Roundworms are intestinal parasites that feed off the infected host which can often cause malnutrition, illness and disease. These parasites also can be transferred and live in a human host so it is important you take care of your pet, so you can prevent yourself or others from getting roundworms also.
The best treatment for anything is prevention. Although, you cannot prevent roundworms from infecting your pet with 100% certainty, there are factors that you can isolate to greatly decrease the risk of infection. The most common sources of infection are: ingesting contaminated food, contact with fecal matter, and regular worming treatments.
Cats are natural predators and often kill and eat mice and other small animals. These animals could be infected with roundworms. It is therefore beneficial to discourage your cat from hunting and eating its prey. Keeping a clean litter box also reduces the risk of contamination because contact with fecal matter is also another high risk factor in your pet getting roundworms.
Regular worming treatments help to prevent your cat from getting roundworms. However, if your cat already has roundworms you need to make an appointment with your vet so that they can prescribe medication. One such medication they may prescribe is Revolution.
Revolution is a topical medication for the treatment of roundworms and other parasites such as fleas, ticks, heartworms, and ear mites. The treatment is applied once a month to the cat’s skin. The medication is then absorbed into the bloodstream. This then affects the roundworms nervous system in effect paralyzing them. The worms are then excreted out with the cat’s bowel movements.
As with any treatment of roundworms it is vital you keep an eye on your cat during treatment. This medication has been linked to some adverse effects such as temporary irritation and hair loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. The dosage given is based on weight. It is not recommended that ill, underweight, or cats younger than 8 weeks receive this treatment.