Gross! My cat has tapeworms!

My cat was sitting on top of my mouse cage looking at my mice, and after I shooed her away I noticed a small white thing on the wall next to her. I took a closer look at it MOVED! Turns out it was some type of worm. I took the worm and put it in a vial and poured alcohol into it to preserve it (I didn't have any ethanol, so I used Absolut Vodka).

I did a search on the net and I found a pic that looked exactly like the worm I found, and it said it was a tape worm.

I'm freaking out now, cuz I know tapeworms can be transmitted to other animals (like us humans). Anyone know how I should go about solving this problem? I plan to take the worm into the vet tomorrow so he can take a look and I can get a positive ID on it.

-Lemur 6

Ok, first of all, you can stop freaking out now:-),: it is going to be ok. Really.

tape worms are a fairly common parasite with cats. Fleas are an intermediary host, and when a cat gets fleas they often swallow some of the fleas while biting at them, thus infecting themselves with tapeworms. I am not sure if the tapeworm that cats get is the same one that can infect humans, but as long as you wash your hands and don't eat any fleas you should be ok (sorry, I couldn't resist that!)

Yes, your vet will offer you one of two options. There is a medication he will give your cat that will either cause the worm to be dispelled, or else will cause the worm to 'dissolve' and be dispelled that way. He will have his preferred method of treatment. It isn't frighteningly expensive and it is effective.

You should also consider a flea treatment program to prevent re-infestation. If you live in a more northerly climate you probably don't have a problem right now unless you have noticed fleas inside, but if you are in a warmer climate you may still have fleas and should treat your cat with a vet-prescribed flea treatment (like Advantage).

Hope this helps.

Kathryn

Fleas are the intermediate host for Dipylidium Caninum, one species of tapeworm. Rodents are the Intermediate host for the Taenia species of tapeworm. So finding out the Species from you vet is good idea, take in a fresh fecal sample too especially since you have pet mice.

Originally Posted by Kathryn41

I am not sure if the tapeworm that cats get is the same one that can infect humans, but as long as you wash your hands and don't eat any fleas you should be ok (sorry, I couldn't resist that!)

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Uh oh... umm... well I kinda pet kitty when I eat cuz she's always rubbing up against me and likes to wrastle with my feet. I hope I didn't swallow any fleas .

I think the thing that freaked me out the most was the size of the thing. Most of the sites say a grain of rice, but man this thing was twice that size and it was easily 4 times the size when it was extending it's lil nose around in the air.

It looks exactly like a grain of rice now (like a really big grain of rice), that alcohol made it go into tetanic contraction muhahahaha

I don't think we have any fleas in the house... how do you tell? What's a good test? I know kitty doesn't really scratch herself much, but she occasionally chews through her fur.

-Lemur 6

Hehehehe, that certainly put that tape worm piece in its place!

There are several ways to see about fleas. One way is to put your cat on a piece of white cardboard or paper and comb her coat with a fine tooth comb. If you find what look like little black grains of sand in the comb or on the paper, drop a bit of water on them. If they turn red, then those are flea droppings (ok, so I know that is gross, too).

If you get a flea comb from a pet store (a really fine tooth metal comb) you can actually catch fleas with it and then drown them in a glass of soapy water. Fleas often congregate above the tail and around the face.

If you separate your cat's coat you may also see those little black flecks like dirt or even see a flea scurrying away.

As I said, it is usually too dry and cold for fleas during winter but if you are in warmer climates you could still have them.

Kathryn

Oohh... My GOD! They are fricken everywhere. I looked at a spot where my cat likes to lounge around, and found these off white little "peelings", one of them was on the fresher side and looked like a grain of rice, I found a LOT of them, everywhere in the house on the carpet. They're hard to see because they blend into the carpet, but once you know what you're looking for, you find them everywhere.

The FREAKIEST thing I found out today, is that tapeworms "reanimate" if you soak the dried up bits in water. I picked up a good 20 or so segments and put them in a little medicine cup full of water and within the first couple minutes some of them became white and started to move around. I've not noticed ANY of the websites I visited say anything about this. It's kinda interesting but scary at the same time (I mean if these things can reanimate, then how long can they stay in their dried up suspended mode?).

I vaccuumed just a week ago, so that means ALL of these segments came out within the last week. The vet closed early today, so couldn't get to him, but man, he's gonna freak out when he sees how many segments I found.

Here's a few pictures:

The first one I found, floating in Absolut Vodka:


The other 20 or so segments I found in my carpet:

Er.. I don't think I want any rice now.

Dev & Crew

Definately tapeworm, but still take in a fresh fecal sample so your vet can identify the species because of your mice.

Originally Posted by Petnurse2265

Definately tapeworm, but still take in a fresh fecal sample so your vet can identify the species because of your mice.

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Do I have to take a fresh fecal sample or can I just bring the worm? I thought species of tapeworm can't be identified by just looking at the oocysts and that looking at the actual worm is a better identifier? Ah well, I'll bring both and see what he says, I hope kitty goes poopie before I come home.

-Lemur 6

The ova of each species is very different, I wanted to double check so I pulled out my parasitology book out, it will just give 2 references to your vet to help decide. Some vets are really good at identifying by just the worm others might be better with the microscope, I work with one of each.

Hmm... vet wasn't really interested in seeing either. Just gave me a single pill to give to my cat. Well, whatever it is, I hope it fixes kitty.

-Lemur 6

It will, and I can't blame your vet. Flush those suckers down your toilet and throw the jar away-