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- #61
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Ditto has gotten very thin and is breathing fast...
- Thread starter cocoalily
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- Nov 17, 2005
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Pneumonia has been ruled out by necropsies.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #63
Ask your vet, but Panacur is the best in my opinion. The vet may also prescribe Strongid.
Wow! Poor Ditto has really been through the ringer as of late. Poor baby. I hope he gets all the medicine he needs and is doing well. How did you find out about the round worms? If it was from the vet then he/she should have given you medicine for it. Well, keep up the good work! Ditto is very lucky to have you to care for him!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #66
I found two roundworms in his water bowl. They've got to be the nastiest things I've ever seen! I take back what I said about not wanting to see another cat poop - I'd much rather clean up that than try to get rid of roundworms.
The vet isn't open until Monday - would it be fine to order medication online?
The vet isn't open until Monday - would it be fine to order medication online?
Ewwwyy!! I always thought that roundworms were under the skin!! Yuck, thinking that they can get out of there is even worse!! GOOD LUCK!! Someone will come along and help ya out more than I can... I have just been keeping up with this thread to see how Ditto has been doing and cought the roundworms thing!!
I don't think you can order it online - it is a vet prescription medication. Your vet will likely want to use Panacur or Strongid. If they want to use Drontal, tell them you've heard a lot of round worm have become resistant to it.
I hate to say it sweetie - but if your other kitties are indoor cats, and Ditto has the round worm bad enough to be throwing up worms, they most likely have it as well.
To treat the round worm in our home, we had to use the Panacur on ALL six cats at the same time. It was NOT easy. Before this, we did each kitty individually as it became clear they had worms - and it took us over a year to get rid of it. And we didn't get rid of it until we did ALL of them at the same time. And the life cycle of the round worm is such that you have to re-treat ALL of the cats three weeks after the first cycle of treatment. The Strongid, Panacur or Drontal only kill the adult worms - so you have to wait for the eggs to hatch and become mature, and then give another round. And, unfortunately, the de-worming medication sold at pet stores and supermarkets doesn't work.
While you are giving the kitties the worming medication, you must keep the litter boxes super clean. I mean - scoop twice a day. And the boxes pretty much need to be dumped of all litter, bleached, and have new litter put in weekly until three weeks after the last round of medication is given to the cats. At that point, you should take Ditto's stool sample in to the vet to have it checked for signs of round worm - to make sure it actually is gone.
It's a pain in the butt, but a few months from now you'll probably regret it if you don't put the time and money into it now.
Like I said - we fought this for over a year. Please learn from our experience!
Laurie
I hate to say it sweetie - but if your other kitties are indoor cats, and Ditto has the round worm bad enough to be throwing up worms, they most likely have it as well.
To treat the round worm in our home, we had to use the Panacur on ALL six cats at the same time. It was NOT easy. Before this, we did each kitty individually as it became clear they had worms - and it took us over a year to get rid of it. And we didn't get rid of it until we did ALL of them at the same time. And the life cycle of the round worm is such that you have to re-treat ALL of the cats three weeks after the first cycle of treatment. The Strongid, Panacur or Drontal only kill the adult worms - so you have to wait for the eggs to hatch and become mature, and then give another round. And, unfortunately, the de-worming medication sold at pet stores and supermarkets doesn't work.
While you are giving the kitties the worming medication, you must keep the litter boxes super clean. I mean - scoop twice a day. And the boxes pretty much need to be dumped of all litter, bleached, and have new litter put in weekly until three weeks after the last round of medication is given to the cats. At that point, you should take Ditto's stool sample in to the vet to have it checked for signs of round worm - to make sure it actually is gone.
It's a pain in the butt, but a few months from now you'll probably regret it if you don't put the time and money into it now.
Laurie
Nope. Round worm exists in the digestive tract of the cat. They're also called "tickle me" worms, because a bad infestation will result in a cat throwing up mature worms. A vet can tell a cat has round worm by looking through a microscope at a fecal sample, which will have the eggs of the round worm in it.
Laurie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #70
The others are outdoor cats, but if you say its so easy to spread, I'll take your word for it that the others have it too. How is it spread? Only through feces or through shared food/water bowls, etc.? None of the others are throwing up adult worms (yet). Also, is it only contagious to cats or can people and dogs catch it, too? I've been washing my hands every time I touch any of the cats in case I can catch it.
