Feline (General)

[Theis,Misty]

My cat Oreo has worms, they look like rice. My friend told me that they were tapeworms. My first question is what are they? How do I get rid of them? Are they harmful to my family? Can these worms be what has caused my dog to get a huge rash on his underbelly? He was eating the cat poop!

[dodlbug]

Cats typically get tapeworms from fleas. Take Oreo to the vet. They can give her/him a dewormer. The dewormer won't hurt Oreo. The first couple of days bowel movements may be bloody, but that's normal. You will definitely want to get Oreo treated. Don't just let it go. The worms won't go away on their own. Tapeworms deprive the host organism, Oreo, of nutrients from the food she/he eats.
As for the dog...I'm not sure if worms can be transmitted that way, but I wouldn't take any chances. Get the dog dewormed, too.