1
I was cleaning my cats litter box out today and I noticed some worms in her stool. They looked like a very small leech. I was wondering what kind they were. She is not an out door cat so I was wondering how she contacted them. I immediately went out and bought her some once-a-month medicine to help get rid of them. I was also wondering that since she is still active, her weight hasn't gone down, and there is no blood in her stool is there something else I should do or be looking for?
2
What is the best thing to do about worms?
3
What are "acute arebra's"?
4
Can my cat get sick from eating a bird that has West Nile virus?
5
I think my 2 to 3 year old spayed female cat has tapeworms! I've been reading about them and she has plenty of fleas and frequently licks herself, therefore, she has probably swallowed the fleas. She has just recently been diagnosed for roundworms, and we've been treating her. But, also recently, I've seen little rice-like things around her rectum and didn't think much of them till now. They weren't moving, are they tapeworms? If so, are they hazardous?
6
How do I get rid of tape worms in my cats? My cats have been to several veterinarians and the worms never fully go away.
7
My cat has worms that look like rice. A few months ago my sister's cat had worms that looked more like spaghetti and she got medicine for him. Is it safe to use the same medicine to treat my cat's worms?
8
My cat got fleas from a friend’s house and I can't seem to get rid of them. He is hurting himself in the process of scratching. What can I get to get rid of fleas
1
I was cleaning my cats litter box out today and I noticed some worms in her stool. They looked like a very small leech. I was wondering what kind they were. She is not an out door cat so I was wondering how she contacted them. I immediately went out and bought her some once-a-month medicine to help get rid of them. I was also wondering that since she is still active, her weight hasn't gone down, and there is no blood in her stool is there something else I should do or be looking for?
It is difficult to say what type of parasites your cat might have had. If she has had fleas she might have tapeworms. A once a month wormer that you buy at the store may or may not address the problem. Even though she seems healthy it would be wiser if you brought a stool sample to the veterinarian for proper identification of the parasites and then the appropriate treatment.
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2
What is the best thing to do about worms?
Most cats are infested with intestinal parasites, or worms, at some point in their life. Roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms are the most common intestinal worms in cats. If you suspect your cats has worms, see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Don't use over-the-counter preparations as they won't work as well as those prescribed by your veterinarian and they may not be the right preparation for the type of parasite your cat may have.
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3
What are "acute arebra's"?
I believe you are referring to "Cuterebra". It is the presence of the larva of a rodent or rabbit bot fly, of the species Cuterebra, usually found under the skin. "Cuterebra" are incidental and somewhat rare parasites of dogs and cats. Dogs and cats may become infested, presumably from investigating rodent burrows or other sites where the fly eggs are deposited. The eggs become larvae which then can migrate, or move, under the skin. They are usually found under the skin of the neck and chest during late summer and early fall. "Cuterebra" may look like a bump under the skin or an abscess. It is very important that the area not be squeezed as the cat or dog may have an allergic reaction to the release of toxins from the body of the larva. This is a lesion that should be treated as soon as possible and only by a veterinarian.
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4
Can my cat get sick from eating a bird that has West Nile virus?
To the best of our knowledge West Nile virus is spread by the bite of the mosquito. The mosquito bites the infected bird and then transmits the virus to humans or horses by biting them. It seems that the mosquito is part of the infection cycle. However, keeping your cat indoors will help protect her from mosquito bites and protect the songbird population as well.
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5
I think my 2 to 3 year old spayed female cat has tapeworms! I've been reading about them and she has plenty of fleas and frequently licks herself, therefore, she has probably swallowed the fleas. She has just recently been diagnosed for roundworms, and we've been treating her. But, also recently, I've seen little rice-like things around her rectum and didn't think much of them till now. They weren't moving, are they tapeworms? If so, are they hazardous?
The rice like material that you are seeing around her rectum is likely tapeworm segments. Cats get tapeworms from ingesting the fleas so not only do you need to treat her for tapeworms, you also need to take care of the flea problem. Please contact your veterinarian for medications that will take care of these problems.
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6
How do I get rid of tape worms in my cats? My cats have been to several veterinarians and the worms never fully go away.
A cat will get tapeworms by either ingesting small prey such as rodents or rabbits or by ingesting fleas. Both are the intermediate hosts for the tapeworm parasite. When cats go outside and hunt they may eat their prey and become infected with tapeworms. In other situations, outdoor cats or dogs in the same home may become infested with fleas. Since cats routinely groom themselves, they are likely to ingest fleas and again, become infected with tapeworms. Therefore, attention to flea control and keeping cats indoors can help control tapeworm infection.
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7
My cat has worms that look like rice. A few months ago my sister's cat had worms that looked more like spaghetti and she got medicine for him. Is it safe to use the same medicine to treat my cat's worms?
Absolutely not. You should never give your cat another animal's medication. There are many different intestinal parasites that can infect a cat and they are treated with different medications. You should take a fecal sample to your veterinarian as well as a sample of the worms so that she can make a diagnosis. Once the type of worm is identified, she can prescribe the correct medication to take care of the problem.
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8
My cat got fleas from a friend’s house and I can't seem to get rid of them. He is hurting himself in the process of scratching. What can I get to get rid of fleas
Some animals are very allergic to the bite of the flea and will scratch and injure themselves even if the flea load is very low. Be sure to use a good product to treat for fleas, one that not only kills the fleas on the cat, but one that will kill the juvenile forms and any fleas that get back on. In some cases you also need to treat the environment as well. If there are other animals in the home they must be treated also. A veterinary visit is essential to treat the skin irritation and get further advice about treatment.
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