My kitten has tapeworm even though she's been wormed?

I have rescued a kitten from the vet surgery I work at, she is approximately 9 weeks old, was wormed when she came in at 6 weeks and again two weeks later while I had her at home. Ive used the panacur kitten formulation giving 1 graduation for 3 consecutive days. I noticed last night what I believe is a tapeworm crawl out of her anus and a further two this evening. They were alive and moving. Does this mean the wormer hasn't worked?? I'm really worried, as I have a dog and worry that this could be detrimental to her health! What should I do? I don't want to upset the kitten's stomach by giving another lot of wormer too soon after the last lot (which I gave this time last week). Any help would be much appreciated! Also - there is a teeny amount of blood in her poo - could that be to do with the worms? she has been on a course of antibiotics for it and now it is literally a tiny amount that most people probably wouldn't even notice!!  

thank you in advance!

If they were crawling, they were not tapeworms. With tapeworms, you only see the body segments they shed, which look like bits of rice. And they definitely don't move. Ick! I hate worms.

One would think the two courses of Panacur would have gotten rid of all those nasty boogers. But, maybe not. Is it possible she is being re-infected somehow? Does she go outside at all?

I would take her back to your vet for a consult. The wormers and anti-biotics together are a lot of meds for a little body, so I would be worried to give her anything else without vet approval. But, that is just me and I tend to be over cautious. Someone with more worm experience may have different advice. The blood in her stool is probably from the worms.

She isn't going out, and doesn't have fleas. They first looked like a grain of rice but then resembled an actual worm and was wiggling around...gross i know! She's only been with us for 2 weeks, and we have treated the dog for worm in case she had them but I wouldve thought the dog had caught them from the cat rather than the other way round... I've called the vets and they just said wait until next weekend and then give the panacur again, but I'm worried that there are so many little tapeworm segments coming out every evening, and she's only little! i am a student veterinary nurse, and all treatments given have been from the vet in charge of her case, however I'm on my summer break for 3 weeks now and have no way of contacting them

Standard dewormers such as panacur and pyrantel treat roundworms, but do not treat tapeworms, which is what this kitten has now.

Gross I know......ew.

These are segments that are shed and look like squirming white rice, (technically there is only 1 tapeworm), The end segments once out of her body, they dry up and die within 15 minutes and look like a sesame seed then. They will be in her poop here and there too.

They are contagious to your dog, but not nearly as easily as they would be if you had another cat sharing a litterbox.

You can go to Petco and buy what's called Tape Worm Tabs, follow instructions exactly, they do work well.

Or wait and get drontal or similar from the vet.

She does not need panacur again.

I learn something new everyday! When I worked at the vet, they said the segments are 'dead' when they are shed and expelled so the worm can grow new segments. So gross! Round worms are nasty, but the whole concept of a tapeworm totally freaks me out. Blech. I guess usually clients don't notice the bits until they have dried up? I had no idea they could wiggle. Now I've grossed myself out.

happybird said:

I learn something new everyday! When I worked at the vet, they said the segments are 'dead' when they are shed and expelled so the worm can grow new segments. So gross! Round worms are nasty, but the whole concept of a tapeworm totally freaks me out. Blech. I guess usually clients don't notice the bits until they have dried up? I had no idea they could wiggle. Now I've grossed myself out.

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They can and they sure do wiggle!

I'm a Vet Tech, I have often found tapeworm segments FOR clients on the end of the thermometer! And they DO move!

But, yes, it's true! Most clients don't realize until there are "sesame seeds" all over their animals' bedding or stuck in their hair.

Sorry if I grossed you out more! I work in the field and I STILL hate intestinal parasites! lol

happybird said:

I learn something new everyday! When I worked at the vet, they said the segments are 'dead' when they are shed and expelled so the worm can grow new segments. So gross! Round worms are nasty, but the whole concept of a tapeworm totally freaks me out. Blech. I guess usually clients don't notice the bits until they have dried up? I had no idea they could wiggle. Now I've grossed myself out.

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Relienna said:

 
They can and they sure do wiggle!

I'm a Vet Tech, I have often found tapeworm segments FOR clients on the end of the thermometer! And they DO move!

But, yes, it's true! Most clients don't realize until there are "sesame seeds" all over their animals' bedding or stuck in their hair.

Sorry if I grossed you out more! I work in the field and I STILL hate intestinal parasites! lol

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I have to laugh, glad I'm not the only one, I have had poop/diarrhea, blood, mucous, vomit, you name it, as a rescue group founder, I think I've seen it all........probably have actually.

But there is something so disgusting to me about squirming tapeworm segments, ew, I was holding a kitten once and there was one on my arm. Talk about grossed out.........

Haha! I mean it, I just can't deal with them, nasty creepy things, I get heebie jeebies just thinking about them. Pretty funny really.

catwoman707 said:

I have to laugh, glad I'm not the only one, I have had poop/diarrhea, blood, mucous, vomit, you name it, as a rescue group founder, I think I've seen it all........probably have actually.
But there is something so disgusting to me about squirming tapeworm segments, ew, I was holding a kitten once and there was one on my arm. Talk about grossed out.........
Haha! I mean it, I just can't deal with them, nasty creepy things, I get heebie jeebies just thinking about them. Pretty funny really.

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I once was stupid enough to watch a documentary called 'Eaten Alive,' about parasites that can affect humans. Oh my god. My husband came running into the room to see what was wrong because I was literally screaming at the tv. The human tapeworm victim story was particularily horrifying. Gah. What I learned from that doc was never go into the Peace Corps.

Sorry to go so off-topic![