Worms :(

[neko1]

One of the kitties threw up their entire dinner in the middle of the night and I noticed a worm in it. :( I'd say it's about 3 inches long and looks like a spaghetti noodle. Since I have no clue who did it, I'm gonna bring the worm into the vets office tomorrow and hopefully I can get some medication for them without having to bring all 4 cats in for exams. I have never noticed anything in their stools. And the last time they were out was at least 3 weeks ago. I also have not noticed any fleas on them. I'm hoping nothing is seriously wrong with them. :(

edit: Pumpkin just vomited up some foam, but I'm thinking that is the result of stress from us brushing her (she absolutely hates being brushed)

[Barbara]

Oh I hope you get it settled soon. Worms is the last thing your herd needs.
I hope Pumpkin is ok:)

[Cataholic]

Oh, yuckie! But, usually not that big of a deal, Neko...really. The vet should give you meds for everyone, and within a few days- presto! Good luck.

[Denyce]

It is probably a round worm. They tend to look like spaghetti. Your cat has probably had them for a little while. Are any of their bellies rounder and harder than anyone elses? But they should all be wormed. But it isn't bad....just icky.

Denyce

[Fallon]

Yucky I hate worms. I'm sure the vet will give you something good to help them all.

[sasvermont]

As far as I know, the vet will probably give you pills for each cat, then repeat the process in a few weeks.....good luck.....usually, where there are worms, there are flea eggs anyway.....at least that was what I was told....by a former vet of mine.....pets....a never ending vet visit! They may convince you to start flea control too.........Keep us posted...

:rolleyes:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that at least one of your cats has worms.:( I'm sure that the vet can give you some pills that will clear them right up. They may have picked them up from going outside. Good luck. Please keep us updated.

[kimlovescats]

How are the kitties? Have you been able to treat the worms? Please update us!!!

[CatMama78]

Neko, I'm very sorry to hear this, but it sounds like it's treatable - best wishes for you and you kitties.

Keep us updated.

[leslie flenner]

All the cats have to be treated. even though you haven't seen worms in the stools, dead ones go undetected and eggs are not at all detectable. Sharing a litter box means sharing roundworm eggs! (they wash their feet after walking on eggs). It's easy enough to treat though! Don't let a flea infestation take over! I had 2 summers of treating fleas and the whole apt. and it's a pain! (ringworm fungus is worse - well, harder on the cats and so time consuming but fleas are also expensive and time consuming- it's the eggs that hatch in 3 weeks that keeps you running and cleaning the floors and upholstery!)
When I used to do volunteer work at a local cat shelter, one of my co-workers witnessed a cat (stray brought in by QueenScoopalot- no less!) vomiting up a huge ball of live round worms! She said it looked like a bowl of moving spagetti! Retch, retch!!!! Apperently when they are ate the point of vomiting them up is when they are really badly in the cat's system.
Let us know how they do (and you with this too!)

[neko1]

I went to my vet on monday morning and he told me that he didn't want to treat everybody without seeing stool samples first. (which is near impossible for me to do) So I'm gonna call back today and talk to the other vet that works there and he should be able to give me the meds for everyone.

I have not seen any fleas around:confused: and we brushed everybody this weekend after we found the worms. I think I'll get some Frontline Plus anyway to use for this month. Is there any other way they could have picked this up?

I havent' noticed any big bellies and they are all eating and drinking normal and there hasn't been any more vomiting episodes. I really hope that the vet will give me meds for everyone...I don't want them to be sick any longer:(

[ramanth]

Poor kitties! :( Hope their feeling better soon.

[leslie flenner]

Roundworms, i believe, are from eating raw meat (birds and mice), but I could be wrong! I know that all kittens are born with roundworms (don't know why or how true this is but have heard it repeatedly and know that vets treat all kittens for roundworm when they get first distemper- at least around here...)
Well, be glad you didn't see fleas!!! That's a good thing. I hope you used a flea comb or fine tooth comb to check for this because the flea gets trapped between the teeth of the comb, so when you stroke a couple times, then check both sides of the comb, you'd see a flea and/or eggs which are black, (called "flea dirt"). The eggs will bleed if you drop the comb in a bowl of hot water.
Hope you had luck with 2nd vet or able to get a stool sample (why is that hard for you to get?). keep us posted!

[neko1]

The stool sample is hard to get because I have 4 cats and live in a small house and I don't have enough rooms in the house to isolate each cat.

But no worries because I got them the medication and hubby and I had some fun pilling them last night. Boy were they mad at us all night!

So hopefully things will clear up soon!

[neko1]

Anyone know how long it takes for the drontal to work? I just woke up this morning and found that someone threw up last nights dinner again...no worms in it though, but I'm still concerned about this vomit.:( I wish I had surveillance cameras in the house to catch whoever's doing this!!!:(

[Uabassoon]

I'm sorry to hear you are still having problems with this :( I hope everything clears up soon.

[kimlovescats]

I think the Drontal works pretty quickly .... I bet you'll start seeing less kitty puke really soon! Don't worry!!! ;)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Originally posted by neko1
Anyone know how long it takes for the drontal to work? I just woke up this morning and found that someone threw up last nights dinner again...no worms in it though, but I'm still concerned about this vomit.:( I wish I had surveillance cameras in the house to catch whoever's doing this!!!:(
I'm not sure but I've heard that some cats will get an upset stomach and throw up if the drontal is given to them on an empty stomach.

When my Sky had tapeworms, he was given 2 drontal pills at the vets and then I had to give him 2 more pills 3 weeks later to be sure that the worms were dead. I gave him his pills after he had eaten his breakfast and everything went well except that he almost bit my finger off.:eek:

I'm sure that all of your furkids will be just fine. Good luck and take care.:)

[smokey the elder]

Drontal is very strong, and is usually indicated for tapeworm. Our group usually gives Strongid to every single cat that comes in; it's nasty thick yellow stuff, but I guess it's tasteless. (It's the exact same meds they give horses, of course VERY different dose.)

Good luck! It's probably not a bad idea to clean all your litter boxes really well. I wash mine with soapy water, then dilute bleach (1%), rinse well, and store in the sunshine for a few hours to destroy any bleach residue.

[leslie flenner]

As with above post- I too never heard of using it for roundworm, only tape worm - but jan told me today that it can also be for roundworm.. Just was always prescribed Strongid- Probably because it kills other worms too (but not tape worm). Learn something everyday!! Good luck! Ick!!! And yes, empty out litter and bleach boxes!