My cat has giardiasis. Is albendazole safe? What are other options?

Giardia can only be treated with either Metronidazole or Fenbendazole at the appropriate dose for your cats weight. I would consult your vet for the appropriate dosage for your cat since they have examined him before. Veterinary client patient relationship act says that a pet has to be examined by said vet who prescribed that pet medicaiton. I hope this helps. Best wishes and take care.

Albendazole is not commonly used in pets. For routine deworming, Pyrantel is a good option and will kill the common parasites of kittens (roundworms and hookworms). The dosages will be on the package or you can contact your veterinarian for assistance. You veterinarian also likely carries this product. I hope this helps.

It's not a medication that we use in the United States. I could not find a lot of information on its use in cats. In humans, side effects of this medication include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is closely related to metronidazole, which is a medication that needs daily dosing. Overdoses of metronidazole can cause seizures and other neurologic symptoms. Since I haven't examined Kiki, it is illegal for me to give a dose of any medication for her. You might talk to your vet about other options for treating the giardia. Some medications can be compounded into other formulations, like a cat treat.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry but albendazole does not treat tapeworms in cats. It treats some tapeworm species in humans. You need a drug called praziquantel. If you can get that one, post again so we can help you with dosing information.

No ot is not safe.Metronidazole is excreted in breast milk and it should not be used in lactating animals unless your veterinarian prescribes it. Panacur would be a better choice. You need to consult with your vet on proper treatment of giardiasis in your lactating cat, especially since it is a recurring problem.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Zentel is listed as a human albendazole product. If this is the medication that you gave your cat, I recommend a visit to the vet asap as cats can be very sensitive to albendazole, it is not a medication typically used in cats.

Hi there. So sorry that Indie is having this issue. There are new treatments for giardia that may be helpful. Your vet may not be aware of these so have them research the following drugs: Furazolidone Nitazoxanide Tinidazole They will likely have to be compounded by a pharmacy so your vet will need to check into that. In the meantime, I would practice serious hygiene in the environment like cleaning the litter box DAILY with 1:10 dilution of bleach. Keep the floors where the litter box is very clean with the same dilution of bleach solution. Wherever you use the bleach solution let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping it down. I would also recommend you increase fiber in Indie's diet. The best way to do that is with a prescription canned food you can get from your vet called Hill's w/d. The extra fiber will help remove any giardia trophozoites from the intestinal lining. Adding a probiotic like Fortiflora to his diet would be beneficial especially if he has to have a long course of antibiotics. Fortiflora is the best probiotic and you don't need a prescription to buy it: http://www.vetrxdirect.com/product/view/fortiflora-for-cats-otc/variation-2771 Finally, if Indie will let you I would recommend you bathe him 2-3 times a week with a medicated shampoo containing Chlorhexidine. This can eliminate any giardia cysts that may be on his coat - while grooming he may be ingesting these causing re-infection. Lather, let it sit on his coat for 5-10 minutes and then rinse throughly. A shampoo like this one is best: http://www.vetrxdirect.com/product/view/chlorhexidine-4-medicated-shampoo-for-dogs-cats-otc/variation-10419 Giardia can be frustrating and difficult to get rid of :( I hope this helps. Best wishes!