There is a variety of tapeworms that can affect the health of our dogs, tapeworm is a parasite of the group of cestodos (flattened or true worms), which has a great impact on the health of canids and humans, since some species can cause zoonosis, such as The famous hydatic cyst.In this Animal Expert article, we will focus on the knowledge of Dipylidium caninum, the most common tapeworm for routine pet exams.Read on and learn about the symptoms of tapeworm in dogs and their treatment.
This tape-shaped tapeworm inhabits the small intestine of dogs and cats; However, like all parasites in this group, they need an intermediate host to complete their cycle.
- An intermediate host is another individual other than the final host.
- Which in this case will be the body of the dog.
- Where the parasite performs certain transformations and continues to develop.
- For the final host to experience tapeworm infestation.
- Must ingest the intermediate host.
- Which carries the infectious form of the tapeworm inside.
Who is the intermediary host of the dipylidium caninum tapeworm?
Well, it’s usually the chip. It is curious that an external parasite, in turn, carries an internal parasite, which ends its cycle when the flea is ingested by the dog licking, or nibbling the base of the tail doing what we normally call “screw threading”.
Not all fleas harbor an internal cysticerc, which is the infectious form of tapeworm.However, many fleas become intermediate hosts by ingesting the parasite’s embryos into the environment.In fleas, this is where all the transformations take place, until they reach the “cysticec”.Once the dog has ingested the flea, the cysticercle will be released into the digestive tract and begin its evolution to an adult tapeworm.
The time between ingestion of the infected flea and the adult stage of tapeworm in the small intestine of the dog is approximately 15 to 21 days.
Tapeworm parasitism is usually asymptomatic, that is, we generally do not realize that our dog suffers from this disease because it has common changes in other cases, such as loss of appetite or diarrhea. hair, poor body condition (thinness), diarrhea, swelling of the abdomen, among other symptoms, however, this clinical picture is common in dogs that suffer the action of many parasites at the same time.
In a pet and care, the only clue that can help us know if our dog has one or more tapeworms in the small intestine is the presence of gravid proglotis in the faeces.
It is the mobile egg sac that tapeworm excretes externally with the host’s faeces.They move, but they are not worms, not even a living being, it is just a “package” containing the eggs of the adult tapeworm.It looks like a grain of rice that stretches and shrinks.Directly observing the progllotide of worms in fresh or dried stools, around the anus or hair, and finding them in bed, is usually enough to diagnose tapeworm parasitism by Dipylidium caninum in our dog.If this happens, don’t hesitate to see the vet as soon as possible for proper treatment.
When they spend time outside the body or tied to the hairs around the dog’s anus, they become dehydrated and look like sesame seeds, which are found in the hamburger buns.
If they are not detected directly in the faeces, because you do not see where the animal defecates, you can find the proglotis in the dog’s bed, in the tail hairs or around the anus, if they are dry we can check it by applying a drop of water with a pipette, and we will see how it recovers the appearance of a white rice grain.However, the most prudent thing to do is to get rid of everything as soon as possible, doing a thorough cleaning and vacuuming.
Traditionally it was said that an infestation could be observed by this type of tapeworm from 6 months of age, theoretically it is thought that the dog has not become accustomed until then to bite (bite), however, it is increasingly common to find hadworms in dogs from the age of three months, because it eats an infected flea while breastfeeding the mother , or licking it, as part of social behavior with other dogs.
Looking directly at the worm progllotide in the stool, finding them fresh or dried around the anus or hair and in bed is usually enough to diagnose the parasitism of the Dipylidium caninum tapeworm in our dog, if this happens do not hesitate to consult the veterinarian as soon as possible so that you can give him the proper treatment.
It’s simple and effective! However, it is not excluded that all parasites develop, over time, some resistance to conventional pest control.Praziquantel is the drug of choice due to its safety, low price and high efficacy against baskets.A single dose may not be enough. Sometimes it is advisable to repeat the treatment of tapeworms in dogs at 3 weeks.
However, we have found many products associated with milbemycin oxime, and other antiparasitic drugs (pyrantel, cambendazole), which cover almost all of our dog’s parasites (Toxocara, Trichuris, etc.), and may be worth administering praziquantel with some of them.Regularly on a tablet If the dog has an activity with access to green spaces such as parks, he encounters other dogs in the sand of the beach or in recreation centers, administration of the drug every three months may be necessary.
If we do not regularly treat our pet against fleas, using quality products, we will only get a temporary truce, if the dog eats an infected flea, after three weeks, it will have worms inside, because the praziquantel does not have a high residual activity, that is, it does not stay indefinitely in the body of the animal, killing any tapeworms that develop again.
Thus, the main factor in the treatment of tapeworm in dogs is to eliminate fleas, using one of the following products:
If there is a flea nest in the environment, such as a shed where firewood accumulates, we will have a new generation from time to time, waiting for the moment when the collar, pipette or pills that we gave the dog will cease to be effective, and we do not understand it, so it may be necessary to fumigate the environment with flea pumps or spray permethrin periodically.
If you don’t know how often you should deworm your four-legged friend and avoid the appearance of worms, don’t miss our article and be a regular during your visits to the vet!
Humans may be their accidental host if they mistakenly ingest the cysticerco-infected flea; However, it is difficult for this to happen to an adult, however, if we have a baby at home and live with a dog, it is vital to fight fleas.!
Although swallowing a microchip is a very special situation for a child, it will always be better to prevent it, especially at this age when everything comes to your mouth and licking your dog seems like a fun idea.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Parasitic Diseases section.