# Threw up bug thing..what is it?



## Tokio (Dec 6, 2009)

[Picture at the bottom]

First off, yes, I know we need to take him to the vet again, but we want an idea of what we're dealing with.

Our cat, Oliver, has/had a really bad tapeworm infection. Last weekend he started throwing up tapeworms - we took him to the vet and he turned out to be very sick. He stayed at the vets for awhile, they gave him a deworming shot and had him hooked to an IV.

After we brought him home they gave us some antibiotic pills to give him. He wasn't eating on his own so we forced some food and water down his throat. Only a little so he wouldn't starve.

The past couple days he's been getting better. Walks around more and he's started eating and drinking on his own. He took his last pill yesterday and we thought all was going well.

Today he started gagging again and threw up...something. It looks kind of like a short, stubby, caterpillar thing. It's moving.

We want to know, what is it? Is it some kind of tapeworm pupa or some new infection? 
I don't know if this is some new infection...or if this is the deworming working and clearing his system. Any ideas?









It's very much alive. It's has been wiggly and moving around in the bag.

Thank you for your help!


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Yeck! :yikes I've got no clue, but poor Oliver! atback 
_...and a "poor you" to you, too, for having to pick that up._ 8O atback 
I think I'd call the vet ASAP ... does he have an answering service that can contact him after hours? If so, simply describe to him what it looks like, ask if he wants you to email the pic to him and/or if this will require a *right now* vet visit or if you could freeze this *thing* in a solid container (_I'm thinking a clean/empty plastic tub w/lid for butter-spread, cookie dough or cool whip_) and bring it, and Oliver, in on Monday?


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## KittyMonster (Nov 8, 2009)

First of all, _ew._ 8O 

Second of all, what medication was he one for the tapeworm other than the antibiotics? I don't have much experience in this, but when I brought in Mak he showed signs of fleas but no worms, and was given Revolution (1x per month for 3 months; vet said it was for fleas and worms) and Profender (1x per month for 2 months; more "worm focused") _just in case._


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## Tokio (Dec 6, 2009)

Thanks for replies,

I believe we are taking him to the vets tomorrow along with the..sample.

As for medication, I'm not exactly sure what they gave him because I wasn't there. I all I know was that they gave him a de-worming shot, antibiotics (pills) and some anti-nausea shot (I think) to settle him. And when he was at the vets (for about 3 days, I think?) he was on an IV because he was very dehydrated. 

And he's been getting better until he coughed this up.

My mom said that before he coughed it up, he was sneezing - so we're wondering if it's some kind of lungworm.

I don't blame him for being sick with all these things infecting him.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

[joke] ...you sure he isn't the host for some sort of _alien invasion_ going on? [/joke]


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## Tokio (Dec 6, 2009)

Hahaha, my mom actually said it looked like some kind of alien pod. Perhaps they're doing experiments on him out in the forest.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

:lol: OMG that is funny that your Mom and I had similar thoughts! :lol:


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## Tokio (Dec 6, 2009)

Okay, my mom took the thing to the vet and the vet said it's a wolf worm. She said they live on the skin so she's not sure how he got it in him but it's nothing to worry about as long as he doesn't cough up another one.

It was probably just stuck in his throat (possibly from licking himself) and he doesn't have another infection.

The vet said this is the first one they've seen in person!


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

I was going to guess cuterebra, and that's what a "wolf worm" really is -- bot fly larvae, basically. They usually bury under the skin with a breathing hole -- probably it was bothering the cat and he dug it out and swallowed it. ICK is right!

These things are really not that uncommon in cats who go outside; ditto tapeworms. The only way you can really prevent such things is by keeping the kitty inside.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Wolf worm, aka bot fly larvae live "in" the skin and underlying tissue. Did she inspect the cat to see if there are any other sites? 

http://www.petplace.com/cats/cuterebra- ... page1.aspx


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Another link w/ tons of info: http://everything2.com/title/Cuterebra


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## Tokio (Dec 6, 2009)

Hey guys, I've got a sad update.

Oliver died today, at around 8pm.

Months ago when he got worms we got him medicated and he got better (although he seemed close to death then). We turned him into an inside cat. Everything has been fine until recently. My mom said for about the last 2 weeks he would freak out randomly, like he was having nightmares, which is what she assumed. He was fine otherwise.

Awhile ago he was sleeping behind the couch and my mom said he started growling. She thought it was a nightmare so she went to move him, and he didn't respond. We gave him mouth to mouth, and pumped his chest but he's gone. It was quite sudden. He wasn't avoiding anyone and the other cats weren't avoiding him so there were no other warnings of him being sick. He's my sister's cat, but we're all devastated. 

We are now thinking those 'nightmares' might have been seizures from the wolf worm from months ago. They can get into the brain and cause damage. 

We took his body to the emergency vet to have him cremated.

Just wanted to post an update and say thank you all before for all the information about worms!

I feel quite bad he didn't get to go back outside before he died. My mom said that lately he would go and sit by the door like he wanted to go out. She was just thinking about buying him a harness to take him out. But at least he had a good life!


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Bot Fly. 

Good on you for taking Oliver to his Vet and bringing the thing along. First thing I read about any vomit is to take a sample and if anything deserves to be sampled it's that.

I've seen them on people on NatGeo. Nasty, nasty.

Ewww, Bot Fly removal pic in this article. I'd let the Vet do it. 



How to Identify and Remove Bot Flies in My Dog or Cat | eHow.com


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Oh no. I just saw the update.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

atback Please accept my condolences.


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## LilRed (Jul 16, 2008)

I'm so sorry. 
RIP Oliver


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## Jenyfyr (Dec 29, 2009)

I just came across this thread and did not at all expect to read that you've lost him! I'm so sorry...how horrible to lose him so suddenly. My condolences to you, your family, and your other cats...I hope you find comfort in the good times you had with him.


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