Dog tapeworms are classified as cestodes and are different from dog roundworms (nematodes) in a number of ways including their appearance and effect on the health of the dog.
Whereas roundworms are cylindrical and unsegmented, dog tapeworms are flat and segmented and these segments contain the tapeworm eggs. These segments are passed out in the dog's stool and look like grains of rice.
Although a tapeworm infestation is probably the most visible (to the dog's owners) of all worm infestations in that you can often see evidence of the tapeworm in the stool or around the dog's anus, generally the tapeworm does not cause much harm to the host dog.
A dog with a flea or lice problem is at an increased risk of being infected with tapeworm because these parasites play a significant role in the most common dog tapeworm lifecycle and serve as a source of re-infection after the dog has been treated.
Humans are also at risk from dog tapeworms, and some, like Echinococcus granulosa, are a significant public health problem as they can give rise to large cysts, particularly in the brain, liver and lungs of humans. Depending on their size and location in the body, the presence of these cysts can be life threatening.
As with all dogworms, a simple dose of a deworming medication is not guaranteed, (in fact is unlikely) to get rid of a dog tapeworm problem. However, that is not to say that a dog tapeworm problem represents a major obstacle. As with all dogworms, if you can identify the specific worm species causing the problem, and you know something about how it's lifecycle works, then controlling or eliminating the problem becomes much easier.
If you would like to know more about dog worms, including dog tapeworms, then Le Doc has written The Quick(ish) Guide To Dog Worms for you. |
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