*cries* Lexi has worms!

**bamber** · 11-20-2007, 10:59 AM

Well, we have found out that Lexi has tapeworms. She is 8-9 weeks old, which is old enough to use tapeworm medicine on. I just hate to see that. Poor kitty. Also, apparently they leak out 'de booty' and they are all over the bed. Ugh. I hope we can get rid of them fast.

The website says to use a half of a pill for under 4lbs, which I am sure she is. Also it says you can crush it, which I will do. Without buying anything extra, how would I split and crush a pill?

Anyone had any problems with worms before?

**sdrjeolsen** · 11-20-2007, 11:08 AM

Sorry you are having to deal with this. Try cutting it with a knife and crush it between 2 spoons.

**FreesiaE** · 11-20-2007, 11:41 AM

It's a vicious cycle; they get the tapeworm and then the tapeworm reproduces by means of a proglottid that is then licked/swollowed by kitty. A tapeworm proglottid looks like a grain of rice, just FYI.

**Darlene** · 11-20-2007, 12:53 PM

Aww, when I first read the thread title I thought it was someones child.

Reminds me of the time my cat had this problem... I saved the "worm" in a zip lock bag to show the vet & they passed it around the practice, nobody there had hever seen such a long/big one! My cat was famous, lol.

~We have a pill splitter or you can use an old fashoned razor blade. The pill splitter is inexpensive,washable, reusable & found in the pharmacy section of a store.

Oh here's some tips on giving your cat a pill...http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

**bamber** · 11-20-2007, 01:50 PM

Well, I guess I can just use a sharp knife? I plan to crush the pill and mix it with her favorite wet food (the bottle says it is okay to crush and mix). Where would she eat the little thing? She doesn't ever eat her poopies or anything except what we feed her, I've never seen her eat off the floor or anything, do they like to eat them? And yes, I know what they look like. They are in our bed. Ugh. I am washing all the laundry and sheets and towels and I will wash her bed and clean the floors and vaccuum today I guess, do you think that would be good enough? I suppose if there is still evidence I can treat her again in two weeks (which is what the package says to wait).

**halloweenfreak** · 11-20-2007, 02:13 PM

argh! my dog was wormed once and my hubby didn't warn me of what was to come. (id never seen such a thing before!) i was jumping up and down flailing my arms and screaming. im glad she did it outside and not in my house, i prob. would have fainted. your poor kitty! i cant imagine, ew.

**Missy** · 11-20-2007, 02:18 PM

the advice for giving the cat a pill is good. Spot on.

call you r vet too, they may have other ideas. I had a cat once that would take crushed pills if i hid it in a small dollop of peanut butter.

**bamber** · 11-20-2007, 02:19 PM

Well, That is how we found out about the worms. Little live worms squirming around in the poopies...not cool. Researched it online and looked at pictures to determine what type of worms, and discoverd they were tapeworms.

I gave her the pill (or half of one anyway). Split it with a knife no problem, used the knife handle to crush it up and mixed it with her favorite food. She left a few scraps though and I put them in the fridge with the rest of the wet food, I'll make sure she gets all of it because there wasn't too much powder.

All of the bedding in the house is in the washer except her pillow which I took outside and beat thouroughly. The clothes will be next then I will sweep, mop, and vaccum. *sigh* it's all worth it though

**nancycg56** · 11-20-2007, 02:50 PM

My 9 year old Lab just took his last does of tapeworm medicine ~ that stuff is EXPENSIVE!!! My vet says he probably got them from the dog park :surprise:

He has so many other problems that tapeworms are least of my worries, LOL!

**FreesiaE** · 11-20-2007, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by bamber

Where would she eat the little thing? She doesn't ever eat her poopies or anything except what we feed her, I've never seen her eat off the floor or anything, do they like to eat them?

They can come from several factors including fleas and the proglottids I mentioned above. Even if she doesn't eat feces, she does lick herself, and therefore can injest fleas from her body or proglottids around her anus.

**KatieInLa2** · 11-20-2007, 03:22 PM

My vet said that pets get tapeworms from fleas. When they swallow a flea with tapeworm eggs. Be sure to worm her again in two weeks and use something to rid cats/kittens of fleas. Then your problems should be taken care of.

**bamber** · 11-20-2007, 04:17 PM

Well I have not seen any evidence of fleas, she hardly ever scratches, I've examined her fur for fleas several times, we don't have fleas, and I've given her a bath and never seen a flea, so I don't think she has fleas.

Hopefully she will be fine. The bottle just says to treat once, do I have to treat her again, or just see if any more worms appear?

Oh and she is too young for any commerical flea treatments, so it's just gentle kitten shampoo and water to kill fleas (if any) for now.

**ilovechocolate** · 11-20-2007, 04:20 PM

Do what your vet says and things will be fine.

Our cats (healthy and well-taken care of) get worms occasionally. It's just a cat thing, I think. We go by the vet's and get a pill per cat and dose them all.

I view it as part of pet ownership.

**many houseapes** · 11-20-2007, 04:47 PM

I'm not too much of an expert about how to crush pills for animals, but what I use for worm prevention for my dogs is something called "black walnut"- its an herbal elixir that you can get at the herb store. Just a suggestion.