The worms you describe are tapeworms. You'll need to use a different dewormer than the ones (like Nemex 2, mentioned above) that deworm for roundworms or hookworms. The vet will likely use Droncit, and you'll need to deworm again (at least once) in 2 weeks.

BTW, the worms came from fleas. Sooo, you need to get them under control, even if you don't think you have an issue. They can take up to 6 months to hatch, so it's feasible to have a hatch in the dead of winter-when the eggs were laid back in August!

Oh, and garlic tablets/pills/elixers have been shown to be ineffective at getting rid of most worms vs any pharmaceuticals that were manufactured for that purpose. Not trying to pick fights here, but I trust controlled double blind studies over manufacturer claims. YMMV, and good on ya if you (think you) got a cure from garlic pills. Ditto that for use vs fleas.

No... not tapeworms. I've seen tapeworms before and tapeworms are flat. These are not flat.

I just called the vets office down the road from my place. Only $4 per 10-pounds for round worm shots.

Funny, last weekend I was trying to... "get a sample". The little SOB wouldn't hold still. I thought I'd be able to flick one off his nether-quarters into a container with rubbing alcohol. No luck so far.

Wouldn't...hold still?? Well, would YOU?

Please post for us when you get a diagnosis on what type worm it turns out to be. Curious.

quote:

Originally posted by Paragon:
Wouldn't...hold still?? Well, would YOU?

Well, I can't really blame him can I. I know how I'd feel is somebody kept trying to get around behind me...

I did manage to get a "sample" - snagged it with a paper towel and drowned it in an old contact lense container with some hydrogen peroxide. (I couldn't find the rubbing alcohol.)

It looks like it may actually be a tape worm. Still very hard to tell without a damned microscope. Hopefully the vet will be able to figure it out. I plan to take the little bugger in on Friday afternoon if I can get him into the carrier.

Reason I asked you to confirm is that tapes can be tricky to diagnose based on client descriptions. They come in proglottid segments, but they also come in chains where one tape is attached to another, who's attached to another, and so forth-like a bicycle chain. They also can be flat (when dehydrated), or almost 1/2" long and kinda sorta round when still viable. Here's a pic or two:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipylidium_caninum
http://images.google.com/image...um=1&ved=0CBIQsAQwAA

The vet id'd it as a tape worm. Vaccinations complete... and next weekend I'll be picking up a six-month supply of flee treatment.

He's not feeling too good right now. He was "okay" Saturday but looked wrung out and miserable on Sunday.

I also found out that the little fellow has a heart murmur of medium range. I need to have him looked over again and find out if it can be treated with meds or if it requires surgery. Honestly... I CANNOT afford to drop thousands to keep him around. I'm not happy about this right now.

Maybe the little guy is just trying to be fashionable?...




But on a serious note. Good luck with the heart murmur.

Murmur might not be a big deal. I've had patients who've had physiologic murmurs as a kitten and have never changed at all as I've followed them into adulthood. Keep us posted on how he diagnoses the issue further, will be watching.

quote:

then tosses the cat into the bathroom and shits the door.

Bet Mom was impressed.

quote:

Originally posted by countrygun:

quote:

then tosses the cat into the bathroom and shits the door.

Bet Mom was impressed.

Well... a typo... but oddly applicable.


So after his shots he was... groggy... for a few days. Then feeling much better. Now he's bunged up one of his legs. Cripes! He was hobbling around on three legs when I came home Sunday. It's getting better day by day but he injured his rear leg - so no jumping to get up and away - probably running from the neighbors wandering dogs.