what is a tape worm, like in a pet (dog)?
Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at
11:58 pm
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Tapeworms
General Information:
The tapeworm is a parasite found in the intestines of dogs and cats. It consists of a head and a long flat body made up of segments. Segments are passed in the animal’s feces, leaving the head still attached to the animal’s intestinal lining, where it produces new segments.
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Tapeworm infestation may not cause noticeable illness in your pet, or it may produce digestive upsets, poor appetite, poor haircoat and skin, weight loss, and vague signs of abdominal discomfort.
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Tapeworm infection is diagnosed by finding the segments in your pet’s feces, in its bed, or clinging to the hair around the anus. The eggs may not be found on microscopic examination of the feces. When first passed, the segments are yellowish to white, about ¼ inch long, and may expand and contract. When dry the segments resemble grains of rice.
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Tapeworms are not passed directly from pet to pet, but require an intermediate host in which to develop. Common intermediate hosts are fleas and small animals such as mice, rats, squirrels, and rabbits. Fish are the intermediate host for one type of tapeworm.
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Treatment will destroy the tapeworm already infecting your pet. Reinfection is controlled by eliminating or reducing contact with intermediate hosts. Do not allow your pet to eat small rodents or raw fish.
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Notify your veterinarian if any of the following occur:
Your pet vomits or has diarrhea.
Tapeworm segments are still seen after the prescribed treatment.
Your pet continues to lose weight.
its a thing inside of it .. it comes out in its poop but if your dog has it take it to a doctor rite away
A long worm parasite that lives in your dog’s (or your) intestine. Easily treated. Easily caught if you don’t wash your hands.
it’s a nasty little parasite. it is in its intestines!
a tape worm is a pracitic animal(lives and feeds off other animals).these guys r bad news in anyones dog
i had tape worm inside my va-…you get it…and yes i’m a girl…if it’s inside of you/anything else, GET MEDICAL HELP IMEDETLY!!
because it eats your intestines and stomach lining..
(personal experince)
It is an intestional worm that they get from ingesting fleas. The little rice like things that come out of the butt are segments of the bigger worm. The segments contain eggs.
Take the dog to the vet and get a wormer for it. get flea treatment also, then it will not come back.
It’s a parasite that feeds on nutritional matter in the intestinal tract of its host. If you suspect your dog has tapeworms the vet can confirm that and give you some pills to kill it.
When the tapeworm is dead your dog will simply poop it out.
If you have more than one dog (or a cat) there is a high probability that they all have tapeworms.
I heard that a tape worm is those kind of parasites in you.
They come from eating raw meat…..?
I have to admit that I write these article "on the fly", which means that my organization may be lacking, as is the case this month. When I realized that I forgot TAPEWORMS, one of the most common feline intestinal parasites that I see in our practice, I knew I must backup and talk about this worm. In last month’s article, I mentioned tapeworm infection as a consequence of flea infestation. A common way for cats and dogs to get tapeworms is by ingesting tapeworm infected fleas. The other way to become infected is by eating rodents that carry tapeworms. And because cats will be cats, this is another common means of infection.
How do you know if your pet has tapeworms?
Most owners detect the small, flat, white, rice-like segments of the tapeworm which are shed in the intestine and passed out the anus onto the hair or on the bowel movement. When these segments fall off the haircoat onto the bedding,, they dry and look like dried grains of rice, only flatter. These segments contain the tapeworm eggs. Evolution developed this nifty form of ensuring a continuing population of tapeworms by placing the egg containing segments in the same environment (the bedding where the pet lays) as the flea eggs which fall off the coat in the same location. When the flea eggs hatch, the flea larvae eat the tapeworm segments and become infected, allowing for the development of the tapeworm in the flea. When the flea is later groomed off the coat by the pet and ingested, the pet becomes infected with tapeworms.
Tapeworms are not directly infective. They must go through an intermediate host first (the flea or the rodent), before they can infect your pet.
