What are the best anthelmintics for cats

2. Advocate for cats weighing up to 4 kg 0.4 ml, 1 dropper in a package – is the same medication, but the difference between them is that it is suitable for all cats except large breeds.

The 12 best worming medications for cats and kittens

Worms are very dangerous parasites that can seriously harm the health of not only the pet, but also humans. Therefore, it is very important to give cats special products against worms. They reliably protect the animal. A list of the best drugs is collected in the 2022 rating.

Some owners believe that there is no need to worm an animal that has never left the apartment. In fact, this is not the case. A person often brings parasite eggs on clothes or shoes, hands. It is necessary to give medication in such situations.

1. When the pet reaches the age of three weeks. During this period, the baby can get worms from the mother. It is also relevant for kittens born to an outdoor cat.
2. Before vaccinations. The effectiveness of vaccination can be reduced if the animal suffers from helminths. After giving the medicine, you must wait 10 days before vaccination is allowed.
3. If the animal does not go outdoors, the preparations are given once every six months. At the same time it should eat only products that have been previously thermally processed, or industrial feed.
4. Once every quarter the procedure is relevant for cats in contact with other animals or eating raw meat. If the pet takes part in exhibitions, the frequency of giving the drug is similar.
5. Within 14 days before mating. During pregnancy and lactation of kittens, you should not treat the female because it has a negative effect on the offspring.
6. During treatment. In such a case, only the drugs that the veterinarian advised depending on the degree of infection are given.

Pills for cats

Pills for cats is quite difficult to give, since many animals resist. But it is still one of the most common forms of antihelminthic drugs. You can use special devices to facilitate feeding. It is very important that the animal eats the whole tablet.

Elanco Milbemax for Adult Cats

The product quickly and effectively fights the most common parasites, both round and ribbon. It protects against the effects of the most dangerous helminthes. The range of action of the remedy is really wide, so veterinarians prescribe it in a variety of situations. For treatment, a single use is sufficient. For prevention, the drug can be given monthly. The tablets are very small, so it is easy to give them to the cat, the dosage is also convenient. They have a taste of beef, a special coating masks the bitterness. You can also give it to kittens when they reach six weeks of age. The active ingredients – praziquantel – 40 mg, milbemicin oxime – 16 mg.

Ways of helminth infestation

As a rule, an animal becomes infected with internal parasites by ingesting their eggs. And they are literally everywhere – on the ground, dirty water, grass, etc. Does your pet like sniffing around outside? Then he can easily pick up worms.

Another way of transmitting worms is through a flea bite. And puppies can catch them in utero, as larvae can pass through the placental barrier! Kittens – with their mother's milk.

Symptoms of worm infestation

• Dulling and loss of hair;
• Skin changes – itching, scaling, rashes;
• Weight loss, while the appetite of the pet remains at the same level;
• Constipation or, conversely, diarrhea;
• the appearance of cough;
• bloating of the stomach;
• frequent licking of the anus;
• vomiting.

If you notice one or more of the above symptoms, your four-legged friend may be infected with worms. It is necessary to urgently seek advice from a veterinarian. He will prescribe Drugs that kill internal parasites and their larvae – anthelmintics .

Signs of helminthiasis

At the initial stage of helminth infestation can be asymptomatic. Symptomatology increases as the number of parasites increases, the clinical manifestations depend on the type of worm, and the speed of their development – on the age and weight of the animal.

• Diarrhea or difficult defecation;
• vomiting and other gastrointestinal disorders;
• blood or mucus may be present in the stool;
• the animal experiences itching in the area of the anus, which is promptly eliminated worming medications for the cat;
• a detailed examination under the tail on the mucosa can be seen worms or white larvae;
• if the worming remedy for the cat will not be prescribed soon, the belly of the pet swells, becomes rounded in shape;
• body weight rapidly decreases;
• loss of appetite;
• The animal sheds profusely, the quality of the hair deteriorates;
• problems with breathing, coughing may be present;
• The pet gets tired quickly, prefers not to get up unnecessarily;
• mucous membranes become pale in color.

If a pregnant cat is infected with helminths, the risk of premature delivery increases. In addition, after delivery you will need a worming agent for kittens, to prevent the deterioration of the newly born babies.

Prevention

As in the case of other diseases, doctors recommend paying due attention to prevention. To prevent the infection of the animal with helminthiasis, it is necessary to give anthelmintics for cats with a preventive purpose:

• animals walking in the street should be given cat worming pills once a month;
• cats eating natural food are recommended to take anthelmintic drops for cats once every 30 days;
• pets without free access to the street, should be treated at least once a month;
• Worming medication for kittens can be given from 3 weeks of age.

