Hi, I've just come home tonight and one of my kittens has rice like worms around his bottom. I know this is tapeworm but really don't know how he may have got it. They are both 15 weeks old and have not been out apart from to the vets last tuesday for vaccinations. So, if they only come from a flea does that mean I have fleas in my house or could they have got one from the vet?? Also does panacur treat this or do I need something else. And can they spread to humans should I keep them away from us?
Thank you

To update if anyone can give advice...I gave them both a dose of Panacur last night and this morning Hunter has had really bad diarrhoea and not made it to the litter a few times, also there are long stringy worms in it which is exactly the same as when I wormed them 3 weeks ago. Does this mean that he has had them all this time and they could be the cause of his diarrhoea which has lasted weeks? The vet seemed to think it was the food and I should keep them on Royal Canin sensitivity control forever. (I have had them on Animonda Carny for 3 days now and they seemed to be ok.)
Not sure whether I should give them the next 2 doses of Panacur or take them back to the vet on Tuesday?

I don't think Panacur does tapeworm, you need either Drontal or a specific tape-wormer. Long stringy worms sounds like roundworms, they can get them again soon after being wormed, you have to do their next dose 2 weeks after! The wormer doesn't kill the larvae so that's why they get reinfected.

He could've got fleas and tapeworms from his mum cat. Treacle's had 2 rounds of tapeworm as his 'breeder's' house was flea-infested...

All gone now though after Drontal!

__________________

RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008

Flora-parasites can definitely cause diarrhea owing to the irritation they cause-also common following worming meds. Not sure of their history or vet visits but it sounds as if they've had them for quite some time now. Wonder also if your also dealing with roundworms? I certainly inform the vet though.

Since fleas are the ususal tramsmitters of tapeworm I would treat them as a precaution as well if you've not done so recently.

Here's more information.

Worming your cat

Yes, Panacur does treat tapeworm. My kitten I recently found in a ditch, had roundworms, but the Panacur will treat the tapeworms too. My vet said to give him Panacur once a day for 3 days in a row, then leave for 2 weeks, then do another 3 day dose, then leave for a further 2 weeks, then do a final 3 day dose of Panacur. The dosage is 2 syringe graduations per 1kg of bodyweight. Look at the instructions though, as the graduations can be a little confusing! The first thing I did was frontline spray my kitten, as he was crawling with fleas, then leave it 2 weeks, then re frontline spray, and your kitty should be worm and flea free!

__________________
Amber,

mum of Poppy- Chihuahua cross Yorkshire Terrier, Marlow- Ragdoll, Tootsie- Persian, Bramble- moggy kitty, Tuki- African Grey, Loki- yellow sided Conure, George- Hermann's tortoise, Clover and Bluebell- Pekin bantams, Violet- Pekin cross Serama, and Blossom- bearded Silkie bantam!

Thanks all for your replies, and for pointing out something the vet hasn't in weeks! I am going to get some drontal just to be safe as I've been using the panacur since beginning of Jan and although it's making some worms come out it may not be getting rid of them altogether. Really hope that this will be the cure for diarrhoea too and they can enjoy the lovely food I got them!
I will treat them for fleas too but I haven't seen anything to suggest they have them (apart from the worms if that makes sense!)
Any suggestions on best flea treatment and giving pills!!

If you leave 2 weeks inbetween worming, then do it again as I said before with the Panacur, they will be fine!

__________________
Amber,

mum of Poppy- Chihuahua cross Yorkshire Terrier, Marlow- Ragdoll, Tootsie- Persian, Bramble- moggy kitty, Tuki- African Grey, Loki- yellow sided Conure, George- Hermann's tortoise, Clover and Bluebell- Pekin bantams, Violet- Pekin cross Serama, and Blossom- bearded Silkie bantam!

Panacur is effective against one type of tapeworm only and I don't think it's the most common form.

I had to take Treacle to the vet to give him the Drontal as he hated the tablet no matter how I tried to disguise it!!

__________________

RIP Charcoal my shy girl 1987-2000, Patch the wanderer 1987-?, Tabby my darling fluffball 1988-2002 & Panda the rascal 1988-2008