Found a tapeworm bit... but where are the fleas??

darkmavis

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
4,290
Purraise
160
Location
Long Beach, CA
Last night I was talking on the phone to BF who is in TX for work this week, and I saw a white thing bigger than a piece of litter; what turned out to be a tapeworn segment near Genever's butt - GROSS! PULSING! ICK! - I got it with some toilet paper and put it in a Ziploc bag in case i needed to take it to the vet, and it has since dried and looks like a sesame seed thingy. Called the vet this morning, yep, tapeworm, I will pick up some meds later today.

So. We all know tapeworms come from fleas. I started Genever on Advantage on July 15 and gave her a 2nd dose on Aug 12. We haven't seen fleas, haven't been bitten, etc. Where are these fleas?? Or is it possible she had this tapeworm since we adopted her back in January??

Thanks for any help...
 

proudmomof3cats

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
425
Purraise
1
Hmm... I'm not totally sure but It think a cat can have tapeworms inside long before you see them. So yes it is very possible that she got it before you started to treat her.

Hope this helps, and maybe someone else will more experience can tell you for sure.

Manda
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
It certainly is possible that she had the tapeworm before you got her. As for fleas, those little beggars are hard to get rid of and can live in carpeting for up to a year.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

darkmavis

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
4,290
Purraise
160
Location
Long Beach, CA
Well I picked up a tube of Profender (emodepside/proziquantel) at the vet about an hour ago and put it on G-cat. Vacuumed again too just in case.. The lady in the office didn't offer much info but said she doubted the tapeworm was there since January.

Like I said, I do not see/feel fleas!! So I don't know what to do about it! I read in another thread that people put flea collars in the vacuum bags, I might pick one up for the vacuum this evening just in case.
 

mai_kitties

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
255
Purraise
17
Location
Ohio
Little known fact that we found out when Aura was getting tapeworms and we couldn't find any fleas and she was treated with Frontline Plus.

Fleas can and will get through screens or can come in on your clothing. Those fleas will hop on your cat, bite them, die and then your cat could ingest the dead flea while grooming themselves. If the flea was a tapeworm carrier the kitty now has a tapeworm.

Our old neighbor had lots of outdoor cats and we know they had fleas. We were most likely bringing them in on our clothes. We never even realized it until our vet told us that this was most likely the cause.

We have since moved into our own home and have not seen a single tapeworm yet
.
 

misskalamata

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 21, 2008
Messages
240
Purraise
20
Our one indoor/outdoor cat has gotten tapeworms twice, and we've never seen a single flea on him or on the other cats in the house. I'm thinking he may have gotten the worms from catching a mouse.

Profender is great stuff...pricey, but sooo much better than shoving a pill down this kitty's throat.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

darkmavis

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
4,290
Purraise
160
Location
Long Beach, CA
Thanks, that makes me relax a bit, because I'm still trying to find fleas somewhere but I really don't think we have them!! That said, Genever is indoors-only and as far as I'm aware we don't have any mice on the 10th floor.
 

kkh

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Messages
383
Purraise
12
Location
Hawaii
Ku Ku had tapeworm couple of years ago - she WAS on Frontline plus at that time, also strictly indoor cat.

From what I learned, fleas can also come in with you on the sole of your shoes.
My old apartment was carpeted(now a hard-floor), I always took off shoes once I entered my apartment and never ever walked around with out-side shoes on. Added to this, I regularly vacuumed room, religiously used Frontline plus for Ku Ku. I never ever saw flea in my apartment but she still got tapeworm
My vet told me to switch to Revolution. She's been fine ever since
 

buzbyjlc10

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Messages
1,981
Purraise
5
Location
State College, PA and Haddon Township, NJ
Originally Posted by Mai_kitties

Fleas can and will get through screens or can come in on your clothing. Those fleas will hop on your cat, bite them, die and then your cat could ingest the dead flea while grooming themselves. If the flea was a tapeworm carrier the kitty now has a tapeworm.
Exactly! Oliver had them once when I was in my apartment in the woods in college and I've always used Frontline on him, so it's very possible to not be infested with fleas, yet eat one and get tapeworm. He got the 2 doses of meds and had no more problems
 
Top