Eeep! Tapeworm In Newly Adopted Cat

[GraciesParent]

Gracie's been with me for about five (anxiety-riddled, for me) days, and I'm 99% sure she has tapeworms. I've found several gummy or dried out rice-grain-sized white things on her tail/haunches over the past few days.

Thankfully, she has her first vet visit later this afternoon, anyway.

My question is: what can I expect? What do/will I need to do?

I know she'll be given a deworm/deflea treatment at the vet today (she had those done two weeks ago at the shelter, but I guess there were tapeworm eggs that hatched and grew since), but is there stuff *I* need to do at home?

I assume I'll need to dump all her litter (post-treatment), wash out the box, etc., but is there anything else?

Thank you in advance!

 

[BlueJay]

I would ask your vet, they should be able to give you instructions, if there's anything you need to do at home. I haven't had to deal with tapeworms yet, thankfully, so I don't have much insight on that. I would tell them what type of deworm and deflea stuff was used before, sometimes they have to be used at least a month apart. Also, sometimes the deworming has to happen more than once.

 

[GraciesParent]

Thanks, BlueJay. I'm expecting she'll need two treatments -- one now, and another in a couple of weeks to combat any new worms that hatch after the current ones die off.

But, yes, I suspect my vet visit will be pretty comprehensive -- I already have a written list of questions!

 

[di and bob]

I deal with tapeworms all the time since my cats do get out and catch rabbits, which are the host that the tapeworms need to reproduce. They DO NOT pass on to humans at that rice like stage, they need a rabbi/rodent host to finish the cycle and the fleas that are on them. Cats get them by eating the fleas on the host,rabbit, so unless yhow ingesting fleas you won't get them. That is why it is important to watch for fleas too!

 

[GraciesParent]

Fleas! OMG. How do I watch for fleas? (I'm in an apartment and she'll be a 100% indoor cat.)

 

[di and bob]

If she is strictly indoors you shouldn't have too much to worry about. I have found the easiest way to see fleas on a cat is to look at the belly when they are on your lap or in a good mood and on their backs. The hair is very thin right where the legs join the body, move your fingers through the hair and see if you can see any little moving black bugs moving really fast through the hair. That is fleas. ask your vet which brand of flea treatment they prefer if you find any. If she is indoors I doubt it!

 

[GraciesParent]

Her coat is super-thick and she's very squirmy -- I've tried looking at her belly (and elsewhere) but she will NOT sit still long enough for me to even move any hair aside. Maybe the vet will have better luck this afternoon!

 

[BlueJay]

I didn't see fleas on my cat when I looked, but I did find flea dirt(flea poop). Its little pieces of dirt stuff, and if you put it on a white paper towel and add a drop of water on top of it, it will turn red or brown, because it is leftover from the blood the flea ingested. It's ideal to take action as early as possible, with flea treatments, laudry, etc.

 

[BlueJay]

You can comb through her fur with a flea comb dipped in water and examine it for flea or flea dirt.

 

[GraciesParent]

She was given a deflea treatment at the shelter on Oct. 1st, and will presumably get a second one today.

I'm hoping the current worms are residual from eggs that had already been laid (and inside her) when she was dewormed the first time, and that there aren't new/residual fleas that weren't killed previously. :-|