If they are well and eating / drinking / urinating / deafecating / breathing normally, then you don't need to present as an emergency.
If you experience any of the signs or symptoms of tapeworm infection, seek medical attention.
Tapeworms in cats are common intestinal parasites that often cause diarrhea. Infections can range from mild to potentially life-threatening, but are easily cured with medication.
If left untreated, tapeworms can cause intestinal inflammation and secondary health issues. Older cats and kittens are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of intestinal parasites. In extreme cases, kittens may develop intestinal obstructions from adult tapeworms.
Tapeworms can live up to two years if untreated, but often do not cause great harm to their host. These worms can grow up to 20 inches long, however, they are usually smaller. Tapeworm infestations are fairly common in cats, and veterinary treatment is very effective at eradicating them.
Can I get a tapeworm infection from my pet? Yes; however, the risk of infection with this tapeworm in humans is very low. For a person to become infected with Dipylidium, he or she must accidentally swallow an infected flea. Most reported cases involve children.
Tapeworms are not particularly harmful to the cat and few clinical signs are attributed to their presence. Usually, the cat is brought to the veterinarian because the owner notices the presence of proglottids crawling on feces.
If you notice tapeworms, take your cat to the vet for an evaluation. A fecal sample can be used to diagnose intestinal parasites like tapeworms. It's always helpful to save any worms that you find and bring them to your veterinarian for diagnosis. They can be transported in a sealed plastic bag or jar.
Are Worms Painful for Cats? Worms in cats can potentially cause pain. The migration of larvae through the liver, stomach, eye, or lungs would cause discomfort as the affected tissues become inflamed from the disruption.
There are no home remedies for tapeworms in cats. Prevention, however, is the best course of action. Whether your cat has had tapeworms or you want to avoid your cat getting them, the best way to prevent tapeworms in cats is by giving your cat flea and tick medicine.
Important: If you see a tapeworm segment coming out of your cat's anus, do not attempt to pull it out! If the worm is long and wrapped around his intestines you could cause serious internal damage. Call your vet immediately.
Your veterinarian will prescribe a deworming medication, which can be oral or injectable, that will kill the tapeworms. In cases where there is an ongoing flea infestation, multiple treatments will likely be recommended.
Indoor cats can become infected with tapeworm in a few different ways, but the most common is by eating infected fleas. Even though your cat may never set a paw outdoors, fleas can hitch a ride into your home on your clothes, on other pets or even on other visitors to your home.
Left untreated, adult tapeworms can live in a host body for up to 30 years.
Tapeworms are one of the most common intestinal worms you might find in your cat's poop. They typically have long, flat bodies that resemble a ribbon. Tapeworms typically live in the small intestine and absorb nutrients from food eaten by the cat. Additionally, pieces of the tapeworm break off and end up in cat stool.
In rare cases, tapeworm segments become lodged in the appendix, or the bile and pancreatic ducts. Infection with T. solium tapeworms can result in human cysticercosis, which can be a very serious disease that can cause seizures and muscle or eye damage.
Can humans get worms from cats? Yes, humans can get worms from cats if they come in direct contact with infected feces or soil. This tends to happen when people are gardening without gloves, walking barefoot through infected soil, or if children are playing in a sandbox that has infected feces from cats.
Lethargy – Cats with worms are often lethargic. They may lack energy, or seem to have less interest in things that usually excite them. Dragging themselves along the carpet – This is a strong symptom of cat worms.
How will roundworms affect my cat? Adult roundworms live in the cat's intestines. Most cats will not have signs of infection; however, cats with major roundworm infections commonly show vomiting, weight loss, dull hair, and a potbellied appearance. The cat may cough if the roundworms move into the lungs.
Because cats are not feces eaters (coprophagic), humans are unlikely to become infected by parasites from their cats. Giardia and Cryptosporidia are immediately infective so potentially could be transmitted by a lick.
Because tapeworms feed on the nutrients passed in the small intestine, your cat may seem more hungry than usual as she is unwittingly sharing her meals with a nasty intestinal parasite. If the infestation lasts long enough, your cat might even lose weight.
The tapeworm eggs can live in the environment in grass and soil, carpets and dust, so it is hard to eliminate the process of infection as we cannot keep this permanently clean.
If your cat has tapeworms, your veterinarian will prescribe a dewormer medication to kill the tapeworms. In most cases, a single dose of oral medication is all that's needed. Prevention of tapeworm infection includes limiting access to small rodents and flea control.
These tabs require only a single administration to start working and effectively eliminate tapeworms within 3 weeks; although, some cats may require another 2-3 week period of treatment.