Keeping Your Kitten Free of Parasites

By CS Swarens

If you have recently added a cute little kitten to your household, you certainly want to make sure it leads a healthy and happy life. As such, there are several things you should watch out for in order to make certain your kitten doesn't become ill. Namely, there are several different parasites that can make your kitten ill. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent the parasites from causing harm to your kitten.

Ticks

Ticks can attach themselves to your kitten and cause infection while sucking away its blood. There are several oral and topical medications, however, that you can use to help prevent tick infestations. If you do find a tick on your kitten, however, you can remove it with a special tick removal instrument or tweezers. Just be certain to remove the tick carefully so you remove its entire body and head. In addition, you should either burn the tick, rip it in half, or dump it in a bottle of alcohol in order to make certain it is dead.

Fleas

It is important to take steps to prevent fleas rather than trying to get rid of them once they have established themselves on your pet and in your home. In fact, once they have infested your home, you may need to call in a professional to get rid of them. By using oral and topical medications, however, you can minimize fleas and prevent them from becoming a problem. When selecting flea medication, be certain to select a product that is safe for a kitten.

Heartworms

Heartworm can be transmitted to your kitten through mosquitoes, which means your kitten is at a greater risk of becoming infected during the warmer months. By giving your kitten preventative medication each year, however, you can reduce its chances of becoming infected.

Intestinal Parasites

There are a number of different intestinal parasites that can infect your kitten. These include:

• Coccidia
• Giardia
• Hookworms
• Roundworms

It is generally necessary to deworm kittens, as many are born with roundworms. After the initial deworming, it may be necessary to deworm the kitten on a regular basis. By treating your kitten early, you can reduce the chances of your kitten becoming seriously ill.

Prevention Through Vaccinations and Nutrition

In addition to using oral and topical medications to prevent parasites, it is also a good idea to get your kitten vaccinated. There are several vaccinations available to help prevent parasites as well as other illnesses that commonly affect kittens, including feline leukemia, gastrointestinal viruses, rabies and respiratory infections. These vaccinations generally need to be started when the kitten is six to eight weeks old and then given every three to four weeks until the kitten is sixteen years old.

Proper nutrition can also help to prevent illness and is particularly important for kittens. If your kitten does not receive the proper nutrition, it may not grow properly and can experience nutritional illnesses and developmental problems - all of which can be prevented with proper diet.

CS Swarens is the president of Find a Pet Online. 800 998-7065 For additional information on dogs, cats, birds, horses, and exotic pets visit the internet's pet resource including pet classifieds at http://www.findapetonline.com Research over 45 cat breeds at http://www.findapetonline.com/cat_breeds_a_z.html