Many parasites can infect your dog or cat but the most common infestation your best pet friend can get are worms. As pet owners we are often not aware that our cats and dogs are infected with worm parasites, and they can also be the cause of serious illnesses in humans. That is why the effective treatment and ongoing control of these parasites by using a good dog wormer or cat wormer is so important.
If you love your family dog or cat as much as I do but are also often short of money then you probably think that your vet is just trying to sell you worm tablets for dogs that you don’t need, every time you take your pet for a regular check-up. But nothing could be further from the truth because every pet needs to be given a regular good worming medication. It doesn’t matter if you are worming puppies or looking for cat worming tablets, this could be a monthly treatment or four times a year, depending on which product you choose.
In this article we will tell you about the different types of worm parasites and why they can be dangerous to the health of humans and animals. We will also explain how different types of worms can infect you or your pet and how you can prevent worm infestations and find good worm tablets for cats, for example. Then we will evaluate Milbemax deworming tablets for dogs and cats, a well-known worm medication, to see if it has all the qualities that are required to keep your pet healthy and happy. Our in depth research on this product will highlight the good and the bad, so if you want to hear our verdict then read on…..
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Contents
- 1 Types of worms found in dogs and cats
- 2 Can cat and dog worms cause disease in humans?
- 3 How do people get infected with pet parasites?
- 4 How does my cat or dog get infected?
- 5
- 6 Deworming medication for dogs – how often should you treat your pet?
- 6.1 some trusted and
- 6.2 Milbemax – is it the right worm treatment for my pet?
- 6.3 How does Milbemax work?
- 6.4 Milbemax for cats
- 6.5 Is Milbemax safe for my cat?
- 6.6 Milbemax dosages for cats
- 6.7
- 6.8 ==>> CLICK HERE TO ORDER MILBEMAX NOW <<==
- 6.9 Milbemax for dogs
- 6.10 Is Milbemax wormer safe for my dog?
- 6.11 Milbemax dosage for dogs
- 7 Further protection for your pets and family
- 8 Our Verdict
Types of worms found in dogs and cats
There are many types of worms that can cause disease in our pets and often you might be totally unaware that your favourite dog or cat is suffering from a worm infestation. Worms are classed as parasites which means they infect and live inside animals and humans which act as their hosts. They feed off their hosts while they multiply and as their population numbers increase, your pet will start showing signs of disease.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms belong to a group of parasites known as Cestodes and pets get infected by swallowing the eggs which then hatch and develop into adult worms in their intestines. These worms feed by absorbing nutrients via their skin from the intestines of their host. They do not make your animal look sick unless their numbers increase significantly so that your pet is deprived of all the nutrients it needs to be healthy. To prevent this from happening it is essential for you to use a good tapeworm treatment for dogs and cats.
Hookworms
Hookworms are classified as Nematodes that also live inside the gut of your dog or cat. They attach themselves with tiny “teeth” to the inside lining of your pet’s intestinal wall. Once attached, they feed on their hosts by sucking blood from the intestinal wall. When large numbers of hookworms live inside a host they can cause serious illness due to a lack of red blood cells, also known as anaemia. This can make your pet very weak and breathless, and in extreme cases it can even result in death.
Roundworms
Another group of Nematodes are called roundworms. They also live inside the gut of your pet and when present in large numbers they can cause severe malnutrition. They can often be found in neglected puppies and kittens and that’s why it is so important to start puppy worming tablets form an early age. The typical signs to look out for are young animals that are skinny but have round, fat bellies and poor skin condition with hair loss.
Whipworms
These parasites are also commonly found in the gut of dogs only (not cats) where they live and multiply. Pets that are badly infected with these worms suffer form signs of malnutrition and will often have diarrhoea, frequent stools with straining, and the stools will contain blood and mucus.
Heartworm
This class of worm parasite deserves a special mention here because this is not an intestinal worm. Heartworms or dog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) are small, threadlike roundworms that are commonly found in dogs but cats can also be infected. The most common hosts are dogs but this parasite can spread through the bites of mosquitos to other animals as well, like cats, foxes, jackals, coyotes, wolves, ferrets and sometimes even humans.
These tiny worms can live and multiply in the heart chambers of your dog as well as other large blood vessels like the lung arteries (also known as the pulmonary arterial system). There they can damage the tissues and walls of the heart and the lung blood vessels which can cause serious illness in your pet and even result in death. Symptoms of this disease will be a dog that becomes weak and breathless as the result of a heart condition called congestive cardiac failure.
Prevention is better than cure with these worms so if you live in an area where heartworm infestations commonly occur then it is essential to use the best dog dewormer that also protects against heartworm (Milbemax dog wormer is a good example here). Your dog should be protected by giving a regular monthly heartworm medication from a very early age.
