Any cat that "walks by itself", occasionally visiting a summer cottage and absolutely domestic, should be given anthelmintic (anthelmintic) drugs. One of the most effective such funds today is Pirantel.
Helminths in cats
Why are anthelmintic drugs, such as Pirantel, needed for cats? Its dosage, by the way, is easily calculated. In order for helminth eggs to enter the body of an animal, it does not have to communicate with street cats, eat prey, or smell excrement. Eggs of parasites can easily get into the apartment on your shoes or clothes, things, and then a matter of chance. Animals mostly suffer from nematodes (roundworms), tapeworms and the class of flat parasites. The "pyrantel" for cats (the instruction fixes this) helps to bring out all these varieties of helminths.
Ignoring the problem is fraught with the animal:
- serious damage to the digestive tract, kidneys;
- the possibility of penetration of parasites into the lungs, brain, heart of a cat, which will lead to its death;
- risk of infection of people.
Drug action
"Pyrantel" is a suspension for cats, the dosage of which must be correctly observed, or a plate of tablets. The medicine causes helminths:
- muscle paralysis;
- metabolic disturbance in the cells, which leads to their destruction.
The drug blocks impulses of the nervous system, contraction of the muscles of the parasite, so that they can not get out of the animal’s body on their own, but are excreted naturally.
When using Pyrantel for cats, the dosage should be correct, even though the safety index of the drug is moderate (LD = 170 mg / kg). Low toxicity is associated with poor solubility, which is deadly for helminths, but causes minimal damage to the cat's body. Only a sevenfold excess of the dose leads to serious consequences.
The main striking force of Pirantel is directed at mature individuals of round helminths; it acts less intensely on larvae and eggs. For parasites in the lungs, as well as for trematodes and cestodes, the drug does not harm. Therefore, only the veterinarian should prescribe the drug after determining the type of worms. You need to choose the tool to which they are most unusual. If several types of parasites have settled in the animal’s body, then therapy should be combined.
"Pirantel" to cats from worms: dosage
The medicine is made in the form of a suspension (20 ml) or tablets (three pieces per pack). 1 tablet = 5 ml of solution = 0.25 g of active ingredient.
How is Pirantel prescribed for cats? The dosage in tablets (250 mg of active ingredient) is 5 mg / 1 kg, and the suspension is 1.15 ml / 1 kg. Before the procedure, the cat or cat must be weighed. An average adult animal is given half a tablet or 2.5 ml of solution (a measuring spoon is included). After reaching the age of three weeks, kittens are shown a quarter of a tablet or measuring spoon.
The drug is recommended to be administered in the morning, one hour after breakfast. If the animal vomited with medicine, then the procedure should be repeated again. A new administration of the Pirantel preparation for cats (the dosage in tablets and suspensions should be observed again) is carried out after 10 days.
Proper Use of Pirantel
To administer the drug, the animal is swaddled tightly (so as not to injure the owner and harm itself during the procedure), squeeze between the knees, throw its head back and press with two fingers on both sides of the muzzle between the jaws to open the mouth. Then, using a syringe without a needle, the suspension is administered over the cheek, and the tablet crushed into powder is placed on the root of the cat's tongue. To swallow the medicine, they stimulate the swallowing reflex by lightly tickling the throat.
"Pyrantel" for cats (the dosage does not matter here) is not prescribed as a means of prevention for either kittens or adults, since its scope is only worms in the digestive tract.
The tool is effective in:
- necatorosis;
- trichocephalosis;
- hookworm;
- ascariasis (single entry);
- enterobiosis (single entry).
Veterinarians advise every year to change the type of anthelmintic used, since parasites mutate constantly, and old drugs become less effective against them.
Side effects, contraindications
After taking the drug, you can observe in a cat:
- allergies
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- stomach upset.
The drug is not acceptable for:
- pregnant or nursing nursing cats;
- kittens up to three months;
- animals suffering from infectious diseases;
- animals that have recently survived a serious illness or operation.
Analogs of means
An equivalent substitution of "Pyrantel" (mg / 5 ml) is presented in the table.
| Nemocide | in pill form | 250 mg (3 x 1) |
| 250 mg (3 x 10) |
| suspension | 250 mg, 10 ml bottles |
| 250 mg, 15 ml bottles |
| Helmitox | tablets, film coating | 250 mg (3 x 1) |
| 125 mg (6 x 1) |
| suspension | 250 mg, 15 ml vial |
| Polpharma | suspension | 250 mg, 15 ml capacity |
| Vishfa | suspension | 250 mg, 15 ml capacity |
Animal Owner Reviews
Tips and reviews about the drug "Pirantel":
- Many use a "human" baby suspension from a regular pharmacy. By the way, it is a leading component of many anthelmintic drugs. The dosage is 10 mg / kg. It is important not to confuse milligrams (mg) and milliliters (ml)! In 1 ml - 50 mg. Breeders are advised to calculate the dosage for the pet with a veterinarian. The medicine does not have an unpleasant taste, so animals swallow it without any problems - just inject the solution into the cat’s mouth with a syringe without a needle.
- Pet owners who have small children in the house give anthelmintic drugs to their animals once a year as a preventive measure. Many choose Pirantel for this, because this tool is inexpensive, but quite effective. Although veterinarians strongly recommend that you first consult with a specialist.
- Some animal lovers say that before Pirantel they tried and rejected many anthelmintic drugs. There is only one reason - a severe allergy in pets. "Pyrantel" is the only drug that does not give such side effects. It is very simple to determine the presence of parasites in your cat - she is restless, riding her pope. In addition, they are clearly visible - worms crawl out of the anus. The dosage of the drug is usually observed as follows: 1/4 of the tablet per average adult cat. After a week - ten days, the reception must be repeated. Which is better - tablets or suspension, the pet owners can not determine, since both forms of the drug are quite effective.
- Veterinarians advise those who have recently acquired a kitten, be sure to "gobble" the baby, regardless of where you got it - bought on the market or from famous breeders. Weigh the kitten, calculate the dose based on 5 mg / 1 kg. Do not be alarmed if he vomits - the drug is not toxic, it is a reflex to the substance entering the throat in an unnatural way. If this happens, repeat the procedure. Assign the next appointment in 10 days. For convenient drug administration, experts recommend using an insulin syringe.
Pirantel is one of the most economical and effective anthelmintic preparations for cats. Since this remedy is a serious medicine, do not administer it to the cat without the appointment of a veterinarian and "by eye", not observing the dosage.