# worm fell from dexter!!!!! :(



## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

okay i'm gonna make this short and simple. 
me and dexter were both sleeping along and all of a sudden i felt this wet feeling come from dexter's fur. so me being silly thought he just peed in his sleep. i woke up again just to make sure since i was 1/2 asleep at the time what it was and it was on my arm! so at first i thought it was just a peice of dead skin or something but it felt like it was moving when i touched it. i called my bf since i was very concerned and asked him what this could be. he said it was definitely a worm but not sure what kind it was...
it's so small and white/tannish color. 








this is is a zoomed in pic of it...the clearest i can take.

could it be a larva from a fly?...i know it's not any of those serious internal worms since it came out from his fur. there hasn't been any signs of worms in his poops as well. he's still playful and eating and not vomiting. i submitted this picture into http://www.whatsthatbug.com just to make sure. they are very good at their work so it's very trustworthy. i have a garden in the back full of bugs so i'm guessing one attached themself onto him when they got a chance. i'm very paranoid about him going out in the back by himself now...:foxes15: has anyone ever had this happen to them? it's his bday tomorrow...and this happens...thanks for the gift stupid bugs outside -_-;


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

i dont know what type of worm it is looks like a maggot but i really couldnt say for definate but if he'd been outside recently theres prob a good chance it came from the garden - have u looked through his fur to see if there are anymore


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom * (Nov 10, 2008)

Looks like a maggot to me too... does it have a black tip?


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## Mom of 4 Chi's (Apr 3, 2009)

Yeah, I think it looks like a maggot too.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

*Chloe* said:


> i dont know what type of worm it is looks like a maggot but i really couldnt say for definate but if he'd been outside recently theres prob a good chance it came from the garden - have u looked through his fur to see if their are anymore


he goes outside a bunch to go pee and poop. yes i've looked thoroughly and haven't found anymore...it was just scary how it landed on my arm though...sigh


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

no no black tip..just plain old white/tan and dead. maggot really!


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom * (Nov 10, 2008)

I would go scrub my arm with warm water and antibacterial soap... probably wash my bedding too if I was you. I have a thing about insects... YUCK!


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

It's a segment of a tape worm. You want to get them treated ASAP. You can get them from him. There is a product called D-Worm that you can get over the counter at Petsmart, or Petco. Make sure you get the one specifically for tape worms. Your Vet can also treat him.


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom * (Nov 10, 2008)

Ohhhh yuckkkkk!!!! Tape worms, YUCK YUCK YUCK!!!! Seriously, WASH your bedding, they lay eggs!!!!


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Watch his bum closely. They will wiggle in and out of his butt. They will also come out in his poop. But they dry very quickly, and then will look like dry rice.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

TLI said:


> It's a segment of a tape worm. You want to get them treated ASAP. You can get them from him. There is a product called D-Worm that you can get over the counter at Petsmart, or Petco. Make sure you get the one specifically for tape worms. Your Vet can also treat him.


a maggot or a tapeworm...this is getting confusing 
i saw this one that had the best reviews but before i get it. is it dangerous to give to him IF that's not what he has?


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

also...i thought tapeworms were flat?!


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

pigeonsheep said:


> also...i thought tapeworms were flat?!


The picture above is exactly what tape worms look like. They come out in segments like that. They resemble pieces of rice. As they dry they look like dried rice. I would get a product specifically for tape worms, not a combo worm treatment. They are resistant little boogers. Watch his bum closely, you will see more. Also look for the dried ones.


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

I've seen this come from my cat years ago. He was on my bed and I actually saw the same thing come out his bum!!!!!!!!!!! It was like a grain of rice in appearance. I only saw it the one time but I knew he had worms as I saw it come from his bum. They come out and then die pretty quickly. And also as I young child I actully had worms myslef and they looked exactly like that. I expect it came out his bum in the night and died. I'd treat him asap and strip off your bedding and wash that too. 

I would treat dexter for worms to be safe. My pup benny came to me with worms and he had tapeworms and they were big and long and flat. They were in his vomit and poo. But then I saw the smaller ones from my cat as they break off into segments. I know worms when I see it.


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

I treated my dog benny myself for his tapeworms at home and he was fine and he had them pretty bad so just get the stuf from the shop and he'll be ok.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

sigh.... do they sell a product just for tapeworms? i cant find any on the petsmart page just the combo ones.


