Help! Horrified panic about Scouty...

Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

Help please, before I have a nervous breakdown...

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit

"Karen AKA Kajikit" wrote in message
...
Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

Help please, before I have a nervous breakdown...

Take a deep breath! It's possible Scout has roundworms. They can stay in a
cat's systems for years from when they were kittens - second stage larvae
can remain encysted for years. The good news is that they are easily taken
care of, just talk to your vet. Here's an article about them:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...__kittens.html

Hugs,

CatNipped


--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit

"Karen AKA Kajikit" wrote in message
...
Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

Help please, before I have a nervous breakdown...



Take deep breaths and do not panic. It is not necessary to bleach the whole
place out or take showers. Get in touch with your vet tomorrow, explain
what you saw and get some worming tablets for both cats. Job done. Relax.

Tweed

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:28:28 -0500, Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

Help please, before I have a nervous breakdown...

You just wait and see TED tomorrow. If you are worried about personally
being infected, either TED or your own doctor can give you some medicine
too. Best of luck. MLB

"Karen AKA Kajikit" wrote in message
...
Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

Help please, before I have a nervous breakdown...

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit

Yes, she could have worms even though she is an indoor cat. But don't
panic. This is usually easily (and inexpensively) treated. Whatever you
do, *do not* buy over-the-counter medication. Buy only from your vet --
over-the-counter medications are usually ineffective and may be dangerous
(including reports of death from Hartz medications). If possible, take a
fresh fecal sample to the vet so it can be examined under a microscope for
parasites (the "fresher," the better for this purpose). I would guess that
these are round worms, but tape worms are also a possibility.

Although they are usually easy to treat, it is imporant to get this done as
soon as possible. Your vet may want to treat both cats, as a precaution.
This page has pictures of various types of worms that may be seen in cats
and dogs http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/worms.html (Warning: some of the
pics are rather disgusting to see.)

MaryL

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 19:55:24 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote:

Yes, she could have worms even though she is an indoor cat. But don't
panic. This is usually easily (and inexpensively) treated. Whatever you
do, *do not* buy over-the-counter medication. Buy only from your vet --
over-the-counter medications are usually ineffective and may be dangerous
(including reports of death from Hartz medications). If possible, take a
fresh fecal sample to the vet so it can be examined under a microscope for
parasites (the "fresher," the better for this purpose). I would guess that
these are round worms, but tape worms are also a possibility.

Although they are usually easy to treat, it is imporant to get this done as
soon as possible. Your vet may want to treat both cats, as a precaution.
This page has pictures of various types of worms that may be seen in cats
and dogs http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/worms.html (Warning: some of the
pics are rather disgusting to see.)

MaryL

I'll pass on the pictures thanks... I tried to look at a site about
cats and parasites and couldn't get past the first paragraph because
of the hideous photos... I'm going to have nightmares about it now!
lol
I'll take your word as warning NOT to just go to Petco for worm
medicine - that's what I was considering because I know John won't be
able to take the girls to the TED tomorrow...

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

If you actually SAW a worm, she may haver a rather bad
infestation, but it's not really life-threatening!
(Certainly not if you just noticed it - you'd have to
neglect the situation for a fairly long time, and I
seriously doubt you're the kind who would.) As to how she
got them, even animals who don't go out come in contact with
floors and carpets and things that come in from outdoors -
maybe one of you stepped in something that contained worm
eggs, and she sniffed at it enough breathe them in? Purrs
for your panic - such things are a nuisance, but not worth
stressing out over.

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

If you wash your hands with reasonable frequency (and before
eating) I don't think you're in much danger. Kids are more
careless about hygiene, that's why they can acquire
non-discriminating parasites from their pets.

"Karen AKA Kajikit" wrote in message
...
Scouty just came and waved her butt in my face and I am willing to
swear on a stack of bibles that I SAW A WORM POKING OUT!!!!!!!!!! John
says that if she had worms we wouldn't see them and I must have
imagined it but I know what I saw... I immediately carried her over to
him so he could see but it was gone. I'm horrified and very worried
about my baby girl... she doesn't even know what 'outside' is and she
only eats her dry kibble and won't even eat human food for a treat so
we don't understand how she could have got them. Could she have them?
What do we do now? It's eight thirty on Sunday night so it's not like
we can call the vet...

(I have a real phobia about bugs and parasites and things that
bite/suck blood... I'm fighting the urge to start disinfecting every
place that I've ever seen Scouty sit, and I want to have about ten
thousand showers because SHE CUDDLES WITH ME EVERY DAY!)

Help please, before I have a nervous breakdown...


Have you seen *any* fleas? Could simply be a tapeworm.

kili

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 19:55:24 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote:

This page has pictures of various types of worms that may be seen in cats
and dogs http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/worms.html (Warning: some of the
pics are rather disgusting to see.)

I'll pass on the pictures thanks... I tried to look at a site about
cats and parasites and couldn't get past the first paragraph because
of the hideous photos... I'm going to have nightmares about it now!
lol

I just looked at the site, and maybe you're right not to want to look.
I have to muster quite a bit of detachment to look at those pictures
without flinching! In particular, don't look at the pictures of the
roundworms in the soft stool sample while eating fettuccini with meat
sauce.

I was surprised to hear about this too, seeing as how your girls are
so indoors and fluffy. I can completely understand your panic though,
even though it's not medically an emergency situation.

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

I'll pass on the pictures thanks... I tried to look at a site about
cats and parasites and couldn't get past the first paragraph because
of the hideous photos... I'm going to have nightmares about it now!
lol
I'll take your word as warning NOT to just go to Petco for worm
medicine - that's what I was considering because I know John won't be
able to take the girls to the TED tomorrow...

--
~Karen aka Kajikit

I know how grossed out you are, but really it's more gross than
dangerous, and easily taken care of. You might have to take a stool
sample to the vet. I saw a cat throw up a big fat worm once. It was the
grossest thing I ever saw. I didn't even know they could vomit them.

Sherry