I had another cat years ago, before Jason was born. My catsitter when I moved let him go outside, and of course he got fleas. After getting fleas, he got tapeworms. Ewww. After some meds, all was well. I have actually been “watching” Bella’s poo, wondering if an illness is part of why she has been using the hall floor instead of the litterbox. That’s why I saw the stuff last night, and know that that’s the first time I have seen any symptoms of anything – and while there wasn’t much, there was something. Something that this article, “Parasites and Your Pets” describes all too accurately. “When tapeworm proglottids are passed in your pet’s feces, they are white, large enough to be seen with the naked eye, and they may actually crawl around in the feces. The proglottids of Dipylidium caninum resemble typically grains of rice.” Yep. Pretty much right on target.
On a different note, I just got back from the doctor’s office. I have had an odd pain in my side for a week … or two … and typical workaholic, I hadn’t bothered to go to the doc. Mainly because I recognize this pain – it’s just like when I had kidney stones before. The first time I had a pain like this, which wraps around my side just over my right hip. Most of the time it is worse in the front (abdomen) but sometimes it is worse on my back. Then suddenly one night I woke up in excrutiating screaming pain. Worse then labor. I have never felt a pain so bad. After a trip to the ER I was diagnosed with kidney stones that time. So when the pain returned, I knew what it was. I woke up this morning in more pain then I have had all week and thought, “I should call on Monday…” Then I realized, who am I being a martyr for? The doctor would tell me to call now. So I did. They did a urinalysis – and found blood in the urine. Yeah. Sending it off for cultures to see if there is anything else, and will call me on Monday to let me know the test results and what to do from there. I get to take antibiotics and pain meds if I need them. And drink lots of liquid, preferrably water. Have I mentioned that I hate water? Yeah, fun. She said Kool-aid would be ok, although water is better. I’ll be stocking up on the Kool-aid, thank you. Everyone else there was in for upper respiratory infections and fun stuff like that – I truly hope I didn’t catch anything! I have only washed my hands about 5 times since then though, so I should be ok I hope.