Tapeworms meds ok for FIV young male? Drontal/prazaquantel

[Blessing]

Hi.
I let him in the closed garage and he got briefly a chipmonk last week. Now he vomitted up flat small worms last night.. I have a vet appointment tomorrow. I am really avoiding giving him any meds. I haven't had any vacinations for him. He has not even been nuetered. I basically mean to keep him in unless I get him a harness. But I have to do something now, he has worms.

I dewormed a Bengal before and she seemed okay. But she was not FIV. Though she did have a delicate system.

Has anyone had experience with this? Do you think he will be okay? I hate putting meds through his liver /system. I found him in a parking lot, starving, about 4 months ago and he has been so healthy and active. I am kicking myself for letting him in the garage, but I thought it was mainly still indoors. I wont anymore but now I have to treat this. He's been vomitting little bits.

Also, does anyone grow fresh grass for their cat, and do you think that would be good in general for them? When he was out with me briefly once he seemed to crave the grass.

Thank you ANYONE who answers. I am alone a lot and have no one to talk to about all of this.
And I am a worrying kind of person!

Lori

[bobbys girl]

Hello Lori,

I think I would wait until you had seen the vet before you give him anything. The vet should be able to advise you and perhaps dose him for you.

I would get him neutered and vaccinated. FIV or not he needs the same treatment as any other cat. If he is otherwise healthy he should be fine with the vaccinations.

You can buy 'Cat Grass' seeds and grow them in a tray or pot. It is actually a type of wheat. Cats often eat broad-leaved grass if they have tummy upsets. Which might explain your cat was interested in the grass.

Hope you get him sorted. Good luck and well done for rescuing your boy.

[Kay]

I don't think cats vomit up tapeworms - they tend to show their presence by small flat rice grain type segments coming out of the other end

these are more likely to be round worms, which although unpleasant are not dangerous to a healthy adult cat

my cats love to eat grass, and then bring it up again - they actually prefer the coarse grass called couch here, to the softer oat or wheat seed grass sold for cats

[Blessing]

Okay. Thanks both of you.
I'm taking him to the vets tomorrow, I wasn't going to give him medicine without seeing them, I just knew that when they know he has worms they will give him the tablets.

I will try growing the grass, thanks. Yes, that's probably why he wanted it so badly. It must feel awful having those things inside. Yuck.

I had read that FIV cats shouldn't get vacinated because they have such weak immune systems. Is it healthier for the cat to neuter them? I don't intend to let him out, I mean I know about keeping the population down. I'm just trying hard not to upset his system/balance.

Thanks so much for the response, I'll see how it goes tomorrow at the vets. Yes, he climbed up my shirt and hung on to my neck and told me he was in trouble when I found him. He slept on my heart/neck all that night. He's so sweet. I was so upset to find he had FIV but then found they can do very well with care.

Thanks for the help, Lori <3

[booktigger]

Even as an indoor only cat he needs to be neutered to eliminate the risk of prostate and testicular cancers. It will also help him mentally, and stop his wee smelling - in fact I don't know how people cope with the smell. I'm surprised this wasn't explained when he was tested for FIV.

[MarkB]

As far as I am aware, worming is fine for cats with FIV and other issues. I don't think it enters into the bloodstream. Worms and other parasites are far more harmful to a compromised immune system than worming treatment. Having said that, I don't think a day will make much difference for a vet to confirm.