If you plan to mate the animal, it is recommended to treat it to prevent infection of the pregnant cat and birth of infected offspring. With particular caution, you need to treat older cats, worming medications in cats of broad spectrum are given under the supervision of a doctor, after examining blood tests, urine. As for vaccination, worming medications in cats should be prescribed 10 days before the scheduled date of a visit to the veterinarian.

Symptoms of infection

Unfortunately, the symptoms of helminth infestation are nonspecific, so it is difficult to diagnose and identify the specific disease. This is one of the dangers of infection with them: it is not always possible to immediately notice that the pet is sick.

Symptoms include decreased appetite or increased appetite with a significant decrease in weight, decreased immunity, dermatological problems, gastrointestinal disorders, gas, etc.

But even one symptom should be enough to visit a veterinarian.

When to worm a cat

If the veterinarian confirms the diagnosis of worm infestation, he will recommend a suitable medicine against them. In this case, it is necessary to undergo treatment and go for a preventive appointment to make sure that there are no more parasites.

The best treatment is prevention. Every three months give your cat anthelminticThat is four times a year. Do not miss any part of it, even if the cat does not go out of the apartment.

Kittens should be given anthelminticsв at the age of 6 weeks, and after that they are already vaccinated. To reduce the risk of them becoming infected, give worming medication their parents.

Some medications need to be given twice – 2 pills 10 days after the first one was given. Read the instructions for use carefully or ask your veterinarian for advice. This is necessary because such medications first kill adult worms and then their larvae.

Sometimes deworming is required outside of the schedule. For example, before a vaccination or surgery. Parasites weaken the immune system of the animal, and it is more difficult for him to produce new antibodies.

Contraindications

Different antihelmintics have individual restrictions on use. They are prescribed in the instructions, and it is necessary to get acquainted with them before purchasing the drug at the pet store. Common contraindications to anthelmintics include infectious diseases and recovery from illness.

In most anthelmintics, the limitation is the period of pregnancy and lactation. Particular attention should be paid to the age of kittens. Most often it is allowed to give drugs to babies from the age of three weeks. However, some antihelminthics are contraindicated for kittens under two months of age (Bars, Profender) or three months (Azinox).

Pharmacists offer a small list of anthelmintic drugs that have been found in clinical trials to have no contraindications other than age. Examples of such drugs are Drontal, Pratel, Troncyl-K, Panacur, Dironet, Cestal Cat. At the same time, the last two drugs – anthelmintics are not allowed to combine with drugs containing piperazine in their composition. To deworming without consequences, you need to know the exact age of kittens

Is it possible to give anthelmintic drugs to pregnant cats

Many anthelmintics for cats contain substances that negatively affect the development of the fetus and young kitten. Therefore, pregnancy and lactation are often a contraindication for deworming. But helminth infestation poses no less of a threat to the mother's body.

To avoid pathologies and complications, it is necessary to choose anthelmintics that can be given during pregnancy. Dironet, Febtal, Cestal, Troncyl-K, Profender, Pratel and some other means are permitted. There are drugs that are not allowed to be given until the last third of pregnancy, such as Azinox.

Anthelmintics for cats

Worms cause severe damage to a cat's health. They not only undermine the immune system, but also upset the digestive system and cause general intoxication of the body. Diseases associated with helminths are all the more dangerous because the owners can also get infected from their pets. Therefore, these diseases must necessarily be treated.

1. Elanco Milbemax for adult cats (2 pills)

Pills for cats from worms have a complex action, affect not only adult parasites, but also larvae and adults. Milbemax refers to strongly active drugs, its main active ingredient is praziquantel. But cats are well tolerated, they do not show weakness, loss of appetite, they are just as active and alert. The drug is recommended by veterinarians, which confirms its effectiveness. The tablet is put in the food or placed on the root of the cat's tongue, forcing it to swallow. Confirmation of the action can be found in the feces of the pet.

The manufacturer is Elanco. The best drug. No side effects. Small tablet, handy, the cat easily eats itself (flavor of meat),as well as on the root of the tongue well and easily swallowed. A good therapeutic and preventive effect!

For many years we have been using it for prophylaxis. It works. Visually saw the work on the cat, which we brought from the street. The day after the pill in the feces was a lot of dead worms.

