humans, therefore remove feces from your yard.

Roundworms Affect Kittens

Roundworms are extremely common kittens' worms and also affect humans. The parasitic worm enters a kitten's body through the mother, eating infected animals or contact with the infected feces. Once inside the kitten's body, the larvae develop and attach to organs. Symptoms include:

  • Abdominal bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Lack of appetite
  • Lethargy
  • Nausea and vomiting

If the infestation of roundworms is severe, intestinal and respiratory tract blockages may lead to infection and pneumonia. Dewormers are required.

Tapeworms from Fleas

Flea-ridden cats and kittens are more likely to develop tapeworms. Fleas ingest tapeworm larvae, so a kitten that eats fleas while grooming may develop tapeworm. Common indicators of the presence of worms include spotting rice like particles in the feces or around the anus. Anal itching is the only real symptom of tapeworms.

Deworming medications kill tapeworms off within a day. To prevent these kittens' worms, keep fleas out of your home.

Whipworms from Contaminated Soil

Other potential kittens' worms include whipworms, they enter a cat's system through ingestion of contaminated soil. Over three months, the whipworms develop in the large intestine where they cause anemia and malnutrition. Whipworms rarely affect cats. If needed, dewormers will kill the worms and egg casings.

 

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