My kitten has parasites & bites. Is he in pain? Are they contagious?

It's possible there could be a parasite affecting both of them that started with the kitten, or something they got in to. I recommend they both be seen by your veterinarian. Bring a fecal sample with you to be checked for parasites.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kittens may have diarrhea and low energy due to a number of conditions including intestinal parasites, viral infections, or a change in diet. I recommend having both kittens examined by a vet as soon as possible, as it is likely that the condition is contagious. To speed up the diagnosis, I recommend bringing a stool sample from the sick kitten in a disposable container for your vet to check for parasites. It is important to have the sick kitten evaluated as kittens can quickly become dehydrated and have low blood sugar, making them feel even worse. While it is unlikely that your son got sick from one of the kittens, it is possible. I recommend that you have him seen by a physician if you are concerned.

Congratulations on your new kitten and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm glad to hear that he is doing well at home. The enlarged belly can be due to parasites (or worms), which are not uncommon in kittens. He should definitely be evaluated by a veterinarian within the next few days, and it would be very helpful to bring a sample of feces with you in a ziploc bag or disposable container (it shouldn't matter if there is litter in the feces). This will help the vet determine if your kitten has parasites, and if so, which ones they are and the best medication to use to treat them. Unfortunately, some parasites are actually transmitted by fleas, so those will definitely need to be treated as well. While the enlarged belly is likely due to intestinal parasites, it is important to make sure that your kitten does not have a viral or bacterial infection or has ingested a foreign body. These scenarios are unlikely as long as he is active and eating well. The vet will also have recommendations on how to treat the fleas, do a general exam, and make sure that everything else is normal! Good luck with your new kitty!

Hello. It is a little tough to tell exactly what is going on, so if you have a chance to let your vet take a look, that would be best. Are you having problems with fleas? That might be one reason he is so scratched up. Bathing in Dawn will help to control the fleas until he is old enough for a flea preventative. If not, then I would pick up a skin cleanser like Hibiclens at any pharmacy, dilute it about 50:50 with water & clean the irritated areas twice daily. Hopefully, this will clear up quickly. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear that everyone has been so sick! The one parasite that can transfer between species that produces symptoms you describe is something called giardia. You may consider asking your physician to test you for it. Other possibilities include salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and campylobacter. When testing my patients for these more rare diseases I use a test through idexx called a GI fast panel PCR. You may Consider asking your veterinarian to run this test. Using proper hygiene when handling pets is important as well as making sure they are not eating any forms of raw diet that can transmit disease. Best of luck and I hope you improve soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

If your kitten is active, playful, and eating and drinking, then I'm not too worried. Your kitten may have overeaten and his GI tract might be working hard on digestion, or there could be intestinal parasites or gas causing the GI sounds. If he is otherwise happy and active, I'd just monitor for now and mention it at his next kitten visit, and bring in a fresh fecal sample for your vet to check for parasites. However, if he's lethargic, vomiting, or not eating, then this should be checked immediately. Hope this helps!

Hello, sorry to hear about Chatran. Often frank blood arises from the colon or large intestine, as bleeding from the small intestine more commonly results in dark, tarry stools (melena). Its likely that the small amount of blood you are noting is coming from persistent colon irritation which can be seen with parasitic infections. It would be ideal to have his stool re-tested for parasties to ensure the albon has treated this infection completely. Some pets, despite being treated may continue to be infected or have re-infections that require longer treatments. Have your veterinarian test another fecal sample. Hope this helps and best of luck.