Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My kitten has worms. Why is there blood in her poop after dewormer?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 2 months and 27 days old

Kitten has worms started dewormer but now blood n diarria is this nirmal

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 29th, 2016

It is normal to see some blood and diarrhea when giving worming treatment. These symptoms usually last for only two to three days. Because Gypsy is so young, it will take more than one treatment to kill all the worms. The treatment you gave now will kill the adults already in her system, and the next treatment will kill the ones who have yet to become adults. If the blood in the diarrhea persists longer than 3 days, I would take her into your vet, as there may be another cause for these symptoms.

19Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Your kitten may also be infected with giardia. Take a fresh fecal sample to your veterinarian for a fecal exam and specifically ask them to look for giardia. Normal wormers in the regular dosage will not hit giardia, therefore your kitty may need a stronger wormer or a certain antibiotic such as metronidazole to kill giardia.
6Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Davis
Veterinarian
Published on October 11th, 2018
As long as you’re giving the medication as directed that should take care of the hookworms. Sometimes cats have blood on the poop from the poop being too hard, or from diarrhea irritating the rectal mucosa. As long as he’s eating and drinking normally I’m not overly concerned about it. Should he be lethargic or the blood continues then please take him in for an exam and treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your kitten.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on March 4th, 2019
The blood can indicate the presence of intestinal worms or it could be irritation of the GI tract from the diarrhea previously. If there are only traces of blood, this should be ok, but keep an eye on Meika. If the bleeding continues or increases, have her seen by her vet. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on September 16th, 2019
The most common cause for this in a kitten that otherwise feels good is intestinal parasites. You can try an OTC dewormer from a petstore or take Litchi in to the vet for evaluation. Other possible causes could include a bacterial or viral infection (such as Panleukopenia), dietary intolerance, bleeding disorder, etc.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

New kitten has diarrhea with bright red blood. Could it be worms?

Hello, and congratulations on Poppy! Young kittens can have things like worms that may cause diarrhea, but other factors, like a diet change or stress, could also be the culprit. Bright red blood streaks in the stool is not entirely uncommon when animals have diarrhea as they sometimes strain to push out remaining soft stool, which can burst small blood vessels in the rectum. The blood itself is probably nothing to worry about unless is continues, but Poppy should be evaluated by a vet for the diarrhea. They will check a stool sample for parasites, like worms, and give her the proper treatment. While it is unlikely that you or your family will contract parasites from Poppy, it is always best practice to wash well after playing with her and after cleaning her litterbox until she has been dewormed in order to minimize the risk of transmission. Most kittens do have worms, and need at least two deworming treatments. I recommend contacting your vet in the morning. Good luck, and I hope Poppy grows to be a happy, healthy cat!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My kitten has bloody diarrhea after deworming. Is home treatment safe?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This really depends on a lot of factors. It depends on how much blood Tiger may be losing and if this is truly from diarrhea being caused by the parasites. If a diagnosis of parasites was established and you are giving the deworming as instructed by a veterinarian then it would be reasonable to see if this was just a one time episode of bloody stool and to have him examined if it continues. However, if a diagnosis has not been established by a veterinarian, I think it would be best to have a veterinarian look at Tiger as this diarrhea and bloody stools may be unrelated to parasites in which case it is not going to improve with the dewormer. Good luck and have a great day!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My 3-week-old kitten has parasites and bloody diarrhea. Is dewormer working?

It can take some time for the dewormer to work and the intestines to heal. If Melly is only 3 weeks old, she needs to be on kitten milk replacer exclusively. You can start to introduce wet food or dry food mixed with milk replacer next week.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My 2-day-old kitten has worms and bleeding. Can she be treated?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My cat has bloody, loose stools after deworming. What's wrong?

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! With blood present I think it is time for a vet exam (and bring a stool sample along). We can have intestinal parasites that are not treated by dewormer (such as Coccidia and Giardia). We can also have things like colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or food allergy cause these issues. The vet can examine your kitty and based on the exam and history make recommendations and possible test and treatment options.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My 6-week kitten has bloody diarrhea and a swollen rear. What to do?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Even though you do not seen worms, it is possible that Cupcake still has gastrointestinal parasites causing her diarrhea with blood. GI parasites are one of the most common causes of diarrhea in kittens, and are easily treatable with deworming medication from your veterinarian. Other possibilities include viral infections and/or dietary indiscretion (eating something she shouldn't have). Regardless, I recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian so he/she can perform an analysis of her feces to determine if and what parasites are present, and prescribe the appropriate treatment. I do NOT recommend purchasing products from either a pet store or food store, as these medications are not regulated and/or proven to be safe and effective for use especially in young kittens. I hope this is helpful!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat is pooping blood a few days after deworming. Is this normal?

It could be related to the dying worms. If Greyson is still eating and drinking normally with a good energy level, I would monitor him at home for a day or two. If other symptoms develop, then I would have him examined by a vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share