Worm Girl Returns

I love my dogs, but they are full-on, downright GROSS. For a couple weeks, Lilly had been paying too much attention to her behind. Last Friday, I finally figured out why. Fair warning, squeamish pals.

Sure, I considered all the usual things:

  • Clogged anal sacs (eeewww!)
  • Bladder infection (ouch!)
  • Injury or perhaps mosquito bite (bummer!)

I looked and looked and looked, and I never saw anything strange … other than the ensuring wet zone (from her licking) and a little redness (again, from all the extra attention).

Then, last Friday, while working what turned out to be the FIFTH straight, double-digit working hours day, I saw a little something hanging on Lilly’s feathering on her haunches.

White. About an inch long.

“Oh, good @#$@#,” I thought to myself.

I made a dive from my desk, whipped Lilly over onto her back, and pulled back her tail just in time to see a big, white worm … coming out of her butt.

Seriously.

After hopping around in a jig best described as the Rox Gets Skeeved Out Shimmy (sorry no video of that), I called our veterinary hospital for help. Their instructions?

  • Bring in a sample of the worms (papertowel, baggie)
  • Bring home meds

This typically happens when Lilly hunts and EATS some sort of varmit, which is WHY we keep both dogs on year-round parasite meds (heartworm preventives PLUS tummy worm preventives).

Except, it sure looks like the meds are NOT working … which makes me more than just a little crabby.

I have a whole stack of The Whole Dog Journal to read, but this month’s issue includes an article about how some heartworm preventives may be losing effectiveness.

I’ll have to dig out that issue and see what i says about tummy worms too.

Except, it turns out it was @#$@# TAPEWORMS, which our monthly meds don’t cover.

Gross. Gross. Gross.

I brought in samples from both dogs. Both needed treatment. People can get these worms too, so we’re both completely skeeved out.

Both dogs got one big dose of medicine last Saturday, and they’ll get another big dose each on July 30. And it was NOT cheap … nearly $175 for the tests and meds.

I swear, our silly girl is a magnet for all kinds of beasts … rattlesnakes, spiders, fly larva, and now worms (again … this has happened before).

I REALLY do take good care of her. I promise with all my heart, but Lilly someway, somehow gets into crazy medical situations, including that episode in 2010 with technicolor vomit.

Please tell me that things like this happen to your dogs too.

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