Pregnant 5 to 6 month old with tapeworm

Hi. My daughters found a kitten outside about three weeks ago. We took her and had her get shots but they didn't deworm her for tapeworm only round worm. They said if we saw the segmants to bring her back. They also said she was about 5 months old. Well last week she started getting a little "round" in her tummy and this week we noticed that all her nipples are pink and swollen. We are assuming she is pregnant. we also have two other cats that we took yesterday to get updated shots and to get dewormed since we started seeing those little segmants in their bedding and in my kids beds and stuff now the pregnant kitten we thought was ok but just last night noticed in a basket that she just started sleeping in also had the segmants. My other cats are too big to fit in the basket so it has to be from her. I called a low cost vet service this morning and they said they wouldn't advise getting her dewormed untill after the kittens are born. Isn't this bad for her and the kittens though and for my kids? Not too mention a little gross finding all these segmant pieces in our beds and stuff. Is there a safe alternative or should I try another vet? I did a search online and found a comment about using tradewinds dewormer and saying it was safe for pregnant cats?? Also is there anything I need to be concerned about since she is soo young to be having kittens? I had a cat when I was a kid who had kittens when she was about a year old and three died but one lived and she was trying to kill it??? Any info, advice would be greatly appreciated!

Your kids cannot get tapeworms from the cat--so relax there. She got tapeworms from eating infected fleas--so you may want to be aware that she and your other cats may also have fleas.

Yeah its not good for the kittens or her--everything I read about droncit says its okay to give to pregnant mom's I would call another vet on the phone and ask them if they would treat a pregnant cat for tapeworm and what the risks are?

She is young and there's a good chance the babies won't survive--or if they do she won't know how to care for them--or won't try.

Leslie

thank you Leslie. Yes I forgot to say that I did treat all cats with frontline plus but she probably got the fleas, tapeworm from when she was outside.

Wow... if she is that young AND preggers, NOT good. I really, really really hate to say this - it is a bad situation all the way around. I would talk to the vet about doing... sorry to say this... a spay-abortion. I cannot IMAGINE a 5-6 month old kitten giving birth to healthy babies and knowing what to do. It's like a 13 year old girl getting pregnant.

I apologize if this flies in the face of any beliefs that you might have .. .that's why I suggest discussing this with your vet.

You are putting your little kitten at 5 months old at serious risk for her health if you continue the pregnancy. She could have complications and if she survives the birth, she may not care for the kittens. Also its a very real possibility she will need a c-section to deliver. Do you have over $1,000 for emergency c-section?

Her growing body should not be under stress of a pregnancy. Its like a 12 yr old child having a baby. In her best interests and health you really should consider spay/abort at her age.