ICK- tapeworms!
How do you know if your cat has a tapeworm? If you notice little rice looking particles from his behind… that’s a tapeworm… those are segments that the worm is sloughing off.
Tapeworms come from ingesting fleas… so if you keep your cat and home free from fleas, you’re on the right track. BUT, sometimes you may have fleas and not even realize it. This has happened to me numerous times and I’m just flummoxed when the vet says my cat has a tapeworm.
You cannot get rid of a tapeworm with over the counter medications. You need to go to a vet and they have a simple pill that will take care of the problem. It’s an expensive little pill though! :-D
Can people get tapes? You bet, but you have to eat a flea or ingest something with the eggs in it (such as feces and I hope you don’t go there!). But if you do get one, they’re probably the LEAST invasive of the worms you can pick up and can be treated and dispensed with.
So, next time your furbrat sticks his butt in your face, and he will don’t you know it! Just take a glance and see what you can see. Little rice looking particles = a tapeworm.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Great article! Thanks a lot! Lots of good stuff from “Deb”. I love the way her articles are written. Just like you are talking to a friend. I like this site!
September 7th, 2007 at 5:35 am
awww you’re just sayin’ that.
thanks!