Not Funny

[guidofatherof5]

Before going to Driver's Ed. this morning my oldest(Emmyjo) was feeding Tank(snapping turtle). Emmy was commenting on how much this little(650 grams) turtle could eat.
I made a joke about her having worms. Emmy got mad at me and told me not to say that.
This afternoon I checked on tank and found these. Tapeworms!
At least that is what I think it is. I will be visiting the Vet. tomorrow for a positive identification. For now Tank will get .4ml of Panacur twice a day for 3 days. She took her Med. in pinkies tonight. She's such a good patient.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/flatworm.jpg

[Mommy2many]

Glad to see you are on top of things if that is what it is!

[Snakeknot]

You know there was a time when women used to purposely take tapeworms so that they could fit into those impossibly, thin waisted corsets. I'm glad that has fallen out of fashion!

Devon

[Holly]

Ewwwww!!!! That's a tapeworm for sure!

[ConcinusMan]

Yup. Tapeworm. Was it moving or dead? In any case, that's probably only a small part of the worm it came off of! There is a special medication (only one dose needed) specifically for tapeworms. I'd let your vet prescribe it. No point in giving meds to your turtle that aren't necessary or effective against tape worms.

[drache]

gross
that thing is eating your poor turtle's food

[ssssnakeluvr]

definitely tapeworm. I don't think Panacur works on them... I used to used a medication called Droncit....one dose killed the tapeworms. I dealt with them a lot in Michigan with peoples pets due to the tapeworm eggs there being passed on by fleas....and we had tons of fleas!

[Kevinh583]

That is pretty gross. I have been very carefull to wash and sanitize my hands after any kind of handling lately. Might have something to do with these nasty pictures you all post.

[guidofatherof5]

definitely tapeworm. I don't think Panacur works on them... I used to used a medication called Droncit....one dose killed the tapeworms. I dealt with them a lot in Michigan with peoples pets due to the tapeworm eggs there being passed on by fleas....and we had tons of fleas!

The panacur will take care of most of any other parasites and she has a Vet. visit on Thurs. afternoon for the tapeworm problem.

[guidofatherof5]

The verdict is in. Tank has tapeworms.
She took her first dose of Drontal Plus(praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate/febantel)
She took 1ml tonight and will get another 1ml dose in 2 weeks. She refused to take it from the Vet. but was more than willing to take it from me. I had the pinkies and the Vet. didn't.:D
The big girl is on the road to recovery. Snapping turtles are so cool. Especially when you have docile, tame ones.
BayerDVM.com - Drontal® Plus (http://www.bayerdvm.com/products/drontal/drontal-plus.cfm)

[kibakiba]

Oh no! Hopefully that medicine will work really well for her! I've never seen a docile snapping turtle, but then again I've never seen a good owner ;) But I know everyone knows that you are! :)

[mustang]

hey i saw that same scene with a cat when i was shadowing and the worms looked exactly the same! hope tank gets better

[guidofatherof5]

I always worry when giving any meds to my animals. This time my daughter Emmyjo was the most worried. She asked the Vet. a lot of questions with regards to the med's safety.
The Vet. told her that there was always risks but that those risks were small.
This means Emmy and I won't get much sleep and Emmy will probably sleep in by Tank.
It's great seeing my 16(almost) year old daughter caring for this snapping turtle. She said she wants to take Tank to college but I won't allow it since Tank will be a target for cruelty.
Tank is 770 grams, now. 2 years from now she'll probably be almost 2000 grams.
She(Tank) needs to stay home with Dad.:D So does Emmy but life must go on.:)

[mustang]

I always worry when giving any meds to my animals. This time my daughter Emmyjo was the most worried. She asked the Vet. a lot of questions with regards to the med's safety.
The Vet. told her that there was always risks but that those risks were small.
This means Emmy and I won't get much sleep and Emmy will probably sleep in by Tank.
It's great seeing my 16(almost) year old daughter caring for this snapping turtle. She said she wants to take Tank to college but I won't allow it since Tank will be a target for cruelty.
Tank is 770 grams, now. 2 years from now she'll probably be almost 2000 grams.
She(Tank) needs to stay home with Dad.:D So does Emmy but life must go on.:)
get her her own turtle for college prepare her for it by making her buy food and stuff the turtles care is 100% her (and if necisary 1% you)

[guidofatherof5]

She won't want another turtle and I wouldn't send some other turtle off to college to be teased or worse while she's in class or gone from her room. She understands and agrees why college is no place for a turtle.