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

It's safe to give it even if he hasn't got worms. It's just the same as worming him. When's the last time he was wormed? I'm pretty sure that dexter has got worms, like I said I've seen the exact same thing come out my cats bum and not to be gross but my own bum as a child too!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd get some stuff now from the shop, treat him then go strip off your bedding and wash it.


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

pigeonsheep said:


> sigh.... do they sell a product just for tapeworms? i cant find any on the petsmart page just the combo ones.


When benny had tapeworms I just used the all in one combo and it worked fine and he had them bad belive me. They were in his poo and vomit.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Yes, it's by the brand name D-Worm. It will be in the store, maybe not online. If they don't carry D-Worm, get an associate to direct you to a wormer specifically for tape worms. 

Also, they get tapeworms from eating fleas, so treat him for fleas as well. If not, he'll keep getting them. Do not use flea baths. Use a topical. Most of the ones you can get in the store don't work. I would get the flea meds from your Vet. They do not have to be seen for you to buy the flea meds.


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

And honestly don't worry, he'll be fine once he's treated.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

god...i love him so much. if it was from a flea...why didn't his heartworm pill work? sentinel is what i use and it has flea treatment as well. as for washing..boy do i have a lot of bedding  okay so i'll be going to petsmart tonight. i have to be at work very soon...it's my payday so i'm guessing a lot of it will be going to him LOL...happy birthday to him... -_-;

also is the flea topical a spray? if so this is what my vet's online market carries


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

MarieUkxx said:


> It's safe to give it even if he hasn't got worms. It's just the same as worming him. When's the last time he was wormed? I'm pretty sure that dexter has got worms, like I said I've seen the exact same thing come out my cats bum and not to be gross but my own bum as a child too!!!!!!!!!!!
> .


lol im sorry for u getting worms before. that is horrible!  im glad ur okay now but i think the last time he was dewormed was a little less than a year ago


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

It is very treatable, and no cause for alarm.  He will be fine. Sometime after awhile fleas develop an immunity to the same flea treatments over long periods of time. Also, flea treatments aren't always 100%. It just depends on how bad fleas are in your area. He could have picked it up outside, who knows. I wouldn't worry to much, k. It is all treatable, and he'll be as good as new.  Topicals go right in between the shoulder blade. It's just a liquid that you squeeze out pre-measured onto the skin. I use Frontline plus. I will be off line for about 2 hours. If I can help any further, please let me know.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

an immunity really.....now im definitely going to be paranoid...SIGH ! is it bad to mix up 2 things then? the sentinel i gave him was a couple of days ago and if i get frontline plus...would it effect him? i'll be sure to go look for the wormer tonight. until then...i hope my guy wont be squirting anymore of those nasty looking worms out


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## Mandy (Jan 16, 2009)

ewwwww that worm poor dexter your mummy will make you better soon poor guy xxx


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

~*Mandy*~ said:


> ewwwww that worm poor dexter your mummy will make you better soon poor guy xxx


lol that's what i saved the picture as too...LOL "ew" -_-; i sure do hope this stuff works...i feel so bad that a tapeworm is growing inside him....goddd i feel sick to the stomach...who would've known it would happen :'(


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I agree that it is a tapeworm segment. Get a good light and a comb and lay him down and inspect him CLOSELY in the fur around his butt and the long hair down the back of his legs. I bet if you look you will see tiny dried things stuck to the hair around his anus that look like little grains of rice. That is a dried up tapeworm. The one that fell out of his butt and landed on you was a fresh one. And yes, they get them from fleas. Or from eating wildlife, like rabbits or mice. 

So yes, treat him for fleas. Treat your room/house/yard. And give him a tapeworm dewormer and he'll be fine. If you want, you can take him to the vet and they will give him a shot that takes care of the tapeworms. (Or at least that's what we did when we took in our old cats years ago.) It took care of it. Tapeworms CAN pass to humans so be careful.

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_tapeworm.html

Brodysmom


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## rebel_yell (Mar 24, 2008)

Ugh, friggin tapeworms, I hate those things. Lola had tapeworm when we first brought her home. Her previous owner had been worming her to death but with stuff that didn't even kill tapeworms! Our vet gave her an injection and that took care of it. Poor Dexter, he'll be fine when he's all cleared up. I hate fleas and the dang worms that come from eating them!!!