Can cat and dog worms cause disease in humans?
The answer to this question is definitely ‘YES’ because people can develop serious health problems when infected with these worms, although human infestations do not happen as often as in animals. But when they do, the end results can be just as serious. Children are especially vulnerable to swallowing the eggs of these parasitic worms which then develop inside their human host and can cause all kinds of diseases.
Children can swallow the eggs of roundworms which then lead to a disease known as visceral larva migrans, affecting the lungs, liver and other organs. Sometimes the larvae of roundworms can infect the human eye, causing an illness known as ocular larva migrans which can end in blindness for the human host. Hookworm larvae can be present in soil contaminated by animal faeces and can enter their human hosts through the skin when they walk barefoot in the garden. The resulting skin infection can look like red, spidery lines that itch like crazy and is called cutaneous larva migrans.
Hydatid disease is another human illness caused by tapeworms. Hydatid tapeworm eggs can be present in dog faeces and people that accidentally swallow these worm eggs can develop cysts of varying sizes (filled with fluid) in some organs like the liver and lungs. There is another type of dog tapeworm that causes the development of human brain cysts which cause serious illness. Heartworm can also be transmitted form dogs to humans but does not cause serious disease although sometimes lung X-rays in infected people will show ‘spots’.
How do people get infected with pet parasites?
- parasite eggs can be accidentally swallowed by humans that have contact with pets.
- these worm eggs are present in the faeces of dogs and cats unless they are treated with dog worming tablets like Milbemax
- when you handle your dog through patting, touching, kissing or cuddling these eggs can be transferred
- when your dog licks you and you touch your face or mouth, parasite eggs can be transferred which you then swallow while eating
- worm eggs are also present in soil and parasite larvae can be found on plants
- a cat parasite known as Toxoplasma can infect humans from badly cooked or raw meat, so kitchen hygiene is important
- worm eggs can also be found in cat faeces which can contaminate sand pits, soil in the garden or vegetable patches
- humans walking barefoot outdoors can get infected by soil that contains dog faeces
- parasite eggs are able to survive for years outside their hosts and can be spread by flies and by the wind as well
How does my cat or dog get infected?
There are many ways your pet can get a worm infestation because these parasites rapidly and easily spread from host to host in the following ways:
- before kittens and puppies are born some parasites can spread by crossing through the placenta
- when your kitten or puppy suckles they can be infected by parasites passed on through the mother’s milk
- animal faeces can contaminate the environment our pets move around in and parasite eggs are then passed on between dogs and cats
- eggs can also be spread far and wide from contaminated environments by birds, reptiles, insects and even amphibians
- meat and especially offal (organs) from livestock like sheep can be a source of infection to pets and humans when raw or undercooked
- most young puppies and kittens are infected with parasites already when we bring them home so regular worm treatment should be given from a young age and repeated often
- our adult cats and dogs are always at risk of getting infected from the environment and other animals, and need regular and ongoing wormers given to them throughout their lives
- homes with children are more at risk and also pets that roam freely outdoors, and have regular contact with other cats and dogs
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Deworming medication for dogs – how often should you treat your pet?
- a small puppy or kitten needs worm medication from birth twice a month until they are 3 months old
some trusted and
well-known wormer brands like Milbemax chewable dog worming tablets or Interceptor, however, only need to be given monthly to puppies and kittens
your puppy needs a wormer every month for the first year and kittens until they are 6 months old
- adult dogs older than 1 year and cats over 6 months should be treated every three months for the duration of their lives
- heartworm treatment for dogs is essential (depending on which country or area you live in) starting from the age of 3 months
- dogs in homes with children should be dewormed every month to prevent passing on any parasites to your kids
Milbemax – is it the right worm treatment for my pet?
Milbemax is a broad spectrum tablet that treats many worm parasites, so it is a very effective intestinal wormer. It has been used for many years to treat and prevent worm infestations in dogs and cats and to prevent and treat heartworm infestation in dogs.
How does Milbemax work?
The active ingredients in Milbemax are Milbemycin oxime and Praziquantel . Milbemycin oxime disrupts the nerve transmission in many species of invertebrates and this helps to protect our pets against roundworm, heartworm and hookworm. The second ingredient is Praziquantel which causes muscle spasm in all tapeworm species resulting in their destruction after being attacked by enzymes.
Milbemax for cats
- an oral worming tablet for cats weighing over 2 kg and given every 3 months
- comes in convenient dosage forms for large cats and small cats
Milbemax for small cats need to be given to young kittens at the ages of 6, 8 and 12 weeks and then once every three months
- nursing cats should also be treated together with their kittens
- treats cats against internal parasites: tapeworm, hookworm and roundworm
- also protects cats against heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) if given once-a-month
- protects your cat against hookworm (Ancylostoma tubaeforme), roundworm (Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina) and tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia spp)
Is Milbemax safe for my cat?
