Kitten Deworming....how young is too young?

[stacybelle]

I've read that you can worm a kitten at 2-3 weeks but when I bought the dewormer, it says never to worm a kitten younger than 6 weeks. I have rescued kittens and they had loads of fleas so I believe they have worms, they are 4 weeks now, what should I do?

[Traci]

I've read that you can worm a kitten at 2-3 weeks but when I bought the dewormer, it says never to worm a kitten younger than 6 weeks. I have rescued kittens and they had loads of fleas so I believe they have worms, they are 4 weeks now, what should I do?

You first need to get these kittens seen and examined by your vet. He can tell you then if the infestation is serious enough that may be causing anemia.

NEVER, ever, use over-the-counter deworming products on any kittens or adult cats, never, the same applies to flea products. They are ineffective and many are toxic. Your vet can properly instruct you on flea control, depending on their age, development status and general health status at this point. He can also properly weigh them and apply the safest, most effective application during the exam and will instruct you on what to use and when in the future. Frontline or Advantage are the products of choice for flea control, but the kittens must be weighed so that the proper product and amount of application is correct for them in particular. As for deworming medication, your vet again, must weigh them and determine their health status before giving them deworming meds.

Until the kittens are at least 8 weeks old, you can use a flea comb. Start by using a dish with warm water and a drop or two of Lemon Joy or Palmolive (sensitive skin formula preferrable).... dip the flea comb in the dish, run through kitten's fur, dip again, repeat until you no longer see fleas. You may have to do this up to three times a day. Make sure the kittens are completely dry during this procedure, you can't risk hypothermia when their fur is wet. You also need to treat the environment, by vacuming regularly, washing your bedding and throroughly vacumming any areas where they are using as their bed, etc.

Get them seen by your vet immediately. Flea induced anemia can be a fatal problem, don't take that risk, get kittens seen promptly.

[Zola]

Definitely do NOT use an over the counter product! I had a cat who had a severe allergic reaction to one and almost died from it.

Then, what Traci said.