My cat took praziquantel. How fast does it work if she's sick?

Profender is absorbed rapidly through the skin into the bloodstream and ultimately reaches the gastrointestinal tract where it is effective in killing susceptible parasites (roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms). Profender will kill susceptible parasites that are present in the intestine at the time of treatment. Cats should receive treatments every 3 months and kittens should receive treatment at 8 and 12 weeks and every 3 months thereafter to prevent future infestations. Reinfection can occur from the environment and contact with other infected pets. She may not vomit any worms or pass them out of the stools. It depends what stage of the life cycle the worms are in and which species of worm you are referring to. If you don't see any worms it does not mean it is not working. Hope this answers your question. If you have additional questions feel free to post again.

The Praziquantel should kill the tapeworm within a few hours. The tapeworm will be eliminated with all its segments (proglottids) with the feces. I would think this happens within 2 days at the longest.

From the picture these look to be tapeworm segments. Often you will see them dried on the rear end too. Pyrantel is a great broad spectrum dewormer, but it doesn’t kill tapeworm. Droncit ( praziquantel) kills tapeworm. I always recommend a full fecal exam looking for microscopic eggs as animals who have parasites often have more than one kind. Tapeworm can cause gastrointestinal signs if she has a high enough worm burden. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I am so sorry that your furry friend Ralph is doing so poorly after a dewormer. You would think if this was the cause that she would have recovered by now. If x-rays didn't show a blockage and labwork came back normal, then it sounds like Ralph just needs supportive care. If he is vomiting things back up at home, then the best course of action here is to admit her to the hospital for a few days so that she can get IV fluids and IV medication until he is well enough to be discharged. Some pets just need extra support, especially older, more sensitive pets. If she is still not doing well after 24 hrs of hospitalization, then I would suggest getting an abdominal ultrasound done on her to get a closer look at things. I do hope that Ralph feels better soon! I wish you all the best moving forward. Take care!

Here is some additional information on tapeworms. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=562 The medication for tapeworms works very quickly (within 24 hours), but you generally will not see the tapeworms passed in the stool, so you may not know that he is expelling them. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Sometimes the worms die and just come out like mucus in the stool, not full worms. If you gave the proper dose I’m sure it was effective. You can repeat the deworming in two to three weeks to be sure and follow the directions on the package. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.

Hello. According to the manufacturer, cats as young as 5.5 weeks tolerated doses of 5x labeled dose every 14 days. For your kitten, you are just about there. But it really takes a massive overdose to start to get concerned. But do watch for signs of overdose including salivation, vomiting & depression. If you see any of these signs in the next hour or so, & they do not clear up within a few hours, or the kitten really seems significantly affected, do seek veterinary attention. Hopefully, the kitten will be just fine by tomorrow. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.