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I wish they'd checked when Edward was taken to the mobile vet, because I noticed yesterday there was a little white worm coming out of his bottom. I called the vet and we're playing phone tag right now, but their message indicated that I would need to get a prescription, from them, and that it sounded like tape worms.
I have some questions about this I can post, in case it will helpful to others, as well:
1. Are tapeworms going to possibly get into other cats that might use his same litter box?
2. Can I be infected?
3. It is normal to have to take the cat in, or just a stool sample, or both (he just was taken to the vet, and got his FL test, all his shots and his rabies tag).
This can be treated over the counter with a deworming tag. -all you have to do is make sure you're treating for the right worm. They have the clinical antibiotics for it, as well as a more holistic "home remedy" application, so whatever best fits your preferences.
The ones I got (that cleared it up no prob) was 1 teeny white tab (it was a small white bottle with a blue label, had a little white kitten on the front of it) and the instructions were for 1 tab weekly. And that it usually only took a week for it to pass (1 tab) but there were extra tabs just incase a reapplication was needed.
Also, it wasn't a worm that you caught on Edward, as gross as this sounds, it was a part of the worms muscle that holds egg sacs, that had broken off (they're supposed to). When they dry up they look like little brown shriveled pieces of rice.
If I were you, I would get an over-the-counter dewormer, and once you start him on it, change his litter box, wash your pillowcases, and just take extra precaution for wherever he might have been sleeping. - it's not contagious to you in the sense that it is to cats, but it can be harmful to you, if you somehow ingest what is coming out of your cats butt.
If you have multiple cats that use the same litterbox, I would give them one of the tabs (treat them) as well. Technically speaking, anything that the egg sacs come in contact with that a human or animal can ingest, are at risk, and with the way kitties clean themselves after using the box, they might on accident and not even know it.
It's not the end of the world, all cats get them, It's also something you can fix by yourself without going to the vet - so unless you love your vet and have the money to spend freely, I would just zoom over to your nearest Petsmart or Petco and have at it.
i recommend using the dewormer from the vet's office..... i tried deworming 2 dogs a couple of years ago using dewormer bought at a farm supply store..... didn't work..... got the dewormer from the vet ..... for what turned out to be pretty close to the same price ...... and it worked very well........ didn't even have to take the dogs in .... just described what was going on......
If it's a tapeworm, then it won't spread to your other kitties through direct contact. In order to infect another cat it first has to be ingested by a flea, and then the flea ingested by the cat. You aren't at risk unless you eat the tapworm proglotid (which is what Maryland kitten described). We hardly ever see tapeworms on fecals because of the way they are expelled, in those little segments you saw. The good new is that they rarely cause the host any problems. You want to get rid of them, of course but it's not an emergency. Be careful if you decide to get over-the-counter medicine. Many if not most dewormers don't take care of tapeworms, so read the label carefully. The not so good news is you'll need to treat your pets and household for fleas if you haven't already. All this is assuming that it was actually a tapeworm proglotid you saw and not something else.
That's good! It could have been a flea he ate a long time ago. Tapes don't usually cause much trouble, so he could have had one for a while (try not to think about that ). I'd still keep an eye out for them, but maybe you're lucky and don't have a flea problem on your hands!
You can order Droncit for tapeworms from veterinary supply catalogs. You can also order it from eBay. I order my Advantage from eBay, it's much less than buying it from the vet.
Yes, people can get tape worms also. Usually children, b/c theyy put their hands in their mouths. It take a long time of washing bedding daily w/bleach (can't remember, 2 wks, a month?), washing all clothing w/bleach, washing the floors and walls w/bleach, etc.
You can order Droncit for tapeworms from veterinary supply catalogs. You can also order it from eBay. I order my Advantage from eBay, it's much less than buying it from the vet.
I ordered the Droncit (thank you). I don't know about giving him the pills. I gave pills to my previous cat, but she was a girl, grew up with me as a kitten, and I could hold her in any fashion and she wouldn't complain.
Edward is a very large boy; he has never shown me an instant of bad temper, or scratched me, or was anything but complaint and gentle. But he's at least two and he was a stray not too long ago. It's not the same sort of physical relationship; trust will grow over time, but his fangs are very large.
If you have any tips, I'd appreciate it. I remember dropping the pill in, and then rubbing the neck to get it down. Step #1 may be the difficulty. Can I grind it and put it in his canned cat food?
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). I'd still keep an eye out for them, but maybe you're lucky and don't have a flea problem on your hands!