2. Drontal (Bayer) tablets for cats (2 tablets)

According to owners' reviews, this German worming remedy for cats is one of the most effective. It works against tapeworms and round worms, with no side effects, perfectly tolerated by cats. Drontal can be used only from the age of 3 months, for very young kittens it is too strong drug. One tablet is calculated for 4 kg of weight of the animal, given in the morning feeding together with food.

Anthelmintics for dogs

Many different remedies have been invented for four-legged friends. They differ in various forms of release, have a good effect, and are used both for treatment and prevention.

Elanco Milbemax for puppies and small dogs

The worming agent is used for dogs from 0,5 to 5 kg, it can be used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. It has an excellent effect against many types of helminths. Applying the drug according to the instructions, you will not encounter manifestations of side effects and complications. The drug is excreted from the animal's body quickly, without aggravating its intoxication, and the parasites come out with the feces. A small tablet is easy to give with food or by placing it on the root of the tongue.

We have been using the pills for 3 years, the package contains 2 pills, stickers and instructions. The package lasts us for about a year (1 time per quarter for prevention) 1 tablet divided in half and put it in a tasty treat or wet food and the pet easily eats the tablet and a tasty treat.

An excellent drug, the best of all, I have a small beaver, in the line of drugs you can always find the right dosage for your pet.

2. SKIFF Prazitel suspension for puppies and dogs of small breeds 20 ml

The suspension is specially designed for puppies and small dogs. It works against the main types of tapeworms and roundworms. The therapeutic effect occurs in 95-100% of cases, which is not unimportant. If you want your pooch to be healthy, use the drug as a prophylactic once every three months. It is easy to do, because the suspension has a sweet taste and is safe for dogs, and one bottle is enough for a long time. In addition, there is a measuring syringe in the kit, with the help of which it is easy to measure the required dose.

How to choose the right anthelmintic

Drugs differ in many ways, from the manufacturer, to the price index.

When choosing, the right medicine for the pet, you should focus on the following factors:

Each pet has its own individual characteristics of weight, metabolism and so on. Therefore, you need to pay attention to who the product is for: for cats, for small dogs or dogs of large breeds. There are products designed for both cats and dogs at the same time.

This factor is important if the animal has an allergic reaction to any substance that is included in the preparation.

Preparations for puppies and kittens, and for adult animals, for small and large breeds, have qualitative differences. In this factor, the choice of the correct dosage of the medication for the pet plays a big role.

Not every medication will work for a pet, the most important thing is the pet's desire. It is important that the dog or cat wants to eat the medicine. For example, some cats are very resourceful in terms of taking medication, for such animals it is better to use suspensions or drops on the withers.

So, in order to make the right choice of anthelmintic medication, a number of different factors must be observed. And, in the period when the animal has just appeared, to choose the most appropriate remedy will help the veterinarian, who, before prescribing the remedy, will know the age of the animal, its weight and other features.

Best anthelmintics for dogs and cats (Top

MILBEMAX

Swiss anthelmintics, available separately for dogs and cats, and also separated by age. The remedy is available in the form of tablets and is quite a strong drug, it affects all stages of development of individuals. When taking this drug, there are contraindications: age under 1.5 months or the presence of liver and kidney diseases.

• Effective anthelmintic (combination drug)
• No signs of intoxication of the animal
• Does not have sensitizing (does not cause allergy), embryotoxic and teratogenic effects (not dangerous for the fetus)
• Well tolerated in therapeutic doses

DOCTOR VIC 4

Universal tablet worming agent for cats and dogs. No special preparation before deworming procedure is required.

Do not administer to puppies under 4 weeks of age, kittens under 6 weeks of age, pregnant and lactating females

FEBTAL

Is a universal anthelmintic for cats and dogs. Comes in the form of flavored tablets with a taste of meat. Has a wide range of antihelmintic action. Maximum safety for animals, possible to use in pregnant animals. The contraindications include the use of the drug in animals younger than 3 weeks of age and emaciated animals.

KANIKVANTEL PLUS

German anthelmintic drug of complex action, kills parasites at all stages of development. Available in flavored tablet form. Is a universal and safe remedy, since its composition contains no toxic substances. Hunger and laxatives are not required before the deworming procedure.

Characteristics and principle of action

All animals, including well-groomed pets, are at risk of worm infestation. At the initial stage, the disease is usually asymptomatic or mildly expressed.

Larvae enter the cat's body not only through the street, but also with low-quality food, as a result of poor heat treatment. A particular danger is the entry of parasites in the apartment through shoes or hands.
Settling in the body of an animal, worms cause damage to its health. Intestinal helminths damage the integrity of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, hence the internal bleeding and soreness.
With excessive reproduction worms cause intestinal obstruction, poison the body with toxins and products of their own life.

