Tapeworm Infestation
If you are eating, you might not want to read this right now. The topic is considered by many to be fairly disgusting. It also sends most people rushing to the phone to call their veterinarian right away. Most people can accurately diagnose the problem on their own. What is this awful thing? Tapeworms.
There are various species and subspecies of tapeworms that infect dogs and cats. In general, tapeworms don't cause particular harm to dogs and cats except for one subspecies in which the larva can infect the peritoneal cavity and create some serious health problems.
So why the uproar over the tapeworm? It is due to one stage in the life cycle of the tapeworm. Tapeworms are segmented. Proglottids or tapeworm segments, containing egg packets, disconnect from the main body of the worm. The proglottids make their way to the outside world either by hitching a ride on feces or by crawling out. This is when pet owners see them, as they crawl about the perianal region. They can look like wriggling bits of rice. Remember, you were warned this is disgusting.
How does your dog or cat acquire tapeworms? They eat one of the intermediate hosts of tapeworms. The list of intermediate hosts is long. It includes fleas, birds, rabbits, rodents and reptiles. Almost any pet can come in contact with one of these hosts and become infected.
The easiest diagnoses of tapeworms is seeing the proglottids. False negatives are common with fecal lab tests because the eggs are shed intermittently.
Once the proglottids are seen, an appointment with us is the way to get the problem under control. Over the counter dewormers do not contain the correct medication to deal with tapeworms. There are only a specific few products that effectively address a tapeworm infestation, and they are only available through us or by prescription.
There are also some heartworm preventatives that can address tapeworms. To to us about these products and how to properly administer them so you can effectively prevent both heartworm and tapeworm infestation.
If you have the misfortunes of discovering a tapeworm problem with you pet, after saying to yourself YUCK! You can now give us a call and say “I've seen tapeworm proglottids!” We will be very impressed with your tapeworm life cycle knowledge and will also get your pet started on an effective medication.
Once on appropriate medication tapeworms are quickly brought under control.