My cat vomits after praziquantel, but vet says she's fine. Why?

If she hasn’t had a broad spectrum deworming done , then I would request that. There is a parasite called Physaloptera that causes vomiting in cats and is very hard to diagnose, so I usually do a trial of the dewormer to see if it resolve. Also a chest X-ray to make she she isn’t coughing from feline asthma. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It starts killing the worms very quickly, but are you sure that is why she is throwing up? Have you had her examined by a vet to make sure there isn't something else going on, like food allergies, pancreatitis, or an obstruction? I prefer to use topical dewormers like Profender because they absorb into the skin to kill the parasites and I don't have to worry about the cat vomiting up the pill before it has time to work. Hope that helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, Piggy is very cute, I am sorry she isn't feeling well. Animals with high burdens (large numbers) of worms can both vomit and poop out the worms and this can be normal. The concerning part of this for Piggy is that she was given a very strong medication to stop vomiting, and is vomiting anyways. This might be a sign that she has such a large number of worms that they might be causing a blockage in her intestines so that they cannot flow through. I recommend monitoring Piggy very carefully. If she continues to vomit, isn't eating, isn't pooping at all, or if she seems weak, tired, sore or bloated in her abdomen/stomach, then I would get her to a vet right away for x-rays as she might need surgery. Another possible but less likely condition is called an intussusception (where the intestines 'telescope' inside itself and cause death to that part of the intestine) and will cause the same signs as above, and requires surgery to fix. These conditions are unlikely to happen but important to watch for. If she is otherwise eating and keeping some food down, pooping, playing and acting normally, then just continue to monitor her and you will likely see the worms coming through her poop soon. Best of luck with Piggy!

Poor Frodo! Some cats do vomit during deworming due to the strength of the medication combined with the parasites moving through the GI system. These side effects should only last a few days, so if it's been longer than that, I would be concerned that it could be due to something else, such as a GI illness, a foreign body, or pancreatitis. I recommend withholding food for 12 hours, then feeding a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, he vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kitten. If he is not improving, then I recommend that he has a further work up. He should have fecal testing, blood work and x-rays of his abdomen to determine the cause of his vomiting and inappetance. Kittens can react to deworming medication, but it is typically a short lived reaction. It worries me that he is still ill. There is likely another another disease process present. In the meantime, encourage him to drink so that he does not become dehydrated. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. What you describe definitely sounds like tapeworms. I am sorry to hear that Toby sounds like he is having an adverse reaction to the tapeworm medicaiton. This sounds serious. I would highly recommend taking Toby in to your vet to have him treated for an adverse reaction, which includes fluids for flush out his system and and symptomatic treatment. It’s best to take him in right away if possible. I hope that your pet Toby is able to make a full and speedy recovery. Best wishes and take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Coco. Unfortunately, we cannot access your previous questions so do not have any of her case history. You may wish to do a consult with a veterinarian here at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach for more detailed information. If she is still sick despite seeing her veterinarian, then I suspect she will need a further work up. She may need blood and urine testing, fecal testing as well as x-rays of her belly. I hope this information helps!