Tapeworms

[SenorGrande]

Hey all, discovered something gross this morning when the cat did its business in the tray - a whole bunch of wriggling white things. Some googling revealed that they were tapeworms so off to the vet I went and received a tablet for the cat.

I was told by the surgery that the all-wormer general purpose worming tablets for cats often do not combat tapeworms. A little further reading on the net indicates that tapeworm infections usually are the result of ingestion of infected fleas (this works for humans and animals!).

Unfortunately I had let the cat's flea treatment lapse by a couple of weeks (forgot to apply it!) and it seems that this oversight has lead to the cat getting fleas. How this happened I have no idea - we only have one cat and she's an indoor cat!

So I've now treated her for fleas and will administer the de-worming tablet later tonight and then clean her litter tray with bleach and wash all of her stuff

I'm also contemplating obtaining some combantrim or something to get ready in case we end up with them too

Has anyone's cat gotten this before?

[privatek]

Not my cat,

But I've read that some plants can contain fleas, if you have indoor plants.

And that you can put some fennel in your cats bed and that will deter the fleas.
(dunno if that works but it grows like a weed next door)

I would consider treating yourself too, if your bum starts getting itchy :P

[/\/\usE+]

If you find yourself dragging your itchy ring along on the carpet, drop the combantrim then


Fleas tend to come out en-masse when it rains a bit too so always a good time to check over your pet

[SenorGrande]

Well we gave the cat its de-wormer last night and she seems a bit happier but I won't know until she drops one in the tray .

And no my arse isn't itching

[Mystikos]

Humans cannot get worms that are parasites for another species so I wouldn't be too worried.

[SenorGrande]

Originally Posted by Mystikos

Humans cannot get worms that are parasites for another species so I wouldn't be too worried.

I read that this isn't strictly true because the animals eat fleas which contain the worm eggs but then if humans eat the tapeworm egg also they can get them as well. But you cannot get them directly from the cat/dog/whatever.

[millhouse]

Originally Posted by Mystikos

Humans cannot get worms that are parasites for another species so I wouldn't be too worried.

Nope sorry - you can. Look up something cool like Heartworm infection in humans (Dirofilaria immitis) or Visceral larval migrans in kids - not nice.

Originally Posted by privatek

But I've read that some plants can contain fleas, if you have indoor plants.

Not in the way you are thinking. Cat fleas can only breed when present on ann animal such as a dog or cat. The flea eggs laid on the animal fall off wherever the animal goes.If that happens to be around a plant then yes, there will be some fleas hatching from those eggs around the plant if the environment is right.

Originally Posted by privatek

And that you can put some fennel in your cats bed and that will deter the fleas.
(dunno if that works but it grows like a weed next door)

Doubt it would work. Might stress our cat out though!