I know some of you are aware of sumi's extreme reaction to her 3rd worming tablet. My vets use MILBEMAX, a Swiss product, relatively new to the drug market, and I have been looking up some info on this drug. Side effects listed are possible seizures, and the usual vomiting and diarrhea. One tablet recommended per 25kg (52lbs) of animal (dog or cat, not sure if it's a slightly different type or size for dogs), and not to be given to animals under 1lb. There is a 'kitten' tablet for kittens under 2.2lbs. sumi was 2.3lbs when they gave her the adult tablet, as she was (just) within the weight limit. My question is, how can you give the same dose of chemical wormer to a kitten of 2.3lbs as to a cat or dog of 52lbs, and not expect a horrendous reaction in the tiny one's system??
As I watched the vet give baby sum her full adult tablet, I asked was it not very big for her, and she quoted the lower weight limit and said sumi was within that. The rest is history, although we have to acknowledge that she had had two of these nuclear bombs within the previous month, with no significant effects. Needless to say, despite one of the vet's wanting to try her on another one of these awful pills (as she still may have some tapeworm eggs in her, though her last feces test, 2 days ago, was negative. Sometimes the eggs don't show up in a given sample, but it does at least mean that she has very few, if any) I will not be giving my sum-sum this drug again. She is currently on a homeopathic remedy for parasites, as a precaution. These remedies are more gentle, and entirely natural. There is one homeopathic vet in my city. Miso is also currently on a homeopathic remedy for her asthma, as I would like to get her off the inhaler if possible. We have read so many sad threads on this site about kittens who go under and die after their vaccines, usually when they have also been wormed. Sumi had had her 3rd wormer with her first vaccine. I think we need to learn from this. Maybe kitten parents and guardians should ask for all treatments to be done separately - multi treatments are too hard on a tiny system, I think we have seen that this is the case. I would also be in favour of leaving a kitten's first vaccine until s/he is 12 or 14 weeks. Apparently it is more effective at this age, as the mother's antibodies are present until this time (and if the kitten has been infected by a disease the mother has, the vaccine, sadly, will not cure this). There is also a strong case for NOT vaccinating a cat annually. If your kitten has been vaccinated around 12 weeks, the immunity will last for at least 3 years, if not for ever. Sorry about length of post - I feel strongly about this, and hate opening this great website every day to read about yet another baby going under due to over treatment at a very tender age.
Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens
Kittens, vaccines and wormers
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I agree with you fully,I've heard many sad stories lately about tiny,sick kittens getting worm medicine and vaccines,etc. I always have moderated my kittens medicines,making sure their health is up to par before vaccinations and all but I'm a nurse and am wary of things. I mean what's up with this,it's not the pet owner's fault as they trust the expertise of the Vet,it seems like the Vets are just pushing too much medicine too fast.
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Yes, and I thought I trusted my vets too, yet the other day, the same vet (there are several in my practice) who wanted to give sumi another milbemax also mentioned an injection, which he then said had not been approved for cats or dogs yet. I asked him had it been tested, and he said oh yes, it was currently in use. On cattle. My jaw dropped. I found no words. He smiled, and it may have been that he had intended it as a joke....however he then suggested that we hook little sumi up to an IV line, hydrate her to the max (like a little water balloon) and then try another milbemax, having prepared for a likely severe reaction. Again I was rendered silent. Now you can see why I will always make sure the vet who saw sumi through her illness in the most loving and tender way is on when I visit in the future, which I hope will not be often.
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