After giving your kitten a deworming treatment, she will become free of worms, but your pooch now has them. If there is any portion of the treatment left, you may be tempted to just give it to your little one. But this works all the time. Although you may find that the ingredients in dog and cat deworming treatments are mostly the same. Active ingredients such as praziquantel are currently available under various brand names. They can be found in both dog and cat deworming treatments.
Just because the active ingredient is the same doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to give your dog your cat’s deworming regimen, or vice versa. The difference is in the amount of ingredients used. The dosage amount can also vary depending on the size of the pet.
There is a wide range of preventative treatments for heartworm in dogs and cats. But while dogs can be treated with an injection after an infection, cats can’t be treated the same way when they get heartworm. There are certain instances where the treatment that is effective in dogs can be toxic to cats. As such, having your veterinarian suggest deworming treatments for your dog and cat is always a better option than treating them yourself. Kitten deworming treatments are available, but treating heartworm is a whole different ball game. Remember that prevention is better than cure. The treatment is not only very lengthy, but also quite expensive.
It is also very important to understand that there are different worms that can infest your dog and cat. So never give a treatment that is specifically designed to treat a certain worm against another worm. For example; If your cat has roundworms and your dog has tapeworms, never give a treatment that eradicates roundworms to treat tapeworms. Therefore, before undergoing any deworming treatment, consult your veterinarian who will determine the type of worm that has infested your pet and then provide appropriate treatment and advice on dosage amounts.
The best way to counteract the worm problem in dogs and cats is to take preventive measures to prevent them from contracting worms in the first place. Remember that kittens and puppies are born with worms. They get it from their mothers when they breastfeed. For this reason, routine veterinary care for puppies and kittens includes worming. After a year, ask your vet to test your pet’s feces to make sure there are no worms. Also, make sure they don’t eat birds, mice, or other animals that might be carrying worms. Get rid of fleas, too, because that’s the first big step in preventing worms in dogs and cats.