If your cat is suffering from intestinal parasites, you may be able to help treat his condition by providing him with piperazine. Piperazine is a drug that is designed to target the nervous systems of certain types of roundworm parasites that may live in your cat's intestinal tract. By neutralizing these worms, your cat's body is able to flush them out of the system and your cat will be free of the parasitic infection. Read on for a brief overview of how piperazine works and how to use it for your pet.
Piperazine for Cats Overview
Piperazine is a type of drug called an anthelmintic. This type of drug functions by targeting the nervous systems of the parasites that are attached to your cat's intestinal wall. It causes the worms to become paralyzed, which forces them to detach from the intestinal wall and allows your cat's body to flush them out through normal excretory processes. While piperazine doesn't actually kill the parasites themselves, it is highly effective at eliminating living parasites from your cat's intestinal tract.
Piperazine is available by the brand name Pipa-Tabs or in certain generic formulations as well. It is approved only for use in animals by the FDA and is available over-the-counter, meaning that you do not have to have a veterinarian's recommendation or prescription to provide it to your cat.
Using Piperazine for Your Cat
It's advisable to have a veterinarian diagnose your cat's parasitic infestation before you treat your pet with piperazine. This drug is a powerful one that can easily be misused if you don't have a vet's careful attention to help you out. If your cat has been diagnosed with roundworms or some other type of parasite, ask your vet whether piperazine will be a suitable way of helping to deal with the issue.
Piperazine is available in tablet form and can be included with your cat's meal or ground up and provided with a treat. The exact dosage that you'll give to your cat is somewhat dependent upon his size, age, overall health condition, and the severity of the parasitic infection that he's suffering from. You'll typically provide your pet with a single dose of the drug, though you may need to repeat it in two to three weeks in order to ensure that all worms are flushed from the system.
Side Effects of Piperazine
While piperazine is generally considered safe for use in your cat, it can result in the following mild side effects:
- Unusual gait
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If your cat has overdosed severely on the drug, more serious side effects like paralysis and death can occur. If you notice symptoms that suggest that your pet may have overdosed on piperazine, or if you see that your cat is having an allergic reaction to the medicine, take him to a veterinarian's office immediately for urgent treatment. This will help to ensure that you can prevent the full effects of the reaction from occurring.