Yucky tapeworms

Zeke got tapeworms from eating cat poop. I went to the vet and bought the meds special to kill off tapeworms. By the next day, he quit pooping tapeworms. I thought all was well. Two days ago I gave Zeke 1 drop of MMS, yesterday he got two. After seeing his poop just now, I upped it to 3 drops. Since this is the first time in a month that tapeworms have come out, I hope it’s the MMS killing them. These weren’t moving like the other ones last month. They are also MUCH smaller…still tapeworms, but way skinnier and smaller segments. ICK!

Tapeworms are flat, segmented and shaped like ribbons. Tapeworms are the largest intestinal parasites and can grow to up to several feet in length. Tapeworm larvae can be found in undercooked meat or fish. From larvae, worms develop in the body and attach to the small intestine. It survives here by absorbing nutrients from ingested foods. Tapeworm infection is often symptomless.

• Taenia solium (pork tapeworm) infection most commonly occurs after eating undercooked pork, smoked ham, or sausages containing larvae. Adult worms attach to the intestines. Symptoms are similar to infection with beef tapeworm. Larvae can travel to subcutaneous tissue, muscle, the central nervous system, and/or the eye, where they eventually form cysts to which the person infected responds with an inflammatory response which can happen after 4 or 5 years. It can develop into blindness, seizures, neurological deficits, and hydrocephalus (swelling of the head).
• Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm) infection occurs most commonly after eating undercooked beef containing the larvae. It can live in the intestines for up to 25 years and grow to a length of eight feet. It is usually symptomless, although occasionally presents as abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, weight loss and diarrhea. Segments can crawl out of the anus.
• Diphyllobothrium latum (fish tapeworm) infection is most commonly due to eating freshwater fish containing larvae. Fish tapeworm can grow to 15 meters in length. Symptoms are nonspecific abdominal symptoms, such as loss of appetite, heartburn, diarrhea, and nausea. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also occur, leading to macrocytic anemia and neurological symptoms such as muscle twitches.