How can you tell if your cat has tapeworm?
A tell-tale sign of tapeworm in particular is small white fragments of worm in the fur around the bottom. Where does the threat come from? Throughout their lives, parasites pose risks in many ways and we need to be aware in order to protect our cats properly.
What kind of worm is on my cat’s tail?
You may see dried, white to cream colored segments, or pieces of tapeworm in your cat’s feces or stuck to the fur under the tail. Some tapeworm species will break off into segments that are too small to see, while the segments of other tapeworm species will resemble sesame or cucumber seeds in size and appearance.
Can a cat get tapeworm from eating an egg?
Unlike other intestinal parasites, cats cannot become infected by eating tapeworm eggs. Tapeworms must first pass through the flea (the intermediate host) before they can infect the cat. Are certain cats more likely to get tapeworms?
How can you tell if you have tapeworm in your stool?
Some of the common symptoms of tapeworm include: [2] Examine your stools. One way to tell if you have a tapeworm is to examine your stools for pieces of the worm. If you notice any particles that look like grains of white rice, then you may have a tapeworm infection. These small white segments contain eggs from the tapeworm.
Is it possible to get a tapeworm from a cat?
Sometimes, it is possible to find a long, flat worm that has been vomited. Often, your veterinarian might find the eggs of the tapeworm in your cat’s feces during a fecal exam, although the eggs are so large that sometimes they do not show up well under the microscope.
You may see dried, white to cream colored segments, or pieces of tapeworm in your cat’s feces or stuck to the fur under the tail. Some tapeworm species will break off into segments that are too small to see, while the segments of other tapeworm species will resemble sesame or cucumber seeds in size and appearance.
How can I tell if my cat has fleas or tapeworm?
Check your cat for fleas. This is relevant because fleas carry tapeworm eggs. When a cat grooms itself, it may eat fleas infesting its coat, which allows the tapeworm eggs to enter into the cat’s system. It may be easier to look for flea dirt, rather than the fleas themselves.
Is it possible for a cat to not have worms?
If the examination of your cat and its feces proves fruitless, this does not mean that your cat does not have worms. It merely means that no worms were passed out of its body. Some cats can harbor large amounts of worms and not pass any out. The only way to be certain is to collect a fecal sample to take to your vet for analysis.
