Well, this morning I found a worm in what I believe is Lazlo's poop, but I can't be sure it was his.
I don't know what worm it is, but now after having looked it up, I'm pretty sure it IS roundworm.
In the fall, we had what was at first an unidentified worm in the litterbox - it turned out to be a millipede. Something we must have tracked in the house, it got onto a cat, and dropped in the box. It isn't an internal parasite, and it wasn't in poop, just walking across the litter.
This morning I wasn't SURE it was roundworm - but it was smooth with little antennae. It was also dead. I just looked at pictures, and I'm pretty sure it's roundworm.
Anyway, off we went to the vet. We asked them to identify the worm. One of the ladies up front asked that I speak to a vet. It was the least experienced vet there and I don't like her. She doesn't see our cats. She said she didn't know what it was, and didn't think the other vets would either, but they could send it out for identification.
?????? They don't know what round worm looks like?
Well, they called a little while ago to say it will cost $160 to send it out to the lab for identification!!!!!!!!!!!! I am REALLY tempted to go pick up our poop sample, take the worm out, have the rest sent out for a normal fecal, and see if we can't figure out what the darn thing is ourselves. I'm really kind of upset.
I asked the vet we work most with to call (she only works morning, and was already gone for the day by the time they called to give us this info). She won't be able to call until tomorrow morning.
So here's my question for all of you. What would you do?
a) Pay $160 (and the cost of the fecal exam) to have the worm identified?
b) Just do the fecal to see what turns up (if anything)? (Of course, the problem is fecals can be negative when there are worms). The fecal is around $25.
c) Or not bother with any of it, and just treat all the cats with Revolution? (I see no need to figure out which cat it is, because if one has it and it's been in the box, it's possible they all have it, so on that I'm clear. If we're going to treat one, we treat them all. That'll mean eight treatments, at least twice).
d) Just wait for the vet we like and trust to call us and advise us on her suggestion for the best course of action?
Gary, of course, is completely freaking out. I told him this isn't an emergency.
P.S. For those that don't know, our cats are indoor only. But we have a growing feral colony outside, and the cats DO hang out right around the RV, on our steps, on our deck, and everything's melting, and we could easily have tracked something inside, despite trying to be so careful (shoes/boots come off as soon as we enter), it's been really muddy.
In the fall, we had what was at first an unidentified worm in the litterbox - it turned out to be a millipede. Something we must have tracked in the house, it got onto a cat, and dropped in the box. It isn't an internal parasite, and it wasn't in poop, just walking across the litter.
This morning I wasn't SURE it was roundworm - but it was smooth with little antennae. It was also dead. I just looked at pictures, and I'm pretty sure it's roundworm.
Anyway, off we went to the vet. We asked them to identify the worm. One of the ladies up front asked that I speak to a vet. It was the least experienced vet there and I don't like her. She doesn't see our cats. She said she didn't know what it was, and didn't think the other vets would either, but they could send it out for identification.
?????? They don't know what round worm looks like?
Well, they called a little while ago to say it will cost $160 to send it out to the lab for identification!!!!!!!!!!!! I am REALLY tempted to go pick up our poop sample, take the worm out, have the rest sent out for a normal fecal, and see if we can't figure out what the darn thing is ourselves. I'm really kind of upset.
I asked the vet we work most with to call (she only works morning, and was already gone for the day by the time they called to give us this info). She won't be able to call until tomorrow morning.
So here's my question for all of you. What would you do?
a) Pay $160 (and the cost of the fecal exam) to have the worm identified?
b) Just do the fecal to see what turns up (if anything)? (Of course, the problem is fecals can be negative when there are worms). The fecal is around $25.
c) Or not bother with any of it, and just treat all the cats with Revolution? (I see no need to figure out which cat it is, because if one has it and it's been in the box, it's possible they all have it, so on that I'm clear. If we're going to treat one, we treat them all. That'll mean eight treatments, at least twice).
d) Just wait for the vet we like and trust to call us and advise us on her suggestion for the best course of action?
Gary, of course, is completely freaking out. I told him this isn't an emergency.
P.S. For those that don't know, our cats are indoor only. But we have a growing feral colony outside, and the cats DO hang out right around the RV, on our steps, on our deck, and everything's melting, and we could easily have tracked something inside, despite trying to be so careful (shoes/boots come off as soon as we enter), it's been really muddy.