Thankfully, dog dewormers are not inherently toxic to cats. However, the potential issue is whether a cat has eaten too much of the dewormer since dogs can be much larger than cats. Here’s everything you need to know to determine if your cat is in danger after eating dog dewormer.
Click below to jump ahead:
What to Do if a Cat Eats Dog Dewormer
Try to assess the situation. Can you tell exactly which dewormer your cat ate and how much they ate? Can you note when it was eaten? Write this information down and collect any deworming packaging if you have it. Be sure to remove all dewormers from the area so your cat can’t get into it anymore.
Now you want to contact the Pet Poison Helpline. For a fee, this 24-hour, 365 days a year service has specialists ready to check the risk to your cat from ingesting whichever dewormer they ingested. They will let you know if your cat needs to see a veterinarian immediately, soon, or only if signs of illness develop.
- Increased respiratory rate
- Incoordination
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Drooling
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
Supportive Care for a Cat That Eats Dog Dewormer
If the Pet Poison Helpline advises that your cat ate more dewormer than a normal dose for cats but doesn’t need to see a veterinarian, they will advise you to watch them at home for signs of illness like those above. Over the next day or so, you’ll want to check in with your cat frequently, including their litter box, watching for any changes. Encourage eating as usual and increased drinking, if possible, to support hydration.
For cats that experience any diarrhea, which would be the most likely sign you’ll see, you can provide a bland diet instead of their normal cat food to help them recover. A bland diet is made of boiled boneless, skinless, non-seasoned chicken breast—shredded, mixed half and half with cooked white rice. Feed the same volume of food you normally would but made from the chicken and rice mixture. You can also mix one teaspoon of 100% pumpkin puree into each meal as a source of fiber.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can eating dog dewormer kill my cat?
This would be incredibly rare. Dog dewormers are well tolerated in cats, and a cat would have to eat a very significant amount of dewormer for this to happen, but it is possible.
Do dog dewormers taste good to cats?
In most cases, no, but pyrantel can come flavored, and some cats, especially kittens, may like licking this. In small amounts, that’s not a problem, but if they happen to knock over a whole bottle and ingest a significant amount of it, they may become ill.
Conclusion
Most dog dewormers are safe for cats at appropriate doses. If they do happen to eat too much, it can make them sick, and in the worst cases, that can be fatal. The Pet Poison Helpline should be contacted immediately if your cat is suspected of having ingested dog dewormer so they can best advise the next steps. While the most common side effects of dewormer ingestion in cats would be vomiting, diarrhea, and hypersalivation, more serious side effects can occur.
Featured Image Credit: gabriel claudiu puscau, Shutterstock
