This common worm affects both dogs and cats
Transmission occurs
when your dog grooms him/herself and “eats” a flea, or hunts and
eats small animals, such as rabbits, squirrels, etc. The
intermediate form of the tapeworm is inside the flea’s body (or the
body of the rabbit or squirrel) and it then attaches to the
intestine and begins to grow “segments”.
In about 3 weeks,
these segments begin to pass in the stool. They are
approximately ¼ to ½ inch long, flat, and white. After a short
time in the air, they dry up to resemble a small yellow flat seed.
Diagnosis is made from seeing these segments on the stool or around
your dog’s anal region. They will sometimes show up on microscopic
fecal exam.
Treatment for tapeworms is done by an injection or by oral
medication. Your veterinarian will help you to determine which
will work best for your dog.
The medications kill existing
tapeworms but do not prevent future infection. The only prevention
is strict flea control and restricted hunting activity.
There is no
direct transmission from dog or cat to a human, although is is
possible for people to become infected by eating contaminated meat.
