how long does it take for dewormer to get rid of the worms in a cat ?

Question

my cat has worms for the second time in a couple of months i don't know what to do i gave him dewormer but i donno how to tell if its working i want to take him to the vet but i don't have the money and i feel so horrible i dont want him to be in pain

Answer 1

You say you gave him a dewormer, I assume you purchased a dewormer from the pet store which is probably for round and hook worms. If so and what you are trying to treat is tapeworms then it will never work, no matter how long you wait.

1. figure out what type of worms he has Round will look like small pieces of dried grass or speghetti unless you look real close you will see a slightly larger end on the tip that is the head of the worm. They usually vomit these or you will see them in the litter box,

If you see small sesame seeds or rice like segments on his britches or were he has slept or sat for a while that is Tape.

Hook worms are not realy seen with the naked eye. So I doubt you are dealing with these.

2. Purchase the right kind of wormer for the worms you are dealing with. Tape worms have a specific tablet that kills only tape worms you can buy at Revival Animal Supply. If you are dealing with Round you can also buy liquid wormer online at Revival Animal supply that will kill Round and Hook.

Answer 2

Well, first off, not all dewormers work for all intestinal parasites. You need to have a fecal specimen evaluated by your vet to find out what intestinal parasites your cat has. After identifying them, they can recommend treatment.

Also does your cat have fleas? If your cat has fleas, then you're cat is probably being re infested with tapeworms - they look like rice stuck on the butt. Tapeworms are spread by ingesting fleas. If you treat for tapeworms, but not for fleas, your cat will continuously re-infest himself when he grooms.

To get rid of the fleas, apply advantage or frontline every 3 weeks for 3 treatments, then once a month year round. Do not use OTC flea products as these contain harmful chemicals that can kill your cat.

Some parasites require a second or third dose as certain times to kill them due to the Pre-patent period. This is the period of time it takes for a newly ingested egg to mature in the intestinal tract to become an adult where it is susceptible to the medication.

Best bet - see your vet.

Answer 3

I believe dewormers work once, right when you give it. There's no residual effect. Because of the life cycle of some parasite, wormers may need to be repeated in specific intervals to get rid of them.

You need to take the worm and a fecal sample to a vet, who can identify the parasite and give you the correct medication.

The vet can give you meds to treat it and explain to you why your cat is getting reinfected, which probably due to the type of worm.

If you use over-the-counter wormers, most are made for worms like, but not identical to, some of the worms cats get. Even though the package says it's for cats and "worms" in general, it probably won't do the job correctly. That could be one reason they're not gone.

The best thing is to get a fecal checked on your cat. Call around to vets and ask if they'll test a fecal and give you medicine without seeing the cat. Explain your money situation.

Also, to get around the money situation, there's a credit card just for veterinarian visits called Care Credit. You can search for it and apply online. Once you have the card number, you can take your cat to the vet to get him checked out.

Answer 4

depends on the type of parasite your cat has. it can take a few days or a month. You need to contact your vet and make sure you are using the correct dewormer for the parasite your cat has

Answer 5

Depends on the worm. Roundworms and hookworms will need to be treated at least twice at 2 week intervals due to larval stage infection. Tapeworms only once--the medication allows the worms body physiology to change and the body can digest the worm. You won't see tapeworms pass after deworming. You can't see hookworms, they're too small. Roundworms are typically only seen in puppies and kittens. Tapeworms are rice like in appearance (actually you are only seeing the egg sacs, called proglottids), and are commonly seen in stool and on the butt area. :)