Cat Round Worm (roundworm)
The infection rate is very high in Kittens, with some sources claiming that almost all kittens have round worm. You should be aware that although most infestations are not severe, an untreated case of round worms in a kitten could result in death. Cat Round Worm (roundworm) : What are they?Note: According to most veterinary and medical sources, the correct term is all one word, as in ' roundworm. ' Since some sources consider it as two words, and much of the web browsing public does as well, it is referred to as ' round worm ' throughout most of this document.  Estimated infection rates are 25% to 75% (higher in kittens). Adult round worms are 3 to 5 inches long, and cream in color. Having relatively thin, tubular bodies, they resemble, of all things, strands of spaghetti. Unlike some other cat worms, such as hookworms, round worms do not attach themselves to the intestinal wall. They "swim" freely in the gut of the cat. Female round worms produce fertile eggs that pass through the cat's intestines and out into the environment in the feces. The eggs are not immediately infective, taking several days to several weeks to develop into the infective larva stage. Cat Round Worms : Methods of TransmissionYou might be asking yourself, how does my cat get round worm? There are essentially three ways in which cats may become infected with round worm...
Ingesting infected tissue of a transport host - By eating rodents, birds, or insects (transport hosts) that have larvae in their tissues, your cat may become infected with round worm. Consuming larvae passed through an infected queen's milk - Kittens can contract round worm from their mothers and become infected by larvae that are passed through infected milk. It is therefore possible for kittens to become infected soon after birth (this method of infection only applies to Toxocara cati, not Toxascaris leonina). Cat Round Worm : Signs and SymptomsRound worm symptoms in cats include:
It should be noted that a cat can appear perfectly healthy, and still have a mild case of round worm. Even with a lack of symptoms, then, we should not assume that a cat is not infected! As compared to other intestinal parasites, round worm infections are relatively benign. Cat round worm infections can, however, become life-threatening if there are enough worms present to cause intestinal blockage. In addition, since kittens are small and still developing, infected kittens are in serious danger if left untreated. Older cats with other debilitating diseases or immune disorders can be at similar risk as well. If you have a kitten or older cat at home at risk, you should be certain to have discussion with your veterinarian about cat round worm infection and treatment. Cat Round Worm : DiagnosisRound worms in cats are diagnosed by discovery of the eggs during microscopic examination of the stool. Sometimes more than one exam is needed in order to confirm the presence of the eggs. Sometimes adult worms may be seen in the cat's vomit or stool. Cat Round Worm : TreatmentThe good news is, that treatment is relatively easy, readily available, and inexpensive. The bad news is that treatment has to be administered several times, and only kills the adult form of the worm, not the larvae. Typically, at least two or three treatments will be needed, at 2-3 week intervals. Kittens are often dewormed with each visit for vaccinations. Your veterinarian is obviously the best judge of how treatment should be administered. Obviously, deworming queen's prior to pregnancy will control the kitten infestations. The best recommendations for general prevention are restricting cats from roaming and hunting, and control of insect and rodent populations. Topics Related to Cat Round WormTreatment of cat worms Boost the immune system of your cat Jump from Cat Round Worm back to Cat Illness Symptoms Jump from Cat Round Worm back to the home page of Cat Lovers Only
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