My kitten has worms and no vet. Can I use human medicine to deworm?

Hello, thank you for your question. To ensure that your kitten is dewormed appropriately, you would have to be prescribed a product by your veterinarian. The most commonly used dewormer in kittens is called fenbendazole, and is given for a few cycles based on the life cycles of most intestinal parasites. There are other topical products that also do treat some intestinal parasites, however not all of these products are safe for kittens unless they are over a certain age. Therefore, to ensure that your kitten receives a safe and appropriate deworming medication I would recommend contacting your veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

Pyrantel or Nemex is a safe deworming medication that will treat roundworms. Please make sure you follow the dosing amount for Sophie’s weight. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sophie.

I am sorry to hear about your concern for your kitties! If this worm is long and skinny compared to the tapeworm segments then it is possible it is a roundworm. Roundworms are treated with a different dewormer than tapeworms, normally with pyrantel or fenbendazole. You can get these medications over the counter but if your kitty has not visited a vet yet, it might not be a bad idea to bring them in for an exam along with a stool sample to check for other parasites that could be present and invisible to the naked eye! You can read about roundworms and see an image at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951385

The two main types of worms you can see with the human eye is tapeworms and roundworms. Since these don't look like tapeworms to you, purchase an over the counter dewormer for roundworms and give it to see to see if it helps. If you do take her in, make sure to get her vaccines done. Rabies vaccines are very important for any animals who has contact with people so you may consider having this done regardless. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm sorry but without seeing the worm i am not 100% sure what you are talking about. The most common worm, and the one you probably saw, is roundworms. A meningeal worm is highly uncommon and it would not come out the anus. Meningeal worms live in the brain. The kitten is not too young for dewormer; they can start being dewormed as early as two weeks of age with a drug called Strongid (pyrantel pamoate). I suggest you call another vet clinic or go to your local VETCO clinic to have the kitten dewormed. Deworming should be done every 3-4 weeks until the kitten is 4 months old. ( vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/clinic-locations-and-schedules/?zip=34243 )

Hello. Since you wormed her for the tapeworms, it is a good idea to also worm for roundworms & hookworms. You should be able to easily find this at PetSmart, just look for anything that indicates it has pyrantel pamoate in it & just follow the label directions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Luna! There are many different parasites that she could have been passing in her stool -- roundworms, hookworms, or tapeworms. She most likely acquired parasites from her mother either through the placenta or milk. Pyrantel pamoate is a common dewormer used to treat both roundworms and hookworms, but it is not typically started until 2 weeks of age. However, this medication is extremely safe and may be used off-label prior to 2 weeks of age. Ideally, I do recommend taking Luna to a vet to first determine the type of parasite present, and then determine the best treatment for her. It is important to note that not every dewormer treats every type of parasite. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Luna!