[ConcinusMan]

I always worry when giving any meds to my animals.

And you are right to be concerned. As anyone knows, if a drug has the power to help, then it must also have the power to harm.

[drache]

glad to hear tank is on the mend

[guidofatherof5]

All hale the mighty Drontal Plus. Check out this load of worms that came out of our girl Tank. It's obvious that there is more to come(gross, if you know what I mean) Much of my time over the last couple of days has been checking on and spending time with Tank. I've been worried about med. reaction. She's been eating normally and appears to be acting the same as always.
I think I worry too much sometimes.
Too me this looks like a very heavy load for a 1.7 lbs turtle. If she was able to grow from Silver Dollar size to where she's at now in 1 year with all those tape worms stilling food. Imagine how much better she will grow when she gets rid of them.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/worms2.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Tank passed another smaller load of worms over night.
I called my turtle expert Mark this morning. He was amazed at the load that was in her for her size. She'll get another treatment in 2 weeks and that should put an end to this incident in her life. This of course after a clean fecal examine.
Full steam ahead, Tank.

[guidofatherof5]

Tank took a nap under a shelf in the living room.
This is one of two spots she uses as sleeping areas.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sleeping_turtle.jpg

[kibakiba]

Wow! That is a LOT of worms!! Poor little girl... Glad to hear she's doing better! She's a cutie!

[Spankenstyne]

Wow that is quite a load of worms. Glad to hear Tank's on the road to recovery. I bet she starts to freak you out with a growth spurt now ;)

[mb90078]

Do you know or suspect what may have caused it?

[guidofatherof5]

This turtle was found in the parking lot at Mount Rushmore. She was brought back to Iowa and after a few months given to me. I'm guessing she picked up the tapeworms while still in the wild. Her diet with me has consisted of night crawlers, trout chow, veggies and some frozen/thawed fish.

[guidofatherof5]

We've been a little worried about Tank the last day or so. She hasn't been eating at her regular pace. I was concerned she was having issues from the Drontal Plus.
Tonight, Tank ate 15 pinkies. I won't worry as much, now.:D

[kibakiba]

Wow! Tank sure is a tank ;) I could imagine that having all those worms inside of her and then finally getting them out would make her feel a little weird. When I had parasites in my stomach after I had got rid of them I didn't eat for 3 days.

[ConcinusMan]

I hate to admit it, but I too have passed a wad of tapeworms much like tank did. Many people have them and don't know it, or have symptoms. Thankfully they weren't the dreaded swine tapeworms which can burrow into tissues and even into your lungs. Just your average everyday tapeworm that rarely causes health issues.

A person can get worms easier than you might think. Even those who are careful about what they eat and handwashing and stuff. All it takes is to swallow a dang near microscopic egg.

[Hollis_Steed]

I hate to admit it, but I too have passed a wad of tapeworms much like tank did. Many people have them and don't know it, or have symptoms. Thankfully they weren't the dreaded swine tapeworms which can burrow into tissues and even into your lungs. Just your average everyday tapeworm that rarely causes health issues.

A person can get worms easier than you might think. Even those who are careful about what they eat and handwashing and stuff. All it takes is to swallow a dang near microscopic egg.
EEEUUUWW! too much information!:eek:

[ConcinusMan]

You probably have some (essentially harmless) worms in your gut right now. :eek: A doctor will tell you that the majority people do have them and never know it.

[Hollis_Steed]

You probably have some (essentially harmless) worms in your gut right now. :eek: A doctor will tell you that the majority people do have them and never know it.
Yeah, I'm aware that that is most often the case:) (In fact, truth be told, I just finished a "natural" parasite cleanse). But just 'cause it's true doesn't mean I want to hear about it!:)

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, I'm aware that that is most often the case:) (In fact, truth be told, I just finished a "natural" parasite cleanse). But just 'cause it's true doesn't mean I want to hear about it!:)


Now that's funny