Canine Tapeworm Symptoms and Treatments

The tapeworm is an endoparasite, i.e. it lives inside and feeds on its host and is transmitted by fleas, either that feed on the dog himself or by eating prey that has as flea infestation.

A tapeworm is constructed in a series of segments which grow away from the head part of the tapeworm. The head of the tapeworm is equipped with six sets of teeth which it uses to embed itself in the intestinal wall to feed. Each tapeworm segment has its own reproductive and digestive system and as the tapeworm grows in length so the segments at the end drop away and are passed out through the dog's anus.

These segments dry out and can be identified by their similarity in appearance to grains of white rice, and are usually found in the dog's bedding or on carpets and soft furnishings where he has been lying.

Either the dog will ingest these eggs and they will pass down the digestive tract to arrive in the intestine and start its life cycle to maturity, or dog fleas will eat them. Once inside the flea they develop into an intermediate and infected stage of life, and if the dog finds and eats the flea this too will pass the parasite down into the gut where the flea will be digested and the egg will develop into a larva.

There are usually multiple tapeworms in an affected dog's intestine and the effect of the infestation will be a gradual loss of weight and possibly a poor coat and lethargy. Very occasionally one the tapeworms will loosen its hold on the intestinal wall and find its way back up towards the mouth, and during this migration the irritation will make the god talk.

You will also notice, if he has had the tapeworm for some time, that he is looking thinner or that he is eating much more than he usually does, simply because he is not getting the nutriment that he needs and it is being partially starved by the tapeworm.

Treatment involves persuading the tapeworm to let go of its grip on the lining of the intestine, and this can be achieved by administering anti-worming medication specific to tapeworm, or your vet can administer a injection. The tapeworm then dies and is digested normally. You will need to make sure that his bedding and all furniture is vacuumed and cleaned and all the tapeworm egg sacs removed so as to prevent reinfestation, and maintain a regular worming and flea control program.

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