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

aghhhhhhh! LOL i feel so icky...  u just had to add in that it was a fresh segment that fell on me LOL. im also late for work right now  no ones home to take care of my boy...god im gonna be feeling so paranoid! i did thoroughly check him before and even cleaned his butt -_- i havent seen any other dried peices...or even fresh ones. that was the very first one i saw. and wow it can pass to humans!? more paranioa added to the list ....so frustrating. how do i treat my house for the fleas though...the sprays?


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

rebel_yell said:


> Ugh, friggin tapeworms, I hate those things. Lola had tapeworm when we first brought her home. Her previous owner had been worming her to death but with stuff that didn't even kill tapeworms! Our vet gave her an injection and that took care of it. Poor Dexter, he'll be fine when he's all cleared up. I hate fleas and the dang worms that come from eating them!!!


i loathe then now  poor lola too! atleast shes good as new now  my vet is far...maybe i should get one closer to me


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## jeanie brown (Jan 5, 2009)

i msy be wrong but i think tapewprms are pure white cotton like


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

jeanie brown said:


> i msy be wrong but i think tapewprms are pure white cotton like


they said it was segments  just peices of it. i even researched it online. the peices come off so others can eat it and lay more eggs into the other animal that eats it...and the cycle continues. and it did dry up. i layed it on something...it was nice and soft before but now its just hard and blah


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom * (Nov 10, 2008)

They pass through humans on your fingers or touching something infected by their eggs. If you touched something with their eggs on them (Dexter, bedding, food etc) and then ate or touched your mouth before washing your hands, chances are good you will become infected. You can also get infected if your neither regions come in contact with their eggs... sitting naked on an infected surface while getting dressed what ever.

Any opening, eyes, ears, nose, mouth or neither regions can be infected if the eggs are introduced. Wash EVERYTHING!!!!! Have I mentioned I HATE insects!!!!!


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

oh god  good thing i just took a shower. i'll be washing his stuff tonight...hours


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## Jerry'sMom (May 5, 2009)

I use *Interceptor* (pills) for monthly heartworm prevention. It also covers whipworm, roundworm, and hookworm. If your dog is diagnosed with any of these while on Interceptor, they will pay for treatment.


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## avbjessup (Apr 20, 2009)

Ewww! Poor little Dexter!! I hope you get this under control easily!


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

I wanted to add that Sentinel does cover Heartworms, Roundworms, Hookworms, and Whipworms, but not Tapeworms. The Interceptor Spectrum does however, but it doesn't have a flea protection in it.


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## Jerry'sMom (May 5, 2009)

TLI said:


> I wanted to add that Sentinel does cover Heartworms, Roundworms, Hookworms, and Whipworms, but not Tapeworms. The Interceptor Spectrum does however, but it doesn't have a flea protection in it.


I use Interceptor for worming. I use Frontline Plus topical for fleas and ticks.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Found your question. No it won't hurt t use the topical with the Sentinel.


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## pam6400 (Oct 5, 2008)

Poor Dexter!


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

thanks for all the replies and concerns everyone  ill be leaving for petsmart in 2 hours...i really hope all this works...i feel so sick that i tried eating lunch but how can i eat when everyyting had wormlike shapes to it -_-; ill be looking into interceptor as well. i cant believe im paying $60 for a pill dat didnt even include tapeworms...bah


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

The Interceptor that my Vet offers doesn't cover tapeworms either, but the Interceptor Spectrum does.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

thanks tli! so ill be looking into the spectrum one then


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

Don't worry he'll be ok. I worm Cookie every 3 to 6 months just to be safe. When benny had tapeworms it was horrible. He actually threw up huge long ones and his poop had one in it every time. It was awful. I never caught them off him though.

I had worms as a child, dunno how I got them. I just remember not being able to get to the loo in time and this poo that was riddled with tiny worms crawling all through it!


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## voodewlady (May 14, 2009)

I had a cat that had tapeworms and they looked like the pic you showed. I always thought they looked like sesame seeds. Yuck!


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

poor cookie and voos cat! sorry cant quote correctly on mobile rite now. i shoudlve done regular worming too...i feel guilty  well i inspected his poop today but found no worms. i almost puked smeling it lol. and when he puked it was just yellow foam and yellow dark pee like...im heading to petsmart now


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## catz4m8z (Aug 28, 2008)

Poor Dexter!! he is a proper dog, parasites and all!
I worm mine every 3-6 months but then they have a mission in life to eat every bit of poop they find down the park.:foxes15:

Could be worse, I once had to pick maggots out of what was left of someone's foot! bleuurgh!!(not to 'dis the maggots, they do a lovely job on smelly wounds.)


