This is my 1st day on this site & 1st post...please bear with me.
Fri, 11/12- My 'baby' Flash found mac-n-cheese someone threw out at my hubby's jobsite & ate some before my hubby caught him. Then a co-worker fed him a whole 'Puppperoni' treat instead of just a couple of nibbles. (It was at least the 'lean' one!) We went camping that night & everything seemed fine.
Sat, 11/13- Woke up to find a bloody, jelly stool with numerous tapeworms....not just 'segments' or 'rice' shaped pieces...long, flat worms. I used a plastic fork & collected the samples into a baggy for the vet. Flash was 'depressed' instead of a very happy lil boy. I found a vet opened on Sat who tested and diagnosed both of my babies with tapeworms. The vet ran a whole list of blood tests on Flash since the bloody stool was his. MCHC was low (dehydrated) but no pancreatitis...thank Goodness!
Dr gave a shot to virtually stop/slow down the motility of Flash's intestinal tract, also gave me Centrine 0.1mg every 12 hrs for nausea, Flagyl 1.5 cc q12 hrs, Frontal Plus, dewormer- enough for both dogs, 1st & follow-up treatment. Gave me some Science Diet i/D canned food.
I chose to crush up the Drontal + and add to a small amt of food.....mistake. It took them several hours to get all the medication. I have also started giving them steamed, fresh chicken breasts, ground up. Flash still seems like he isn't feeling well.....definitely NOT himself. We've put down papers inside & been trying to watch while outside, but I think they may be constipated now!
All that for my questions:
1) How long does it take for him to get back to 'normal'?
2) Is it bad to give them just the steamed, chicken?
3) Should I take him to their local vet? I faxed all the info to them & did not seemed concerned.
4) How do I know for sure when the tapeworms are gone...from their intestinal tracts?
5) Can tapeworms be the cause of Flash's bloody stool?
6) Do you trust those meds to not cause terrible, even life threatening side effects?
I'm so sorry this is so long. I wanted everyone to have all the facts first.
Thank u for your time!