Read the cat article, "Dealing With Internal Parasites".
Dealing With Internal Parasites
Be alert to the hidden health threat. Most internal parasites, commonly
called worms, live in a cats intestines where they feed and reproduce. All
kittens should be examined by a veterinarian for internal parasites. Your
veterinarian can detect the presence of most worms by examining your kittens
feces.
Some parasites, such as hookworms and roundworms, can be transmitted from the
mother to her kittens before birth or during nursing. Hookworms are among the
most dangerous of all internal parasites, especially in kittens who can be
infected from their mother during nursing. Hookworms attach themselves to the
intestinal wall and suck blood, causing severe anemia which can be fatal.
Kittens with a heavy hookworm infection can die from blood loss within a few
weeks. Their presence is less severe in older cats, but may lead to chronic
anemia. Regular fecal examinations for the presence of hookworms minimizes the
risk of infection.
Roundworms are a common parasite among young kittens. They are infected by
way of the placenta during birth. After birth, kittens can become infected by
larvae in the mothers milk. In the small intestine, roundworms compete with the
kitten for nutrients, resulting in stunted growth and poor health. Roundworms
often make a kitten look potbellied. Other signs include diarrhea, poor coat,
listlessness and poor growth.
Whipworms are passed in the feces and are difficult to eliminate. Generalized
symptoms include weight loss, nervousness, diarrhea with blood and mucus, and
dehydration. Treatment with anti-whipworm medication must be repeated at regular
intervals until the cat is completely cleared of whipworms.
Tapeworms can be contracted by a kittens or cats swallowing tapeworm-carrying
fleas, or by eating an infested rodent or raw fish or meat. The most common
symptom is a ravenous appetite with no weight gain and, possibly, weight loss.
Tapeworms are treated by medicine prescribed by a veterinarian.
Coccidia is a common parasite of cats, especially kittens. Eggs passed in the
feces of infected animals become infective to other animals within one to
several days, depending upon the temperature. The most common symptoms include
diarrhea, abdominal pain, dehydration, weight and appetite loss. However,
coccidia may present no symptoms. Veterinary diagnosis is made by examining the
feces. Several effective medications are available, but the general health of
the cat and the function of its immune system appear to be very important in
preventing and treating coccidia.
Giardia is one of the most common parasites infecting cats. Young cats are
more likely to have severe infections. Infections can be acquired by direct
contact with fecal matter containing the parasites as well as from contaminated
food and water. Symptoms can be intermittent or continuous and include
foul-smelling feces which may contain mucus, loss of appetite and weight loss.
Your veterinarian must perform fecal examinations by procedures designed to
reveal this type of parasite. Once the diagnosis is established, specific
treatment is available.
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