Trans-mammary or milk-borne infection is the major route of roundworm transmission in kittens. The immature roundworms called larvae are present in the mother's mammary glands. The larvae pass to her kittens in her milk during nursing.
How does a kitten get roundworm?
Cats can get roundworms by eating wild animals as well as from feces or a contaminated environment. Most cats are infected with roundworms at some point in their life. They often show no symptoms. If your cat suffers weight loss, dull hair, and a potbellied appearance, it may have a major roundworm infection.
What do I do if my kitten has roundworms?
Cats infected with roundworms are typically given a deworming medication by mouth. “This will immediately start killing the worms, and you may see dead worms in the cat's poop or vomit,” Nichols says.
How long does it take to get rid of roundworms in kittens?
Most medications are able to kill adult worms within 24 hours of intake. In some special cases, it takes a second dose between 3 and 4 weeks later to kill the rest, which was larvae at the time of treatment.
How contagious is roundworm in cats?
Roundworm eggs are passed in the poop of infected cats and other wildlife and can lay dormant in soil, sand pits and litter boxes. These eggs can then spread to other cats if ingested while sniffing around in infected soil, plants or stool.
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