Urgent - White sack attached to my cat's skin

lozza

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My boyfriend was stroking our cat earlier and noticed a small white sack (like pale piece of sweetcorn) attached to his skin just under his front leg

He looked around the sack and also noticed some little red worms attached to the base of the sack. It is firmly attached and burried into the skin.

He hasn't shown any signs of iritation towards it.

Any ideas what this could be? Is it ok for us to try and remove ourselves tonight or should we wait and take to a vet tomorrow?
 

sadie's mom

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This is definitely something I'm not familiar with. I also suggest a vet visit is in order.
 

rang_27

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I have no idea. I would NOT remove it myself. A vet trip is in order. Sometimes trying to remove this type of thing yourself can make it worse.
 
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lozza

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Been looking through some historical posts and came over ticks. Found one post that had a link to provet with a picture of a tick sack. This looks the same as what is on Alfie (our cat). Although I am puzzled as my boyfriend only fontlined him at the weekend (Sunday). After another inspection the little red worms look like the legs!

Most posts suggest it is ok to remove ticks by making sure they are removed from the base. I looks horrible and I want it off him but perhaps I should give the frontline another 12 hours to work?
 

gingersmom

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If it were my cat, it would already be at the vet's office. You really need to contact your vet about this rather than trying to diagnose/treat it yourself.
 
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lozza

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Our vets are closed but rung the emergency hotline. The vet was pretty certain it is a tick. They said I could remove myself by gripping the tick at the base and twisting anticlockwise. Either that or take him to the vetinary tomorrow and one of the nurses will take it off. Might see if he will stay still otherwise a trip to the vets tomorrow it is.
 

sarahp

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Originally Posted by Lozza

Our vets are closed but rung the emergency hotline. The vet was pretty certain it is a tick. They said I could remove myself by gripping the tick at the base and twisting anticlockwise. Either that or take him to the vetinary tomorrow and one of the nurses will take it off. Might see if he will stay still otherwise a trip to the vets tomorrow it is.
Good luck!!!! Let us know how the vet goes!
 
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lozza

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Surfed a few more pics of it and it is definitley a Tick. My boyfriend did exactly what the vet said! gripped at the base and twisted anti clockwise with a little tug and it popped out. Right ugly little thing, it was still alive and had its head in tack and moving so nothing left inside of Alfie.

Bless him (Alfie) he lied there a let my boyfriend do it all with out a moan!

Panic over x x x
 

goldenkitty45

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Sounds like it was an engorged (full of blood) tick. I've seen them on dogs - they don't even look like a tick at that point. And probably was ready to drop off and go lay eggs somewhere.
 

epona

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Oooh yuk! Good job you got it all out, just make sure there's no jaw or anything still in there, sounds horrible. I have a thing about insects and probably would have passed out if I'd seen that
so full marks to you for identifying it and being able to deal with it!

Are you in Berkshire, or is there some other place in the world called Reading? Fortunately no ticks around my part of London, well there's no grass here either
so it's a mixed blessing at best.

I hope that everything is OK with your cat now, if you haven't done so already you must tell us all about him
 

sarahp

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Glad to hear the tick came off easily!! I hope your kitty got lots of treats for being so brave
 

jen

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I was going to say, it just sounds like a tick! Pull it off! hehe, glad that is all it was, those are gross aren't they?
 
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