Cambodia – Roundworms – Cats – Kittens – Humans

Kittens are very prone to roundworms (Toxocara cati). It's the most common worm in kittens and adult cats. Roundworms in kittens are in many cases live threatening because they absorb nutrients from what the animal eats, interfere with digestion and can damage the lining of the intestine.


Cat's vomit with roundworms



Toxocara cati is transmitted by: a) Eggs, through ingestion b) Larvae, through mother's milk c) Larvae, by ingestion of transport or intermediate host, e.g. mice

T. cati poses a significant health hazard to people. If a human ingests Toxocara eggs, the subsequent larvae can migrate through the person’s tissues. The larvae most commonly migrate through the liver, lungs, and brain. They can cause severe inflammation and actual mechanical damage to the organs.
Therefore you have to treat your cat/kittens regularly against roundworms. In Cambodia treatment of kittens is difficult, because proper medication (imidacloprid/moxidectin, pyrantel pamoate/praziquantel or emodepside/praziquantel) is usually not available.
Albendazole is available everywhere and it also helps, BUT you'll get problems with the dosage. You would need 10 mg per kg cat. If the kitten weighs 500 grams you would need 5 mg. Problem is that Albendazole comes in 200 mg tablets, and it's almost impossible to cut about 5 mg off and to make sure that the kitten swallowed it. Albendazole is not soluble in water which is an additional problem. As a result you will overdose.

Acute Toxicity and Tolerance of Albendazole

Lethal dose in rats (cats unknown): 1500 mg per kilogram
A maximum of 25 mg/kg in cats is somehow tolerated, but it can cause reversible pancytopenia (reduction in the number of red and white blood cells, as well as platelets), and in some cases lethargy and depression.
Important: You have to repeat the worming 2-4 weeks after the first treatment. Do not forget to treat the mother, too – the larvae are in the milk !!!


P.S.: If you are able to find the following medications somewhere in Cambodia, please post it here (name & location): Imidacloprid/moxidectin, pyrantel pamoate/praziquantel or emodepside/praziquantel

We have a lot of cats and kittens around our place, therefore I suppose infection with round worms is a possibility. So out of interest, what worming medication should a human take to get rid of them?

I have a cat and dog. Does it happen to dog too?

My cat will bite me if I force him. Is it good if I put it in his food?

I'm worried because my nieces and nephew like to play with the pets.

prahkeitouj wrote:My cat will bite me if I force him. Is it good if I put it in his food?

Perhaps you could take him to PPAWS and ask them to show you how to give him a tablet safely. It can be done.

Username Taken wrote:Albendazole. Available at all / most pharmacies.

Cheers mate.