re:worming kitten

Question
I purchased a kitten one week ago and it was reportedly wormed and treated for fleas, I have just noticed a long worm in her faeces and wonder if the treatment would still be taking effect and how long this usually takes to eliminate as I was advised to worm her again in two weeks time.

Answer
Alana,

Not all dewormers kill all types of worms. I'd recommend that you take the sample of feces containing the large worm to the veterinarian so that s/he can identify the worm in question - it sounds like a tapeworm to me and dewormers like Strongid T (commonly given via syringe, the dewormer itself is a yellow color and is often butterscotch flavored to make it more palatable for the cats) are used to eliminate the more common roundworms and hookworms. I believe that Drontal (comes in a pill form and is usually administered by the veterinarian, the dose depends on how much your kitten weighs) is the name of a very effective broad spectrum dewormer used for cats that have tapeworms or other worms not flushed from the system with the more commonly used dewormers. If your vet recommends the use of a stronger dewormer s/he may advise against using the next dose of the dewormer you were given, it just may eliminate all of the worms in this baby's tummy. Another possibility is that the kitten was given the wrong dose of dewormer for his/her weight or s/he may have been given an over the counter dewormer rather than the more effective prescription dewormers prescribed by vets. I generally recommend that pet parents choose dewormers and treatments for external parasites that have been prescribed for them by their veterinarian because there are fewer laws requiring the handling and sale of over the counter products. With a prescription dewormer your kitten will be guaranteed to get an appropriate dose of a prescription dewormer that's been handled appropriately and chosen for the specific type of worms s/he has. It's possible that your vet may recommend a dewormer different from those which I have described, if so the kitten's parasite burden, type of parasites, age, weight or overall condition may be the reason for recommending a different medication.