It can be through shared water bowls, shared food bowls, shared litter boxes - or just a kitty having been in a litter box walking across the floor and another cat walking in the same spot, picking up those microscopic eggs on his feet and then licking himself clean. If Ditto is an indoor only kitty and the others are outdoor only kitties, then I wouldn't worry about it, and I'd just treat Ditto.
Are the outdoor kitties ferals? Barn cats? If they've been outdoor kitties all their lives, then it's hard to say whether or not they've got round worm. We took it pretty much as a given that the outdoor kitties we cared for (a feral colony - we were TNRing) had either round worm or tape worm. Because they were ferals, we didn't bother trying to treat them. They'd just get it again - and that's pretty much the case with outdoor kitties. Either they've built up the ability to expel them from their systems, or treating them to get rid of them doesn't make sense, because they'll just keep getting them. It is important to treat them for fleas and tics, however, because of the diseases those pests can carry. I don't know if your family already treats them using Advantage, but that is really the best option. Just keep an eye on them for weight loss.
If they're indoor/outdoor kitties, then I'd just treat Ditto, re-treat him in three weeks to finish off the new adult worms, and take a stool sample in three weeks after that to see what shows up. I'd just hope Ditto doesn't keep getting reinfested with the round worm, and I'd treat it as it crops up.
But the round worm can certainly explain the seemingly sudden and rapid weight loss.
Laurie
Are the outdoor kitties ferals? Barn cats? If they've been outdoor kitties all their lives, then it's hard to say whether or not they've got round worm. We took it pretty much as a given that the outdoor kitties we cared for (a feral colony - we were TNRing) had either round worm or tape worm. Because they were ferals, we didn't bother trying to treat them. They'd just get it again - and that's pretty much the case with outdoor kitties. Either they've built up the ability to expel them from their systems, or treating them to get rid of them doesn't make sense, because they'll just keep getting them. It is important to treat them for fleas and tics, however, because of the diseases those pests can carry. I don't know if your family already treats them using Advantage, but that is really the best option. Just keep an eye on them for weight loss.
If they're indoor/outdoor kitties, then I'd just treat Ditto, re-treat him in three weeks to finish off the new adult worms, and take a stool sample in three weeks after that to see what shows up. I'd just hope Ditto doesn't keep getting reinfested with the round worm, and I'd treat it as it crops up.
Laurie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #72
They're all indoor/outdooor, none are feral. If I had to say I'd say they're technically "barn cats" since their food and water is outside, but they do come inside every day. Ditto's been inside since Christmas Day when I first realised he was sick. Once he's better I'm going to have to put him back with the others, my dad's only just tolerating him inside since he's in the kennel.
I haven't noticed any weight loss in the four that are currently living outdoors right now (I've been watching them VERY closely) - I'll definitely keep an eye on them and bring them in to the vet if I notice any signs of it, though.
I haven't noticed any weight loss in the four that are currently living outdoors right now (I've been watching them VERY closely) - I'll definitely keep an eye on them and bring them in to the vet if I notice any signs of it, though.
Gotcha. I thought the implication was that Ditto was an indoor kitty. Well, the best thing to do then is to treat Ditto for the round worm as the vet tells you too. He will need to be treated again in 2 to 3 weeks, or he will guaranteed get it again because he WILL have the eggs in his system, and they will mature.
As to the rest? Just keep an eye on their weight. That's really the only way to tell - unless you see them throwing up the worms. Same goes for Ditto in the future. As indoor/outdoor kitties, there's really not much you can do except treat it as you see it. Some people treat their indoor/outdoor kitties twice a year (seasonally) for worms just as a precaution. With 8 cats, that may not be a realistic option.
Laurie
As to the rest? Just keep an eye on their weight. That's really the only way to tell - unless you see them throwing up the worms. Same goes for Ditto in the future. As indoor/outdoor kitties, there's really not much you can do except treat it as you see it. Some people treat their indoor/outdoor kitties twice a year (seasonally) for worms just as a precaution. With 8 cats, that may not be a realistic option.
Laurie
