Is it safe to give my kitten Petco tapeworm medicine for white worms?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The worms in the photo appear to be tapeworms or, less commonly, pinworms. these can cause impactions and diarrhea, especially in kittens. Unfortunately, I am unable to prescribe medication for Coco without having examined her. However, your veterinarian can quickly determine the exact type of parasites present with a fecal sample and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Because many parasites are transmitted by fleas, it is important for Coco to be on a monthly flea preventative. You should also be careful when cleaning out her litter box to make sure you wash your hands well with soap and water, as some of these parasites can infect humans. I hope all is well!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. It’s fine to give them the tapeworm medicine but I would wait until tomorrow. Then give it to them with some food like white meat chicken (no bones). I hope this helps!

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. In this case, if follow-up fecal testing isn't possible/practical, I recommend repeating the treatment 2 weeks later. However, I would encourage you to call your primary vet and talk about your options. If your outdoor cats have tapeworms, they very likely have roundworms and/or hookworms as well, so ideally the cats should be treated with something a bit more broad-spectrum. You're right that vets certainly prefer doing an exam on each animal prior to dispensing medication (we are legally required to have a "doctor/patient relationship" to dispense medication).....but depending on your relationship with your vet, some vets may make exceptions when it comes to deworming outdoor/feral cats. It's worth asking what they recommend in this case! Hope this helps - it's great that you're caring for these outdoor cats!

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

You are not giving the correct medication. If you are seeing tapeworms, small flat worms or rice like segments near the anus, then you need a prescription dewormer from your veterinarian. I recommend taking a fecal sample in and have them look for parasite eggs under the microscope. Then they can make sure they give you the proper medication. Once Smokey gets rid of the intestinal parasites probably the diarrhea will stop. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Smokey.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Since these medications kill two different kinds of worms, that's fine to give to Mia. I'd give her one of them today and then the other tomorrow. I hope this helps!

The type of dewormer depends on the intestinal parasite. If you post or describe the parasite I might be able to help you further. Check this product if Cristoph has roundworms: or this one if he has tapeworm: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/bayer-tapeworm-dewormer-tablets-for-cats?rrec=true Please refer to your vet or post again if you have any doubt, question or you are not sure regarding the amount to administer. Please make sure is the correct product for his size and age. I hope this answer was helpful.