Tapeworms in Dogs

Tapeworms are parasites that are found in a dog's intestine. It attaches itself by using it's hook-like mouth and sucks the nutrients from the poor dog. You wouldn't want this to happen to your dog, would you? Well, this article is about giving you information that you definitely need to know to get rid and prevent tapeworms in dog.

That said, how does a dog get tapeworms in the first place? Well, it starts with the flea larvae that eats on fecal matter that has tapeworm eggs. As these eggs hatch inside the flea, they become cysticercoids. They are then swallowed by dogs when they bite or chew at an itchy part on their bodies. As soon as the flea gets to the intestine, it is broken down thus releasing the cysticercoids that develop into tapeworms. That is when they start to attach themselves and start to feed off the dog's nutrients. As the tapeworms in dog mature, their tail segments, which contains the eggs, drop off. These are then passed off the dog's feces and the cycle starts all over again. Keep in mind though that dogs may also get tapeworms by eating infected rodents and lizards. The eggs would likely be found in your dog's beddings or in your carpet.

If you are having a hard time trying to figure out if your dog has tapeworms or not, here are a few tips. If you look at your dog's anus, you would see the dried segments of tapeworm that would resemble rice grains. Your dog would also be scooting around on it's rear end because of the irritation on it's anus. Try to look at the dog's feces if you could see the moving segments on it. Finally, the easiest thing to do would be to bring your dog to a vet for a thorough examination.

Don't worry, treatment for tapeworms in dogs is very effective and has no side effects. These are tablets that you can purchase from your local vet.

If your dog doesn't have tapeworms, lucky you. To prevent tapeworms though, you have to control the fleas. Regular de-worming is also a must. It's a small price to pay for the health of man's best friend, wouldn't you say?

Lastly, although tapeworms in dogs are a rare occurrence, there have been cases where a human became infected with tapeworms. So, just like your dog, stay away from fleas and try to maintain a clean environment in your homes.