Deworming practices against gastrointestinal helminths in cats in veterinary centres of the district of La Molina (Lima, Peru)

The aim of this study was to characterize the deworming practices used against gastrointestinal helminths in cats treated at veterinary clinics in the La Molina district (Lima, Peru). Surveys were conducted to veterinarians representing 47 veterinary clinics registered with the local municipality. The survey addressed the first deworming treatment, its frequency, the criteria considered before deworming, and the active ingredients of the most commonly used medications. The most recommended age to begin deworming was 3 weeks, with a frequency of every 15 days until 2 months of age, and every 3 months for adults. Moreover, 91.5% of the veterinarians considered the observed clinical signs, 85.1% considered their professional experience, and 51.1% considered the biology of the parasite as the main criteria for deworming cats. Furthermore, 44.7% did not perform a faecal parasite examination prior to deworming, while 34% only performed it occasionally; and 78.7% of veterinarians follow the dosage recommended in the drug’s package insert. Regarding the active ingredients, the combination of pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel was the most frequently used as a first-line treatment (42.6%), followed by selamectin (25.5%). In conclusion, variations were observed in deworming practices in cats, notably the late initiation of deworming and the lack of prior faecal parasite examinations, which could affect its effectiveness.