Morphology and relationship to ''T. campanula''
During the early 1900s, many considered the only legitimate feline whipworm species to be ''T. serrata''. However, another feline whipworm species known as '' T. campanula'' was also discovered. Whipworms of ''T. serrata'' are slightly bigger than those of ''T. campanula''. Male and female lengths of ''T. serrata'' are 40 and 48mm respectively, while their ''T. campanula'' counterparts are 20.5 and 31.5mm respectively. However, the eggs of ''T. serrata'' are marginally smaller than those of ''T. campanula''. The egg morphologies of both species are identical and have a light brown color and a lemon shape. Despite the size difference, studies have discovered that the best form of differentiation between the two species can be seen in the anatomy of their females. In 1975, it was discovered that female organisms of ''T. serrata'' have a fingerlike projection from the vulva while their ''T. campanula'' counterparts have two longitudinal lips on that sex organ. Both have a bacillary band, although based on the original description that of ''T. serrata'' is more obvious than ''T. campanula''Treatment and diagnosis
There are no clinical symptoms associated with whipworm infections in felines. Diagnosis of cats with these infections is usually through fecal flotation and an ELISA antigen test. To treat them, veterinarians recommend feeding the cats 50 mg/kg of fenbendazole once a day for three days. Although they are very infectious between cats, there are no recorded cases of ''T. serrata'' infecting humans.References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q22286946 Parasitic nematodes of mammals Parasites of cats Trichocephalida