I have two cats with worms. They were both throwing up and we got tapeworm pills from the vet and gave them to them, (which one of them promptly threw up). Their stomachs seem to have settled and I have been giving them DE for almost two weeks, but they are still skinny and hungry all the time! My question is this: Will DE kill worms they already have, or just maintain good health? I have been giving them each 1/2 tsp. twice a day. Is this enough...too much? Thanks, :) tang

-- tang (tang@mtaonline.net), July 30, 2001

Answers

Would DE actually work internally? It's way different in there to outside in dry air. To survive, most worms would be coated in mucous, and that would surely catch the DE and negate the effects you're hoping for. Even if it didn't, tiny cuts would be immediately covered over with the slime.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), July 30, 2001.

Hi tang, The DE will work on internal worms, it would take several days to both kill the worms and then again to show improvement. DE can be used with the medicine, I have always mixed as much as I could get the animal to eat, [I have also eaten it myself, with out any unpleasant effect] With a tape worm, I think it would take more time [to remove the head of the worm], but continued use would prevent reinfestation. Mix some mineral oil in the cats drink, to help sooth the gut, use milk or broth so they will want to drink more, and measure the DE by the heaping tablespoon rather than by the teaspoon.

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), July 30, 2001.

Tapeworms are hard to kill, they encyst themselves and the DE will have absolutely no effect on tapeworms. However, there is an injectable form of droncit that the vet can give for bad infestations, you should go that route if the cats keep vomiting up the meds. I would also worm them with Strongid, a liquid that most cats find somewhat palatable and tolerate well.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), July 30, 2001.

First of all how do you know what kind(s)of worm(s)your cats have? Tape worms are visable in the stool and you may have seen them, others are not visable to the naked eye. Tapeworms are transferred by fleas and you need to practice flea control or deworming will do no good. Secondly, there are many other species of intestinal parasites found in cats and a fecal sample should be put under a microscope to determine what species are present. Different worm meds are needed depending on what worms are present. As mentioned some worm species are encysted and something inert like DE is not going to help. Check with a VET.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), July 30, 2001.

Actually, I don't know what kind of worms they have. Last summer one of the cats was showing the same signs and not keeping the food down and we took him to the vet. The vet treated him for tape worm and he got ok. So...I assumed it was the same thing, but with both cats. We don't have a flea problem here in Alaska, some of our squirrels have them, but dogs and cats are rarely bothered. The vet refuses to treat the cats furhter without a full workup, including xrays on both cats which could run around $400, (and, yes they are worth it) this is why I am trying some home remedies here. I will call the SPCA mobile clinic and see if they can help. Thanks for the input :) tang

-- tang (tang@mtaonline.net), July 31, 2001.

Is it safe to give cats liquid Panacure? I keep forgetting to ask the vet when I see him. All the over the counter cat wormers are not worth anything. I like to worm all the dogs and cats every 30 days.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), August 01, 2001.

A fecal count from your vet is the only way to find out just what kind, if any, parasites a critter has. All my critters ~ fowl, livestock, housepets ~ are fed food grade Diatomaceous Earth....for deworming and better feed conversion. Flies can't breed in the manure. You can't overdose with DE, but if the proper amount isn't fed, it won't work for deworming. Some free feed, some give daily by measurement.

One teaspoon/day is what a cat needs for deworming. Eggs/parasites should be gone in one week. For tape worm (usually seen in segments crawling out of rectum of critter), Dronsit tablets from the vet will get rid of them with one application.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), August 02, 2001.