Question about tapeworms in cats UPDATE! Good news!

[gritsar]

Once treated for tapeworms, how long until the worms are expelled? Also, can you normally expect to see the expelled worms in their stool?

When we got KiKi from the humane society, she had already been fully vetted. She was abandoned with her kittens at a vet's office, so they gave her all the necessary care.
When I took her to our vet, I was concerned about her frequent and runny stools but the fecal float was negative. I switched her to a food without gluten and the runny stools were gone, but she still pooped alot.
Last week I saw tapeworm segments in her stool, so while we were at the vet with our puppy the vet gave me a tablet to give KiKi for the tapeworm.
We gave it to her on Friday. She's seems to feel better. She's not raveonously hungry anymore, not bloated like she was and her stools are improved. I haven't seen the tapeworm in her stools. Shouldn't I be able to?

 

[teach1rusl]

You know, those medicines usually work pretty quickly (within a day). I wouldn't worry about it if she seems "normal" now. She could have passed it without you seeing it...it may not have been in the broken pieces you saw earlier. I would go on how she feels rather than actually having seen the "evidence." I'm glad your new kitty is feeling better

 

[gritsar]

Thanks

I'm glad she's feeling better too. If you could meet this siamese, you'd be astounded that anyone could dump her and her litter of kittens.
She is the most loving thing. Loves everybody and everything - including our puppy.
I feel blessed to have her.

 

[debilorrah]

Aw Gritsie!!!! good for you for taking her!!! I found a rubbermaid container ducts taped so tightly it took two people with knives to get it open. Inside was a mama cat and her five babies.

 

[gritsar]

The change in KiKi since she's been rid of the tapeworm is amazing!
She no longer acts sluggish. She's not begging to be fed all the time and she's talking more. In other words, she's acting like a siamese.
What I learned from my vet is that tapeworms are hard to detect on a routine fecal float. By the time you see the worm segments in their stool, they have a good sized infestation going.
So glad we finally figured out what her trouble was.

 

[farrier!]

I thought you could see them too but you will not.
It seems when they die they are at least broken down going through the digestive track. So we will not see either the worms or the segments.

 

[onthespot]

fleas are part of the tapeworm life cycle. If I were you I'd get her frontline or a flea collar or something, as well as hit her again in a few weeks with a pill. You can buy it yourself at petsmart to save a vet bill.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
aww! thats so good Gritty!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
We took care of the flea problem a couple months ago - KiKi came to us with fleas, as did Jax. We no longer have any signs of fleas.

 

[gritsar]

farrier! :

I thought you could see them too but you will not.
It seems when they die they are at least broken down going through the digestive track. So we will not see either the worms or the segments.

I did see the segments, looked like rice, in her stools, which is what prompted me to ask the vet for the tapeworm tablets.​