Minutus

gisela wrote: you must see a Vet for

I would not even think of doing that.
The tapeworm remedy used by vets can kill some cats in a single dose. In
fact some constitutional types get ataxic within minutes, Colch cats for
example.

Since the cat in question is an outdoor one, it will be repeatedly
exposed, so using drugs to kill worms would add regular toxin to teh cat
- not good.
Far better to use the route of building resistance to the worms so
that exposure does not automatically mean infestation and drugs...in my
opinion. This needs homeopathy AND diet - as cell walls that are strong
and resistant to invasion are necessary and require good diet to achieve
and maintain. Problem is that nearly all commercial cat food, especially
the "holistic", is either junkfood or toxic to cats - so many more cats
are at risk for worms and other health problems, than should be the case.
It's actually rare for the cat to be nearly as sick as the drugs will
make it, in my experience, and it takes a long slow deterioration to
reduce the general health- it's not an instant serious toxin.
I agree the worms need to go, they are eating the cat's food and
making it eat more, and so they are a form of malnutrition - but I do
not agree that drugs are needed or that there is a panic needed for timing.

I'd have patience with the time it takes to rebuild the resistance to
them and I'd not use drug purges.

Namaste,
Irene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

Read up on Tapeworms.

Ok Irene I hear you - learned some more - just find that Tapeworms can spread easily also to humans - I know because I had one when I was child. But I agree if you can wait and clear it with homeopathy better.
Gisela

gisela wrote:

Dear Gisela,
This is an old wives tale.
Each tapeworm has a specific intermediate host.

So mouse tapeworm can only get into a mammal if an infected mouse is
eaten raw or improperly cooked - which will be how the cat got it.
By infected, I mean there are tapeworm cysts in the MEAT (not worms
in the gut) of the intermediate host mouse. Similarly to get flea
tapeworm (which is a smaller species), that can only get into a mammal
if live fleas are eaten and if the flea has the tapeworm cyst -
technically cysticercus/i is the term for this encysted stage of the
life cycle. A cysticerus looks like an inside out tapeworm head, and
indeed it everts in the gut to form a tapeworm, when swallowed.
ONLY if a cyst is eaten within the uncooked flesh of something, can
that develop into a tapeworm. Tapeworm eggs, as found in feces of cats
with tapeworm, (regardless which kind of tapeworm it is) can not grow
into tapeworms, and are species specific as to what flesh they can use
to form cysticerci. So we get flea tapeworms, pork tapeworms, mouse
tapeworms, beef tapeworms etc - they are all distinct species of
tapeworm with specific intermediate hosts.

Since the family is not likely to go about eating raw mouse or live
fleas, there is no tapeworm risk to the family from a cat infected with
tapeworm.

However if this is roundworm - those eggs can indeed infect humans with
roundworm if the cat's feces are eaten. Teach children not to touch
feces and to wash hands etc etc...

Zoonosis is relevant with some parasites - but if one knows the
specifics, there is almost no risk, as ordinary precautions will keep
everyone safe. Fear-mongering about pet parasites is popular - it sells
drugs - but holds no water when looked at with facts.

Because parasites in pets are so common - I would recommend some study
on the basics for them, for all veterinary homeopaths. You might want to
bring this up on the vethom-friends list for discussion if you like.
(That's the veterinary homeopathy list for anyone else interested).

Namaste,
Irene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

gisela wrote:

Not nice to have tapeworm..
Any mammal can get a tapeworm from something they eat that has
cysticerci in the meat. Improperly cooked pork is the most common source
for humans - in which case you'd have had the pork tapeworm.

I dislike your term "spreads easily", as tapeworm is not directly
infective at all. (If you ate the cat's tapeworm, you could not get a
tapeworm yourself from doing that.)
Food doesn't "spread". If you cook it through, it can't give ou a
tapeworm even if it is fullof cysticerci. They'd just provide extra
protein:-)

You would have got *your* tapeworm from your food, not from an infected
pet or person. So the trick is to eat uninfected meat - or cook it
through - not to be afraid of another individual who has an actual tapeworm.

Namaste,
Irene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."