Causes and Treatments of Tapeworms in Dogs
Of the various infections that can affect your pet
, tapeworm infection is an infection that should be treated as early as possible. This is because the tapeworms are parasites that feed on the pet's nutrients which deprives the pets of their essential foods and thus weakening them.
Tapeworms are parasites that get attached to the wall of the small intestine by means of hook-like tentacles. The tapeworms that infect dogs and cats are termed as Dipylidium caninum and have lengths up to 20 cm. The body of an adult worm is split into smaller segments, each measuring about 3 mm. When the terminal segment matures it breaks of and gets passed in the stool. It appears like rice grains and has the eggs. When the segment dries the eggs are released. The segment may at times adhere to the area around the dog's anus.When the dog swallows the flea the tapeworm eggs hatch and gets attached to the intestinal wall.
Though tapeworm infections are not lethal to the dog they can cause weight loss and debilitation when they are found in large numbers. They often go undetected when passed out in the stools. But sometimes you see the tapeworms being vomited by the dog when they get into the stomach lining and cause irritation there.The drugs used for treating the tapeworms are very effective and the infection is therefore controlled.
Preventive measures include controlling the fleas and keeping the pet's environment clean and tidy. In case of the fleas not being controlled there is risk of the dog getting re-infected with the tapeworm. So take care of the indoor as well as the outdoor areas where your dog resides.
If flea control is not effective the children are at risk of getting the infection too. Mostly the tapeworm infection in dogs and cats do not pass on to humans except occasionally when the fleas with the tapeworm eggs find their way into the children.
Tapeworms are parasitic worms that are 6 inches in length but can grow to almost 12 inches in length inside your dog's body. The tapeworm body structure resembles that of a piece of a tape, thus, its name. It is composed of numerous segments that have their own reproductive tract. These grain-sized segments sequentially break off and carry off the tapeworm eggs. Once the sac carrying the eggs break, fleas would then feed on these eggs. The tapeworm eggs mature as the flea carrying them matures. Dogs get these tapeworms by ingesting the fleas carrying these infectious parasites or by eating infected carcasses of rodents. Once the tapeworms enter the body of your dog, these parasites would attach themselves to your dog's intestines and start on feeding themselves with the skin's nutrients.
How would you know if your dog has tapeworms? Primarily, you can determine if your dog is infected with tapeworms by looking at your dog's feces, the tail and anus. You should look for eggs sac which resembles the size of a grain or a sesame seed. Your dog may also exhibit several symptoms including weight loss which may not be entirely noticeable, abdominal discomfort, behavioral changes, and vomiting.
There are a lot of effective and safe de-wormers that are available to treat your tapeworm-infected pet, and tapeworm infection can be treated, but the best way to treat your dog is to prevent recurrence of tapeworm infection by keeping your dog free from fleas. To relieve your dog of fleas, there are a lot of treatment options you can avail of. You can give your pet flea baths and use prescribed flea shampoo. You could also give your dog flea dips which keeps flea at bay, but be careful of the side effects of this treatment. The most advisable treatment, however, is using flea sprays and powders. You could opt for a flea collar, but this only kills fleas around your pet's face and neck.
It is also ideal to get your dog a flea comb and use it on your pet regularly. Comb around your pet's hindquarters and head and put trapped fleas on soapy water. It is ideal to give your dog flea products regularly throughout the whole year.
Keep your environment clean and keep your dog away from grasses and woods as much as possible in order to lessen the chances of infection.
Children should not be allowed to play in areas that are prone to contamination and you should take care that your yard and house is free of fleas and all fecal matter should be disposed of immediately. Keeping the house clean and tidy prevents infections from affecting the family. You can get your veterinarian' s advice on the specific worm control measures as there are worms other than tapeworms that can infect your dog. For more information please visit
Tapeworm in dogsCauses and Treatments of Tapeworms in Dogs
By: Weldon Castro
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