The Parasite and how it works…

The adult Dipylidium caninum lives in the small intestine of the dog or cat, attached to the intestinal wall by several suckers as well as by a structure called a rostellum, which resembles a hat with hooks on it. Most people are confused about the size of a tapeworm because they only see its segments which are small; the entire tapeworm is quite large at 6 inches or more.

The tapeworm head attached to the intestinal wall and begins growing a long tail. The tail is made up of segments, which oddly act like a separate independent body, with its own digestive system and reproductive tract. The tapeworm absorbs nutrients through its skin as the food being digested by the host flows past it. 


The sac, called a proglottid, is passed from the host’s rectum and out into the world, either on the host’s stool or on the host’s rear end. The segment is the size of a grain of rice and moves. This is what most pet owners see.


Meanwhile, fleas living on the pet have been happily drinking the pet’s blood, mating, and laying eggs. This will also be where tapeworm segments accumulate. When the flea eggs hatch, releasing ravinous flea larvae, the larvae eat the tapeworm eggs.

As the larval flea develops, so does the tapeworm inside it. By the time the flea is an adult, the tapeworm is ready to infect a dog or cat. The young tapeworm is only infectious to its mammal host at this stage of its development. The flea goes about its business of sucking blood and reproducing when some pets lick and swallow it up, and so the life cycle begins.


Controlling fleas is essential to prevent recurring infections.


Why is it Called a Tapeworm?

What do they Look like?


Where do they Come from?
There is no other way for a pet to get Tapeworms except from eating infected fleas.






Can People Get them?

How do we Get Rid of Them?
Tapeworms are killed by different medications (praziquantel, which is administered by injection, tablet, or topically. Fenbendazole is effective against several types of tapeworms but not against Dipylidium caninum.




No, just because one pet in the household has swallowed an infected flea does not mean they all have. However, since the pets are all exposed to the same flea population, there is a chance that other household animals may become infected. Watch out for tapeworm segments. If seen, tell your veterinarian so it can be treated. 

Why Might a Pet Continue to get Tapeworm Infections?


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