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

catz4m8z said:


> Poor Dexter!! he is a proper dog, parasites and all!
> I worm mine every 3-6 months but then they have a mission in life to eat every bit of poop they find down the park.:foxes15:
> 
> Could be worse, I once had to pick maggots out of what was left of someone's foot! bleuurgh!!(not to 'dis the maggots, they do a lovely job on smelly wounds.)


lol yea i heard maggots are great on wounds...but wow yes it could be worse. this is the first time my pets have gotten parasites though  lol thanks for confirming hes a real dog and not a cat


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

pigeonsheep said:


> i shoudlve done regular worming too...i feel guilty  well i inspected his poop today but found no worms. i almost puked smeling it lol. and when he puked it was just yellow foam and yellow dark pee like...im heading to petsmart now


You are doing regular worming. Sentinel treats them for intestinal parasites every month that you give it.  It just doesn't cover tapeworms, but it isn't necessary to give monthly tapeworm preventive. You are doing just fine with what you are doing. You are a great Mom to your baby, do not second guess yourself. This can happen to anyone.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

TLI said:


> You are doing regular worming. Sentinel treats them for intestinal parasites every month that you give it.  It just doesn't cover tapeworms, but it isn't necessary to give monthly tapeworm preventive. You are doing just fine with what you are doing. You are a great Mom to your baby, do not second guess yourself. This can happen to anyone.


thank you so much...i felt so guilty all day. im happy he took his worming dose today though  although in the package i read that it only covers one type of tapeworm...when there's several others out there. let's just hope that he doesnt have the other kinds


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## rcj1095 (Mar 4, 2009)

Oh, poor Dexter and poor Mommy. They clear up quickly enough, don't worry. It's nothing you did or didn't do and it'll be okay. I thought my cat had a piece of rice stuck on her bum or something and Andrew freaked out and was like "it's a tapeworm". That's when I learned all about them. He'll be okay. Give everything a good wash and try to relax.


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom * (Nov 10, 2008)

> I use Interceptor for worming. I use Frontline Plus topical for fleas and ticks.


That is what we do. 

I hope Dex feels better soon!


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## peapod (Nov 9, 2008)

Poor Dexter, hugs to you both  
We use frontline on Elmo, going across fields and things I wanted something to protect him from ticks as well as fleas, and with a coat like his I'd not have a hope in hell of finding anything in it!!! My vet recommends worming every 3 months because they can pick these things up anytime.


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

Awwwwww poor Dexter and you as well, hope you get this problem sorted out!


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## Jerry'sMom (May 5, 2009)

pigeonsheep said:


> thank you so much...i felt so guilty all day.


awww, it's okay. you love him and you are a caring owner--doing the very best for him. try not to feel so bad. if these things weren't so common, they wouldn't make so many products to fight them.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

rcj1095 said:


> Oh, poor Dexter and poor Mommy. They clear up quickly enough, don't worry. It's nothing you did or didn't do and it'll be okay. I thought my cat had a piece of rice stuck on her bum or something and Andrew freaked out and was like "it's a tapeworm". That's when I learned all about them. He'll be okay. Give everything a good wash and try to relax.


lol i wish it was a peice of rice  lol. i vacuumed a bunch all over the top part of the house. my dad thought i was going nuts


* Bailey & Kahlua's Mom * said:


> That is what we do.
> 
> I hope Dex feels better soon!


thanks!


peapod said:


> Poor Dexter, hugs to you both
> We use frontline on Elmo, going across fields and things I wanted something to protect him from ticks as well as fleas, and with a coat like his I'd not have a hope in hell of finding anything in it!!! My vet recommends worming every 3 months because they can pick these things up anytime.


i cant figure out how it could be a flea since im not scratching unless he ate the flea...ugh LOL dont they eat anything interesting on the floor -_-;


rocky scotland said:


> Awwwwww poor Dexter and you as well, hope you get this problem sorted out!


thanks rocky!


chi hua hua said:


> awww, it's okay. you love him and you are a caring owner--doing the very best for him. try not to feel so bad. if these things weren't so common, they wouldn't make so many products to fight them.


haha i guess that's true  thanks for the bright side note


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