wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, I've googled the heck out of this topic, and about all I can find
is the phrase, "very rarely whole tapeworms can be passed". If anyone
has more details, I'd be grateful!


I've never had one pass that way but have had a cat barf one up. It was
fortuitous as I was in the middle of fighting with the vet to get tape worm
medicine. They wouldn't give me any for the cat because they weren't finding
segments in the stool. Once she barfed the worm, I marched it up to the vet,
made them look at it (gag!) and never had any problem getting meds for
tapeworm after that.

I don't know how long the medicine takes to kill the worm but I wouldn't be
overly concerned about running into one in the near future. They don't often
pass the entire worm like that. Tell your friend to be on the look out for
rice like segment being shed from the anus and get meds for the cat as soon
as any of them are found around.

Your cat cannot catch a tapeworm from another cat. They are acquired by
eating fleas or rodents.

Wendy