I think I am going to be sick! One of the cats has worms. There is a snow storm coming and I don't think we can get a sample to the vet until Saturday. How do I protect my son in the meantime?
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Eww Worms!
- Thread starter crazyforinfo
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What kind of worms?
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- #3
I don't think the kind from fleas. It was light brown, tiny, rings like an earthworm.
Hmmm. We had tapeworm once and all I had to do was describe it and they prescribed something for it.
I don't know those worms. Ones that are whitish and look like a thread are round worms.
But basically make sure your son stays out of the litter box is all it should take - passing them usually requires eating an animal/bug that carries them or ingesting the feces of the animal with them.
But basically make sure your son stays out of the litter box is all it should take - passing them usually requires eating an animal/bug that carries them or ingesting the feces of the animal with them.
Oh - and call the vet. Do you know if there's anywhere you can buy Revolution? Or Advantage Plus (I think that's what it is called). Those are topical treatments and should do the trick. A vet should not have a problem prescribing it without seeing the cat if you've seen the worm.
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- #7
I found it on a blanket by our window. Our son can't get there but I had him sitting on it the other day.
It's definitely not white. OMG I am going to be sick.
We can't separate the cats and we don't know which it is. Thankfully none are allowed in his room. I did vacuum before this discovery.
I know what you mean; worms are the one thing that totally grosses me out! I think we can get the good meds just at Petco - I'd call the vet and tell them you have a baby in the house!
As far as treatment goes, I think the only difference is any worm vs. tape worm (that's the kind from fleas). Tape worm gets treated with drontal - the rest can be treated with the topicals I mentioned, or with Panacur or StrongidT (both are usually liquid). The easiest, of course, is the topicals - but those are expensive. But if you can afford them, it's the easiest way to treat all the kitties quickly.
OMG! OMG! OMG!
Sorry for the reaction. We went thru this with Daisy. I was unable to describe the worm when I got to the vet's office with her (there must be thousands of different types of disgusting worms). And I could not identify a single type by description - unless it had been an earthworm.
In all seriousness, I would ask the vet how likely it would be that any transmission could occur from the cat to your son. Until then, I would try to keep the cat separated from your son if you can and employ massive handwashing efforts. I would also check with the vet about the possibility of cat to cat transmission. (Though my vet told me that cat/cat transmission is a lot less likely than dog/dog. Because, and I quote "Dogs eat other dogs' poop and lick each other's butts. Cats don't.") The vet's words...certainly not mine.
LOL, and cats are far too fastidious to lick another cat's butt!
OK - don't go here if this is too gross, but this is a description of the types of worms with pictures.
http://www.feednfarm.com/WormTypes.html
http://www.feednfarm.com/WormTypes.html
Don't freak out, worm transmission from cat to human is actually quite difficult and with normal hygiene you should be fine. Change the litter boxes completely as often as practical into plastic bags, seal them well and dispose quickly. Tapeworms are the most likely to be transmitted and they look like little white grains of rice. But do treat all the cats, as they use the same litter boxes.
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Have you been keeping your cat separated from your son for the last 6-4 weeks before yesterday? I'll guess, no. Just clean up like you regularly do and don't go letting any little hands in the litter box.
While gross, worms in a healthy cat really aren't a medical emergency.
To put in another way. I grew up with cats. Back then there weren't topical flea treatments. They got fleas, they got worms (indoor/outdoor cats), I played and slept with the cats from the time I was an infant. I went out and played.. and ate dirt.
I'm still here and so are thousands of people with the same sort of childhood.
While gross, worms in a healthy cat really aren't a medical emergency.
To put in another way. I grew up with cats. Back then there weren't topical flea treatments. They got fleas, they got worms (indoor/outdoor cats), I played and slept with the cats from the time I was an infant. I went out and played.. and ate dirt.
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- #16
This is pretty much what the lady at the vet said. I think I am more freaked b/c the worm I saw was alive and for at least 20mins there wasn't a cat there. *puke*Originally Posted by strange_wings
Have you been keeping your cat separated from your son for the last 6-4 weeks before yesterday? I'll guess, no. Just clean up like you regularly do and don't go letting any little hands in the litter box.
While gross, worms in a healthy cat really aren't a medical emergency.
To put in another way. I grew up with cats. Back then there weren't topical flea treatments. They got fleas, they got worms (indoor/outdoor cats), I played and slept with the cats from the time I was an infant. I went out and played.. and ate dirt.I'm still here and so are thousands of people with the same sort of childhood.
We have no idea which cat it is. One always has loose stools (samples have been taken several times and came back negative),one is scooting, 3 are pigs all the time, two mainly sleep in the area of the worm, none have been outside in months.
I can't believe two hours and no poo samples! I wish they could go on command. lol Thanks for calming me down.
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If one has it, they all do. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a stool sample at this time - you know there's worms. Treat with a broad spectrum from the vet, then do a stool sample or repeat treatment if you want to be sure (then check again). That's always been how I do it because often nothing shows up in the stool sample even if I've seen the worms myself.
By broad spectrum I mean Drontol (treats rounds, hooks, tapes. Droncit just treats tapes, people get the two confused.) and Revolution. Not much gets by that combo.
By broad spectrum I mean Drontol (treats rounds, hooks, tapes. Droncit just treats tapes, people get the two confused.) and Revolution. Not much gets by that combo.
I agree, they all have to be treated as soon as possible.....I think of worms similar to roaches, if you see one, you know there are more!Originally Posted by strange_wings
If one has it, they all do. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a stool sample at this time - you know there's worms. Treat with a broad spectrum from the vet, then do a stool sample or repeat treatment if you want to be sure (then check again). That's always been how I do it because often nothing shows up in the stool sample even if I've seen the worms myself.
By broad spectrum I mean Drontol (treats rounds, hooks, tapes. Droncit just treats tapes, people get the two confused.) and Revolution. Not much gets by that combo.
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- #19
Yep and right now we are stuck for a few days. That just grosses me out. They want a sample...no one has gone as far as I can tell.
Good luck getting rid of them!
