We saw a worm in the cat’s litterbox. At first, it looked like a
piece of rice. But then we saw it move! Is this dangerous? How did
one of our cats get it? Is it contagious? What do we do to get rid
of it?
Q: We saw a worm in the cat’s litterbox. At first, it looked like a piece of rice. But then we saw it move! Is this dangerous? How did one of our cats get it? Is it contagious? What do we do to get rid of it?
A:
It sounds as though your kitties have tapeworm. Tapeworms release small segments (which look like small rice grains) that pass in the stool. Each segment is a package of many, many eggs which are released into the environment. Those eggs are ingested by fleas (and other insects). Your kitty swallowed one of these fleas a while back when she was grooming (licking her fur) and the eggs matured in her intestinal tract. That’s how these worms are spread; fleas are an integral part of the tapeworm life cycle.
There’s good news here. Tapeworms are not a dangerous parasite causing terrible illness in cats or dogs. They’re only a health hazard if they remain in the intestines for an extended period of time. And they’re not contagious to humans.
The other good news is that treatment is easy and relatively inexpensive. You’ll have to assume that all your furry friends have these worms (if one kitty is infected, the others are likely infected as well). You need to treat everyone at the same time or else the infection will be passed around all over again.
And finally, you’ll want to start using regular flea control that’s effective. Make sure to use a monthly product that your veterinarian recommends. There are too many store products that just don’t work as well as medications dispensed by veterinarians. Get the fleas out of your pet’s life and you won’t have to look at this ugly worm again.
Q:
Our 12-year-old dog Miko was recently rushed to emergency because he looked like he was having a seizure. His head is tilted to the right, and he doesn’t want to eat. The vet said it looks like vestibular disease. It’s been more than four days and Miko’s back legs still don’t work. He can’t stand. We have to carry him around. Shouldn’t he at least be standing by now? Is Miko just taking a little longer to come around? Please give me some guidance.
A:
I’m not sure Miko has vestibular disease. His head tilt suggests vestibular problems and the head tilt can persist, sometimes for weeks or longer. Veterinarians aren’t entirely sure what causes vestibular disease, so they usually treat patients with supportive care (fluids, muscle relaxants and antiinflammatory medications).
But I’m troubled by his seizure and other symptoms. Seizures or convulsions are not a typical symptom of this disease. And based on your observation, I wonder if there is some other central nervous system disorder affecting Miko. You mention that he can’t use his back legs. Dogs with vestibular disease aren’t usually paralyzed or weak this way; they just can’t maintain their balance and right themselves.
Miko should be examined by a specialist. A neurologist or a specialist in internal medicine can help rule out several different possibilities here. I’m concerned that he might have a tumor. Even a benign tumor can cause symptoms similar to his. And some brain tumors are treatable with radiation. It’s also possible that he suffered an aneurysm (broken blood vessel), although these are often fatal. Miko may have an unusual case of vestibular disease, but there are too many irregularities here. Ask your regular vet for a referral to get some more answers.
Q:
Yesterday my 13-year-old cat put her claws into my cable knit sweater. She managed to put a small puncture into my upper right arm. I washed it with soap and water yesterday and put some alcohol on it this morning. It is a little red. Is there anything else I should be doing? What kind of skin reactions should I be on the look out for? In the past, she has scratched me before but it was always on my hand.
A:
All too often, people give little attention to cat scratches on their hands or arms. Fortunately, these injuries usually heal on their own with little treatment. But cats have some nasty bacteria in their claws. The most notorious is Bartonella henselae, the organism that causes cat scratch fever. This disease is very serious, requiring hospitalization and aggressive treatment. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that about 40 percent of cats carry B. henselae at some time in their lives. This means we’re exposed to it a lot more than we’ve thought in the past. I don’t think that every little cat scratch warrants a checkup by a medical doctor, unless the victim has other health issues such as immune suppression disease. But all scratches require diligence to keep them from becoming a serious health threat.
I always recommend a visit with a doctor for a serious cat scratch. But if you choose to treat this yourself, watch the wound carefully. And if the skin becomes increasingly inflamed or sore, call your doctor right away. Waiting a few days can make a small problem turn into a terribly large dilemma.
