Just My Luck!!!

I just discovered a few minutes ago that Squirt has a tapeworm!!! (Yuk!) I swear, he was fine when I had him at the vet on Monday!!! Of course, the vet is closed on a Saturday. I know it's not life-threatening or anything like that, but here's my question:

Does anybody have any experience with the vet that they have in PetSmart stores? Will they shoot me the pill and some Advantage for the poor guy, or am I better off to wait until Monday?

Deb,

I'd wait till Monday. I don't know much about the vets at Petsmart. Your cat needs de-worming medicine and I'm not sure I've ever seen a vet at petsmart with anything other than revolution and vaccinations.

I don't think revolution or any other tick/flea stuff works on worms. He needs Albon. Another 2 days isn't going to make much of a difference. You might want to call petsmart though and ask. If they do have the medicine then by all means, go there.

I would however, keep your cat isolated from the others as tapeworms are contagious (through larvae, stools, vomit, etc.)

EEEEEEWWWWW!!

Donna:
Joey had one last summer, and the vet told me that Squirt couldn't catch it. He said Joey probably got it from a bite from an infected flea.

I called PetSmart. What pains! First, they wanted me to bring him in. Then they talked about doing a fecal exam (Squirt's LEAST favorite thing in the entire world!!!). I harnessed him up to bring him in, but he got soooo very upset that I decided to forget it and wait until Monday. My vet diagnosed over the phone last time, and all I did was go in to pick up a pill.

Well, petsmart is not the best place for these things. As far as the tapeworm goes, it is only contracted by ingesting fleas..not bites. It cant be passed through anything else. If one flea had the larvea the possibility of the rest of the flea population is good. So if your other cats happen to eat a flea they will get it. The only way to get rid of tapeworm is Droncit or a few other forms of it. It is either administered through an injection or pill form. Unfortunaly you cant buy tapeworm medication over the counter, it is by prescription only. I would just make sure all the other cats are protected with Advantage and call the vet on Monday. If the vet is flexable, he may give you enough for all the cats just incase. Those things are nasty arent they!!

hopefully it was a stray flea that found its way in from the neighbor's dog. I'm on the 2nd floor. Don't usually have fleas at all! This happened to Joey last summer too! He had it for several days before I noticed. Squirt never got it.

Deb,
How do you know it is tapeworm? That is probably my first question as many worms look similar and it is best to just bring in a stool sample to your vet and have them find out exactly what worms they may be and then give you the correct dosage for the size of your cat. It is not very expensive, even the most expensive vets do not charge more than $5.00 for the medicine and $5.00 for the test - this way you are sure to have the right meds for the right worms. Albon is not used for worms - it is used for parasites as in Coxidea - if it is tapeworm, Sandie is right and it is very hard to pass on, except if there is flea larvae somewhere and it is ingested, the other cat will get it. But it is something easy and inexpensive to take care of!

I got to thinking and since this thread had to do with tapeworm, I thought I would throw some info in for everyone.
Tapeworms can be contracted by eating a host infected with the larvea. Most common are fleas, rodents and birds. The hosts get them by eating feces that contain segments with eggs. They are flat and attach themselves to the intestines.
Roundworms are contracted the same way minus the fleas. They are also contracted when kittens are nursing. Roundworms live in the stomach and intestines. They can be up to about inches long and they are round.
Either is potentially dangerous to cats. If left untreated they can become malnurished. It is best to see a vet if you suspect there are any worms present. There are medications at the pets stores for the roundworms, however they dont work very well and you and the cat will be better off getting treatment at the vet. If you have outdoor cats, it is best to treat them at least once a year when they go for an annual booster.

Rene:

Best guess, I think. Joey had one last summer, and this looks the same. Squirt has small white things around his butt that look like grains of rice, except that they move. (Is anyone thoroughly grossed out yet?)

Joey took one pill last year ($10, not 5). Ok, well 2 pills ($20) because I couldn't get him to swallow the first one, and we had to have another go at it.

I guess I'll find out Monday for sure. I'll keep you posted. All I have to say, is that I was looking for a way for Squirt to lose a little weight, but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

Be careful what yo wish for, you may get it!

I hope he's okay. Let us know on Monday..

Just got home from vet with pill and Advantage for both cats.

As I break my arm patting myself on the back, I successfully wrapped the ornery guy up in a towel, forced his mouth open, and got that little sucker down his throat. That is a MAJOR accomplishment for me!

So, I guess the old man is on the road to recovery.

Thanks, as always, for everyone's help, support, and suggestions. You guys are the best!

I'm glad to hear that Squirt is okay. I have been worried about him. You're such a good mom.

Like all children, I am sure he is not appreciating that fact at this particular moment, as he has retreated unfer the bed!

LOL I am glad you got the medication for the tapeworm. Those things are pretty nasty to look at!! Congrats on the pill job. I have several scars on my figers because I refuse to use a pill gun.

A pill gun? There's a pill gun?

Hehe, yes theres pill guns on the market. They are pretty funny looking but people say they work. I think you can get them at most pet supply companies and online companies

If I ever had to medicate Squirt daily, I would consider this purchase. In the mean time, maybe I ought to pick up one for giving pills to my son!