- Milbemax cat has been used worldwide for many years and is very safe when it is used as directed (in the label directions)
- this product should not be given to cats or kittens that weigh less than 0.5kg or kittens younger than 6 weeks
- use of Milbemycin oxime in pregnancy and breeding cats is safe and Praziquantel was shown to be safe in all reproductive phases
- when used for heartworm treatment in cats, they should be tested for an existing infection with heartworm before treatment is started
Milbemax dosages for cats
Milbemax for small cats and kittens:
- Kittens and small cats: 0.5kg to 1kg : ½ tablet as a single dose
- Kittens and small cats: 1kg to 2kg : 1 tablet as a single dose
Milbemax for large cats:
Cats : 2kg to 4kg : ½ tablet as a single dose
- Cats : 4kg to 8kg :1 tablet as a single dose
- Cats : over 8kg : give a combination of Milbemax cat wormer tablets calculated according to the weight of your cat (minimum dose : 2mg milbemycin oxime & 5mg praziquantel for each kilogram bodyweight)
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Milbemax for dogs
- Milbemax dog is given as an oral tablet or beef flavoured chewable tablet
- start treating puppies at 2 weeks old and repeat treatment at 4, 8 and 12 weeks old
- after 12 weeks you should treat once every 3 months or 4 times a year
- if heartworm protection is required then treat once-a-month
- treats your dog for all worm parasites including all species of tapeworm, hookworm, whipworm and roundworm
- gives protection to your dog against infestation with tapeworm (Echinococcus granulosus, Dipylidum
caninum, Taenia spp), hookworm (Ancylostoma braziliense, Ancylostoma caninum), roundworm (Toxascaris leonina , Toxocara canis) and whipworm (Trichuris vulpis)
- now also being used to protect dogs against- and treat lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) which dogs can get from eating frogs, slugs and snails that carry the infected larvae
Is Milbemax wormer safe for my dog?
- this product has a good safety profile having being used around the globe for many years but must be used according to the label directions
- Milbemycin oxime has been tested for safety in 75 different breeds of dogs
- Milbemax puppy is safe for use in puppies 2 weeks or older, male dogs used for breeding and lactating or pregnant female dogs
safety has also been tested in collie breeds that are sensitive to ivermectin (another worm treatment ingredient)
- the second ingredient, Praziquantel, also has a good safety profile in pregnant & lactating females and breeding male dogs
- heartworm treatment for adult male dogs should preferably not be started before first testing for an existing heartworm infection
Milbemax dosage for dogs
Milbemax for puppies and small dogs weighing over 0.5kg and more than 2 weeks old:
- Puppies and Small Dogs : 0.5kg to 1kg : give ½ tablet as a single dose
- Puppies and Small Dogs : 1kg to 5kg : give 1 tablet as a single dose
Milbemax tablets for dogs weighing over 5kg:
- Dogs : 5kg to 25kg : give 1 tablet as a single dose
- Dogs : 25kg to 50kg : give 2 tablets as a single dose
- Dogs : weighing more than 50kg : give a combination of tablets should be given (a minimum dose of 0.5mg milbemycin oxime and 5mg of praziquantel is recommended per kg of body weight)
Further protection for your pets and family
Good hygiene at all times is essential:
- pick up and get rid of all dog faeces in your yard every 2 days minimum
- always wash your hands after playing with or touching your dogs
- eating while playing with your pets is a bad idea
- avoid being licked by your dogs, especially on your face or if you have sores, cuts, grazes and scratches on your skin
- avoid kissing your cat or dog (if possible)
Clean your cat litter tray daily and disinfect once a week if possible or wash with very hot water
Feeding raw offal (body organs) or raw meat to your cat or dog is a bad idea (could be contaminated with parasites)
Feed your pets with pet food that has been sterilized (pellets) or cooked (canned food)
Don’t allow your pets to wander or roam around the neighbourhood where they could eat contaminated waste products and food
Our Verdict
As you can see from the above research, if you are a responsible pet owner and love your cat or dog as much as I do, then you need to be serious about protecting your best furry friend against parasitic worm infestations. We will discuss the other well-known products and wormers that are available in another article, but in this article we have focused on giving you all the information you need about one of the best oral worm treatments out there.
==>> GO HERE TO ORDER YOUR MILBEMAX <<==
Milbemax Elanco has been around for a long time, so it has stood the test of time and has been recommended by vets around the globe for many years. Milbemax worming tablets are safe and trusted and this pet worm medication can be purchased online with- our without a veterinary script, depending on which country you live in. You can also read our German Milbemax review here.
We hope you enjoyed our Milbemax review article and that it has been informative and educational. Please browse the rest of our website as well and many thanks for stopping by!