Question Concerning Worms Killing My Cat.

clachapelle

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I had an 8 year old Manx/Siamese mix who despite our best efforts was an out door cat; exclusively. She only ever came home to eat and then would cry until either she was let out (by our daughter) or escaped. She regularly ate rodents such as field mice, moles and pretty much anything she could catch and devour outside. We knew this by the plethora of various rodent heads left on our doorstep. We obviously medicated her regularly because of this.
Two days ago my cat started presenting symptoms of having roundworms despite regular medications. My wife and I dewormed her and everything was proceeding as normal. About 12 hrs later they started exiting her anus (alive). Many of them looked like maggots and were crawling on her fur, etc. We gave her a quick bath, combed out what we could and did our best to help her with her discomfort.
We set her outside, put water out and food (as the vet advised) as we have 3 dogs and 2 kittens as well (under 12 weeks old) and made sure she was ok.
Later today (about 36 hrs after her dose of meds) she started showing abnormal symptoms. She was excessively lethargic, seemingly in pain and was crying non-stop. We called the vet again and she assured us this is normal and to just keep watching her and to clean up the expelled worms.
2 hours afterwards she began to stink like rotting meat. She would not stand on her own nor would she try and even move. Approximately 30 minutes later while talking to the vet and pleading with her to see my cat a huge mass of worms, all alive, burst from her back splitting it open about 4-5 inches long and 1 1/2-2 inches wide at the base of her tail where it met her lower back. Her skin literally split open like a gaping maw.
She died about 30 seconds later.

Now, the vet says this can happen but is very rare. I have done a lot of research online and have found nothing on this anywhere.
I am at a loss. We kept her body and have it in a cooler to submit for autopsy should the need arise.

Is this normal? Have any of you ever heard of something this horrific happening to a cat or anything with worms before?

If anyone can help I'd love some answers as my trust in my vet is all but nil right now. Just so you have all the information we are located in Ontario, Canada and not some far-flung remote area.

Thanks in advance.
 

jcat

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That's horrible - I'm so sorry for your loss.

Do you think they might have actually been maggots, rather than worms? This may be way off base, but we had a thread six years ago about a similar situation, and the cat had a blowfly/bot fly infestation. The relevant post is here

The Merck Manual for Pet Health has an article on Flies and Mosquitoes of Cats and there's more about the different names of the flies, pictures of the larvae, etc., here: Blow Flies

The infestation of live animals is called myiasis The Merck Veterinary Manual has an article referring to it in dogs and cats: Facultative Myiasis-Producing Flies
 
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clachapelle

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Thank you for the reply and your condolences.

I have seen botfly infestations before and it was not that; of that I am certain. They were definitely worms. The smaller ones were tiny and maggot like but there were literally hundreds of the long worms that came out of her.
I have never seen anything like it nor can I find anything online about it.

It was like something out of a horror film. I cannot get her wail out of my head.  =(
 

jcat

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I believe it - it's the stuff of nightmares. Hopefully one of our members will know more; it's not something I've ever heard of, either.
 

ldg

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Oh my goodness, I am so so so so so so sorry. :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

Oh poor baby - and my heart just aches for you.

I've not heard of something like this. But I do know that where I live (Northwest NJ), round worm has become resistant to the meds they used to use, drontal. I don't know what is traditionally used in Canada. Now the treatment of choice for round worm is Panacur (Fenbendazole).

The active ingredients in Drontal are praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate (the Praziquantel treats tapeworm; the pyrantel is meant for round worm). The active ingredient in Panacur IS fenbendazole.

But worms being expelled live is a clear sign the prescription medication isn't working. :( That is not normal if using a prescription medication. :( Over-the-counter meds cause animals to expel live worms, but the prescription meds are superior, because they kill the worms, most in various stages of the life cycle. If the adult worms (not cyst or larval stage) are not being killed by a prescription medication, then they have become resistant to it.

I'm just so so sorry. :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:
 

thevegancuddler

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Oh god, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss.

One thing I would consider, for your other animals, is switching vets. I don't think there's anything normal about a continuous expulsion of live worms from an animal's rectum, and the continuous assertion that it was just fine was unacceptable. I'd never trust that vet near my animals again.

I'd also watch the others for signs of illness, if your poor kitty interacted with them on any level.

I don't know what else to say, this is truly horrible, and I'm so very sorry. I hope you're able to find out what it was.
 
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