Tapeworms, a fairly common parasite in dogs and cats, are flat and made up of distinctive looking segments which are continually produced near the worm’s neck. Each segment is capable of reproducing, and as new segments are added, old ones break away and are typically passed with the pet?s stool. These segments look similar to a grain of rice or a cucumber seed and contain thousands of microscopic tapeworm eggs. When they break open, fleas or flea larvae eat the eggs and a tapeworm’s lifecycle begins. The worm enters the pet’s body when an infested flea is ingested by the dog or cat (usually when the pet is grooming or chewing at a flea bite). Hook-like structures on the worm’s head allow it to attach to your pet’s small intestine where it lives and continues producing segments.
Because pets acquire tapeworms from fleas, it’s important to keep your furry friend on a continual flea and tick preventive. However, even this will not guarantee he won’t contract a tapeworm. A single flea jumping on your pet momentarily can result in tapeworms if your pet happens to ingest the flea. This can happen on a walk, when visiting another pet, at the groomer, etc. Fortunately, tapeworms typically don’t cause serious health problems. In extreme cases, a pet may lose weight or scoot its bottom on the floor due to anal itching where the segment has passed, but the act of scooting can also indicate other issues, so it isn’t a sure sign of tapeworms. A tapeworm diagnosis is made by testing the pet’s stool, and the parasite can be easily eliminated with medication. See us for any worm-woes your pet may have.