Thankful Thimble Thursday with Eerie Eccentricity

Hello and happy Thursday, friends! You better believe Thimble is ready for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble isn't ashamed to share the same gratitude she's shared many times over the past few weeks. After all, when she gets a sun puddle like this, she's beyond thankful for it.

Now, something a little less than sunny is today's doodle for the April A to Z Challenge.

As I've repeated to you poor friends of our every day this month, my A to Z theme this year is "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things". We've reached the letter E, and I really had to think on this one. I knew I wanted to do something like what you'll see below for one of the letters of the alphabet, because it's a big part of who I am, as weird as it is. Anyway, E really took a hit on this one, because it gets to stand for eccentricity, and all things eerie. 

I've enjoyed eccentric, eerie, and just downright weird stuff since I was a kid. From creepy creatures to sad little teddy bears, I'm all for it and always have been. That was one bit of inspiration behind this doodle. That kitty there was also inspired by my angle Rosie, who was my childhood friend through all of my weird endeavors. If I'm being totally honest, this is also an illustration for one of the many wacky stories I've been writing.

Also, as you might have already guessed, even though not every letter of the alphabet will stand for a feline sort of thing, every doodle this month will nonetheless include a cat in some semblance. Even that weird doodle up there had to have a kitty character. It's simply a must.

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Now, let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I hope the Easter bunny brings me _________.

2. I don't want the Easter bunny to bring me any _________.

3. I can't believe I didn't think to _________ until recently.

4. Mother Nature really needs to _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday we yet again discussed the topic of fleas and the importance of using preventatives. We briefly noted on how a flea infestation can lead to a kitty or pup being infected with tapeworms. Today, we are expanding on the topic of these nasty, wormy invaders.

To begin, as we just stated, a tapeworm infestation can be the result of a flea infestation. This is because fleas can carry tapeworm larvae, and when a cat or dog grooms and thereby ingests a carrier flea, that furbaby can then become infested with tapeworms. Fleas are not the only hosts of tapeworms, though. A cat or dog can also become infected by ingesting a rodent, rabbit, or bird that is carrying them. For this reason, some veterinarians will recommend that outdoor cats and dogs remain on tapeworm preventatives regularly, to prevent infestation in the event that a tapeworm host is ingested during a hunt.

Now that we know how a kitty or pup can end up with tapeworms, let's give a brief summary on the signs. One obvious sign that a furbaby has tapeworms is visually seeing it in their feces, or around their anus, or even in an area where they frequent. What you see in the feces of an infected cat or dog are actually segments that break off of a tapeworm, and these segments are perhaps best described as looking like grains of rice. Other symptoms of tapeworms include a cat or dog scooting their rear end on the floor, to alleviate the itching, irritating sensation of the tapeworm and its segments. In severe cases, such as after a lengthy tapeworm infestation, side effects can include lack of growth or weight loss, or even intestinal blockage as a result of tapeworms.

If you have any concerns that your furbaby might have tapeworms, take your furbaby and a sample of their stool in for your veterinarian to examine. There is the possibility that tapeworms may not shed consistently, and some stool samples may come back as negative even when tapeworms are present in the intestines. This is why it is also important to explain and describe to your veterinarian any signs you have seen, such as tapeworm segments in the feces, scooting, weight loss, and so forth.

These days, treatment for a tapeworm infestation is relatively straightforward and easy, with the use of parasiticides. Thereafter, prevention is of course also key. Flea preventatives are imperative in ensuring that your furbaby does not become infected with tapeworms by way of fleas. If your cat or dog is often outdoors, and especially if they are known to hunt or ingest wildlife, you can also discuss with your veterinarian giving preventatives more heavily geared toward tapeworms. Tapeworms can hinder your furbaby's ability to thrive, so of course be sure that you understand their risks and do your best to prevent these wormy pests.