What Every Dog Owner Should Know About Tapeworms
Tapeworm, or Dipylidium caninum to give it its scientific name, is a parasite that is most commonly found in the small intestine of dogs. These flat, white worms are segmented, and usually grow to between 4 and 20 inches in length.
They survive by attaching themselves to the intestinal lining and then feeding off the nutrients in the food the dog eats. As they mature the tail segments, containing tapeworm eggs, break off. If the dog has tapeworm you will clearly see these, which resemble grains of rice, in the faeces.A dog cannot become infected by eating the eggs directly, but only by swallowing a flea containing the eggs. The usually happens when a flea larvae eats the tapeworm eggs. Later the flea matures and lives on the dog.
The dog may chew at an itchy spot on his skin, and swallow the flea. The tapeworm eggs then hatch and the immature tapeworms attach themselves to lining of the dog’s small intestines. As the tapeworms mature they release their tail segments containing the next batch of eggs and the cycle begins again.
If you can get past the "gross out factor", tapeworms are not actually harmful. These absorb a miniscule amount of nutrients and often cause no irritation at all. In some cases though, the infestation can be severe, and the dog may even begin to show signs of weight loss. It is therefore advisable to treat the dog if there are any signs of tapeworm.
The most obvious sign is tapeworm segments in the dog's faeces. Many people believe that a dog that drags his hindquarters along the ground has tapeworm, but this is usually untrue. The more likely explanation for this behavior is blacked anal sacs or a skin irritation.
The good news is that tapeworms are quite easy to get rid of. Simply treat your dog with a prescription, or over-the-counter de-wormer. You should be aware though that some commercial products contain mild pesticides, so using them over a prolonged period may cause other health problems.
Veterinary treatment usually involves a pill or injection. This medication works by dissolving the protective outer casing of the tapeworm, which is then digested and excreted from the body.
Most dogs will get tapeworm at some time or another, but there are some things you can do to reduce the chance of your dog being infected.
Start by giving your dog a veterinary de-wormer every 3 months. This protects your dog from a number of parasitic worms, including hookworms, roundworms, and of course, tapeworms.
In addition, you should protect your dog against fleas, the vector for tapeworm. This is as simple as a monthly flea treatment and keeping the dog’s bedding and environment clean, and free of these pests.
Although is is very rare, there are some species of tapeworms that can actually pass from dogs to humans. So, if for no other reason, this should motivate you to have your dog treated.
To read more about tapeworms in dogs, dog care, puppy care and other interesting dog advice drop by at http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com