Pulmonary helminths, affecting the respiratory organs, provoke shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing. This makes it difficult to breathe. Cardiac parasites impair the blood supply to the body. Once in the heart, the dirophilariae do not leave it and cause sudden death of the animal due to cardiac arrest.

The choice of medication and its dosage depend on the weight, age and condition of the animal.

To prevent worming, a cat shall be wormed every 90 days, and 15 days before mating and on the eve of vaccination. Be sure to give the drug in the presence of parasites in the feces of the animal. Particular attention in antiparasitic therapy is given to animals that go outdoors.

Means against helminths are classified according to a number of characteristics. For example, some drugs destroy specific types of worms, while others have a wide range of action.

• The advantages of the tablet form – in a long period of use and storage, as well as the action of the drug substance in a particular section of the stomach or intestines. This is achieved by coating the shell, which allows you to direct the component to the desired location.
• Suspensions are easy to administer with a syringe, quickly absorbed and pleasant to taste.
• The drops are applied only on the withers, the place on the head to which the animal has limited access. Two drops are enough to get effective results.

How to give the medicine correctly?

Experienced owners use physical force or the method of deception. In the first case, the animal is fixed in a diaper or towel, then with the fingers of the left hand press on the corners of the mouth, opening the jaw. With the other hand, the tablet is placed on the base of the tongue and covers the pet's mouth. After that, it is necessary to lift the animal's head up and stroke the throat, provoking swallowing movements.

The cheating method is to hide the pill in a treat. A large tablet is crushed into crumbs in advance for easy swallowing. It can be mixed with milk or liquid food. For a more reliable way of giving the medicine to the animal, a syringe without a needle is used, with the help of which the dissolved tablet in liquid form (or suspension) is poured into the cat's oral cavity.

The optimal time of treatment is in the morning before meals. The animal should not be fed after the treatment. Any drug is accompanied by clear instructions on dosage and therapy.
Some drug forms require secondary administration after a week and a half, as they act only on adults, and they have no effect on eggs. After a week and a half to two weeks, larvae emerge from the eggs, which die under the influence of the next dose of anthelmintic drug. It is best to consult a veterinarian, who, if necessary, will select the drug or prescribe additional examinations.

To avoid further complications from helminthiasis, it is better to prevent it. If necessary, the best drug is chosen and a strict dosage and step-by-step treatment is followed.

Deworming of a pregnant or lactating cat

Some types of worms are capable of penetrating the placenta of a pregnant cat and affecting embryos. To avoid infestation of the offspring, the cat and cat must be wormed at least one month before the intended mating. This condition is mandatory, regardless of whether the cat has been wormed or not.

You should know that pregnancy and lactation (the period of feeding kittens) are contraindications to anthelmintics. They are all toxic and may cause birth defects in future kittens or lead to miscarriage.

If worms are found in a pregnant cat, and it worsens her condition noticeably, you still have to worm her, despite the possible risks.

Only a veterinarian should administer the drug. You should not decide on your own on this issue.

Prevention

It is impossible to get rid of worms completely and absolutely. Nature has created parasites, she also created their carriers. They need each other for something. No organism can be sterile. Therefore, it is necessary to worm the cat and follow preventive measures not for complete elimination of worms, but to control them, to keep a reasonable balance.

It is very important not to allow the animal to be heavily infested with worms. At initial and moderate stages the worm infestation can be easily treated, and the risk of intoxication of cat's body by anthelmintic preparations is minimal. Modern drugs allow worming even a one-month-old kitten without harm to its health.

A caring owner will not allow the deep infection of the cat and will worm it regularly to prevent infestation.

Worming cats regularly should be started from 1 month of age. Repeat the procedure quarterly – at least 3-4 times a year for cats that are not outdoors. Cats that are kept on free range are tested monthly.

In this situation you should not fear intoxication with anthelmintics. A prophylactic dose is practically safe for the animal and reliably prevents it from infestation. Much more harm will be caused to the cat by worms and shock doses of really toxic drugs.

Important! Treatment against ectoparasites must be carried out at the same time as the endoparasites (worming). Fleas carry helminth eggs. Only in this case, worming the cat will be effective.

You should not forget the simple rules of hygiene, which should be observed by all family members:

All household members will have to regularly take anthelmintic drugs to protect themselves from worm infestations. Advice on this can be obtained from your veterinarian. However, everything is not so bad. If you monitor the health and behavior of the cat, you can "catch" the disease in time and cure it quickly and easily.