Tapeworm medicine

sowilu

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How often do I need to deworm Nico for tapeworms? I gave him his first dose yesterday.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Sowilu

How often do I need to deworm Nico for tapeworms? I gave him his first dose yesterday.
My first question would be did you get the dewormer from a vet? If not, are you sure he has tapeworms or could they be a different kind of worm. The reason I ask is that there are different medications for each type of worm. Dewormers are poison so you don't want to over-medicate.

Honestly if you are using over-the-counter medications, it's unlikely they'll do the job and may actually harm your cat.

When my cats had tapeworm meds it was one pill from the vet.

If Nico is an indoor only cat and does not have fleas, you shouldn't have to deworm him on a regular basis at all.

So, to answer your question, we'd need a bit more information and even then we would recommend you have a vet do a stool sample analysis to ensure you aren't poisoning your cat with deworming medications if he doesn't have the worms you are treating for.
 

mwitherspoon

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Hello, I'm not sure about the difference between tapeworms and roundworms but I used roundworm medication from the pet store. When I got my Taphie 5 years ago I discovered he had roundworms. I bought medication from the pet store as it was late in the evening once I realized it. It did take care of the roundworms and he has never had them come back. To sum this up, the stuff at the pet stores can help you and its a cheaper cost them going to the vet. The vet will charge for the pills, tests and just to see you. Just a thought, if the stuff is working and you can tell I would stick with it. But then again animals are all different, I just wanted to let you know.
Melissa
 
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sowilu

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Well I am using Tape Worm Tabs (Praziquantel) that I bought on line. I can't take him to the vet because I used up all my money on getting him neuter at a low cost clinic plus rabies shot ($40 + $10= $50). I know he has tapeworms because when I took him to get neuter the vet there called me and let me know that he had tapeworms and that he had ear mites which have already been taken care of. If the tablets do not work I could probably make an appointment since the vet has helped me before with my other fosters the thing is I need a little bit of money before I can do anything else.
 

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The pill used in veterinary clinics is Drontal Plus Feline made by Bayer. It's a low spectrum dewormer. It kills tapeworms effectively. You give one dose, then give another three weeks later. I'm not sure exactly what product you used, but I would defintely consult your veterinarian for a fecal to make sure there aren't any more intestinal parasites.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by mwitherspoon

Hello, I'm not sure about the difference between tapeworms and roundworms but I used roundworm medication from the pet store. When I got my Taphie 5 years ago I discovered he had roundworms. I bought medication from the pet store as it was late in the evening once I realized it. It did take care of the roundworms and he has never had them come back. To sum this up, the stuff at the pet stores can help you and its a cheaper cost them going to the vet. The vet will charge for the pills, tests and just to see you. Just a thought, if the stuff is working and you can tell I would stick with it. But then again animals are all different, I just wanted to let you know.
Melissa
You will find that unless you are involved in cat rescue and TNR and know exactly what you are doing, none of us here will advocate using wormers from a pet store or OTC. Wormers are poison and in some cases have killed the cat. The reason most of the wormers are cheaper at the pet store is because they are not the same formulation as what you get from the vet and are often ineffective so you have basically wasted your money because you'll end up needing to get medication from a vet anyway.

Using any OTC medications is a dangerous thing to do.

You also need to know exactly what type of worm you are dealing with as there are different meds for different worms, so unless you are able to analyze the stool sample yourself under a microscope you may be treating for the entirely wrong type of worm.

Please, do the right thing by your cat and get your meds from a vet. Most vets will let you work out a payment plan if you don't have all the money up front.
 
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sowilu

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I will email the vet hopefully he is not tired of my constant asking for favors.
 

chatterbox

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

Using any OTC medications is a dangerous thing to do.
So true! Any type of OTC medicine that is not okayed by your veterinarian is very dangerous.
 

mrblanche

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Actually, I'm going to disagree with this a little. The REAL problem with OTC medications is that they are formulated with less strength and less specificity than the vet's meds. The vet can do a stool test and know exactly what parasites your cat has, and give you a medication that is the right strength, the right dosage, and the right medication.

I have successfully wormed cats with OTC medications, but I'd rather have the vet do it. I've treated ear mites with an OTC medication that was much more effective than what the vet used.

But as far as the cost is concerned, this is a little like the old motorcyclist's saying: If you have a $20 head, by a $20 helmet.
 
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