Choosing the Right Cat Dewormer: A Guide

For cats that have been domesticated for a long time and rarely venture outside, it's actually quite challenging to come into contact with external parasites such as fleas, lice, or ticks.

However, if your cat is particularly fond of wandering around, or if you also have dogs at home, you'll need to be particularly vigilant about these three external pests: fleas, lice, and ticks.

What many pet owners may not realize is that a significant portion of the discomfort experienced by domesticated cats comes from mites. These tiny, invisible creatures can be incredibly pesky.

Big Love not only helps with external parasites but also offers protection against heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms.

When it comes to cost, Big Love is slightly pricier than Frontline.

Next, let's take a look at the performance of these triplets that offer both internal and external protection.

External treatments include Ivermectin and Brolace,

and now, the widely beloved combination treatment is Revolution, which is essentially the domestic version of the original Proheart Plus. While Proheart Plus is imported, Revolution is made domestically, with the same ingredients and efficacy in theory.

However, it's important to note that Revolution is not effective against fleas, lice, or ticks. Its suppression of flea eggs can be interpreted as an inability to eliminate fleas. Therefore, families with cats that often go outside or those with dogs at home cannot rely solely on Revolution for complete protection.

But Revolution excels in dealing with mites, and its range of internal parasites is also quite broad, with a lower price point compared to Ivermectin and Brolace.

Lastly, we have Intestinal Escape.

Intestinal Escape is not only affordable but also capable of preventing and eliminating tapeworms, which other deworming medications cannot. Adding an extra tablet during deworming is not a bad idea.

In summary, there are no deworming medications that completely cover both internal and external parasites.

There are several parasites that are not eliminated by routine deworming medications, yet they are particularly common and have numerous infection routes.

The trio of stealthy parasites – Giardia, Coccidia, and Trichomonas – are notorious for their elusive nature.

The best way to confirm infection is to promptly visit a hospital for a fecal examination. Symptoms similar to those mentioned are noted in the table, and will not be elaborated upon here. Seek medical attention promptly, adhere to medication schedules, and regularly disinfect to ensure a good prognosis.

Oh, and by the way, let's not forget about Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite cannot be prevented by routine deworming medications, and it doesn't show any symptoms after infection. Just like the other parasites, it requires hospital diagnosis and medication to be completely eliminated, with a good prognosis.