Your Experience With Tapeworms/drontal?

momof3b1g

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Took two feral kittens in the end of June. Wish I had realized that Drontal was good on all worms. I know it's a bit more expensive but worth the cost as you need to worm them for all worms when they have been outdoors.

My question is. They just got Drontal yesterday. After finding a worm segment on the kitchen floor that had fallen off the female kitten.
I didn't see much in their poo. The past 24 hours. But what looked like maybe one dried worm. Unless it was a string. (Darn carpet from their towers. Has those plastic strings)
I treated all my cats as they had been sharing living spaces and litter boxes the past few weeks.
The kittens were born and had been outside for 2 months. What kind of infestation do you think they had? Never seen any fleas or flea dirt on them. Though girl kitten does scratch some.
Should i keep them separated from my adult cats until she can be redosed again? Cost me $100 yesterday :(
She seems on the thin side. 4 months and weighs 5.2 pounds. But has been gaining weight.
I've gone through and washed bedding. Vacuumed carpet and scrubbed litter boxes.
 

Sarthur2

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They will need Drontal again in 2 weeks. It's hard to say what worms they may have had.

In the meantime, can you use Advantage II on the kittens to get rid of fleas?

Hoping you can fatten up the kittens!
 

shadowsrescue

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You can buy Drontal online that is much cheaper than taking the cat to the vet. I have 3 outdoor feral cats right now and I use Drontal or another product 2x a year on them.

As for separating them, that is up to you. If you scoop the litter boxes each day and then dump them weekly and scrub, the cats might be ok together. Drontal works pretty quickly, but there are times when it needs to be readministered in a month.
 
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momof3b1g

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My vet only charged me for the Drontal. I have 9 right now with the two rescues. The pills were $6.79 each. I just don't want to have to spend another $100 if by chance the tapeworms are not gone.
I don't even know if they have fleas. If they do then it's a big problem seeing all have been exposed to the kittens.
Part of my post is more of a vent. Wish the vet would have used Drontal the first time.
But wondering if the kittens got the tapeworm via mom or would have eaten something in the 2 months they were outside. Instead of ingesting fleas.
Can they have them and not have any sign of fleas?
My oldest cat had tapeworm when I first took her 6 years ago. I'm pretty sure all we did was pill her. Don't remermber her having fleas. So I'm hoping this time too. :/
 

kittychick

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It sounds like from your initial post you probably do know how to do this (so I'm sorry if I'm reiterating stuff you already know) - but just in case....have you flea combed everyone? That'll definitely tell you if you've got fleas! Just in case you don't - have a glass with a squirt of Dawn dish liquid in it beside you, and flea comb each and every one of them. Focus on their backs near the base of the tale, and the belly - particularly near the back legs, and the top of the head (near the ears) and their neck on the back (where they have trouble reaching to groom). After every time you run a flea comb down them, dunk it in the Dawn/water glass. If you see no signs of flea dirt (and you'll know it's flea dirt if you can crush it between your two thumbnails and it's slightly reddish-brown/burgundy - that means it's dried blood/flea feces). And if you don't see anything after that - you can also make a homemade little flea catcher by placing a small/low-sided dish like a soap dish filled with water - but a pie pan works too - - and add some Dawn to the water. Off you've got an outlet that's fairly close to the ground - plug a nightlight into it and place the dish directly below it. If you can't do the outlet/nightlight - put a desk lamp on the floor next to the dish, turn it on and aim the light directly at the dish. When you leave the room - - turn off ALL other lights in the room but the nightlight/desk lamp. Fleas are attracted to the light - and the little buggers (pun intended) will migrate to the light, jump at it, and fall to their doom in the soapy water. CAVEAT - - while you want the homemade flea trap in an area the cats go - do NOT place it where the cats can get at the water!!!!! When I've done it - I use the nightlight - I place it in a room I know the kitties have spent time in - like a spare bedroom - and then close the door for the night. I"ve done this many times - - - and it really worked for me.

Keep us posted on how things go!
 
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momof3b1g

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I dont have a flea comb, but a kitten comb. With fine tines. Didnt find anything.
 

kittychick

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There can be a difference between "kitten combs" and "flea combs." Most "kitten combs" are basically the same as a flea comb - -but not always. Some kitten combs have wider spaced teeth - allowing fleas and flea dirt to pass right through. Just make sure the teeth are super close together - and you should be able to catch any fleas or flea dirt.
 
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momof3b1g

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There can be a difference between "kitten combs" and "flea combs." Most "kitten combs" are basically the same as a flea comb - -but not always. Some kitten combs have wider spaced teeth - allowing fleas and flea dirt to pass right through. Just make sure the teeth are super close together - and you should be able to catch any fleas or flea dirt.
ya this one has both. I have never seen a flea, but didnt find any things or dirt. Havent seen any rice like things on them. The only thing we found was a flat square/rectangle moving worm on the floor.
 
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