Unfortunately, because the tapeworm eggs are encased in the segment, it is difficult to find them on a routine stool sample exam done by your veterinarian. Occasionally, we will pick up these worm eggs on the fecal exam, but only if a segment has broken apart in that particular sample of stool. So, a negative stool sample result at your pet’s regular check up does not ensure that he is free from tapeworm infection.
What do tapeworms do to my pet?
Of all of the intestinal parasites, tapeworms are probably the most benign. Your pet may show little or no clinical signs of infection. Sometimes we will see a cat with chronic vomiting that will respond to deworming for tapeworms.
The most serious complication of tapeworm infection is obstruction of the intestinal tract, because these worms can be quite long and take up a lot of space. Sometimes after deworming, we have a cat vomit or pass 15-20 inches of worms!
If tapeworms are so hard to detect, how do I know when to deworm my pet?
The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, currently recommend a policy called "strategic deworming" for pets at high risk for tapeworm, roundworm and hookworm infection. This recommendation was prompted by cases of human worm infestation (mostly in children) that was associated with infected pets.
Strategic deworming simply means regular worming for high risk parasites to prevent human exposure. Worming is recommended 4-6 times per year, depending on the pet’s exposure.
Is my pet at a high risk for infection?
Cats that are outside, that hunt and eat their prey are at high risk for all three types of worms. Inside cats may be at risk of tapeworm infection if they hunt house mice (or rats) and eat them or if they have fleas. Dogs that hunt and eat wild animals as well as dogs that have fleas are at high risk for tapeworm infection.
How can people become infected with tapeworms?
It is important to note here that there are many types of tapeworms. There are some livestock tapeworms that encyst in the muscles of these animals and infect people when they eat the undercooked meat. These are different than the tapeworms your cat or dog may get. Your pet’s tapeworms are only infective when they go through the intermediate host and the only documented cases that I am aware of were cases in which tapeworm infected fleas were ingested by the human patient. Thus, flea control is extremely important to prevent human tapeworm infection.
Is deworming going to make my pet sick?
The new dewormers are extremely effective and very safe. In certain high risk areas, they are used monthly with no side effects. They generally come in a tablet form and are easy to administer. If your cat is difficult to pill, ask your veterinarian for assistance. Occasionally, your pet may vomit worms or eliminate worms in the feces after deworming. Remember, these worms are not infective unless they are passed through an intermediate host, so you can safely dispose of them.
Tapeworms are flat worms that are segmented. They consist of a head, neck, and then a number of segments. The head usually has suckers or muscular grooves that enable the tapeworm to attach itself to the animal’s intestine.
Each tapeworm segment has its own reproductive organs. New segments are continually formed in the neck region of the worm while those at the end of the tapeworm are cast off as they mature. These mature segments contain large numbers of eggs which are often grouped into packets. The segments may often be seen near the anus of the dog or cat. These segments may move if recently passed or, if dried, they look like grains of uncooked rice or cucumber seeds. Tapeworm infections are usually diagnosed by finding these segments on the animal.
Tapeworms of cats and dogs all have life cycles that include an intermediate host. These hosts include fleas, fish, and domestic animals such as sheep and pigs. All of the adult forms of these tapeworms live in the cat’s or dog’s digestive system. It’s interesting that tapeworms have no digestive systems themselves, but absorb nutrients through their skin.
The most common tapeworms that infect cats and dogs are:
Dipylidium caninum
Taenia species
Echinococcus granulosus and E. multiocularis
Diphyllobothrium latum
Spirometra mansonoides
DIPYLDIUM CANINUM (FLEA TAPEWORM, DOUBLE-PORED TAPEWORM, CUCUMBER SEED TAPEWORM, COMMON DOG TAPEWORM)
The adult form of D. caninum lives in cats, dogs, fox and occasionally humans. It is found throughout the world. The intermediate host is the flea or louse.
What is the life cycle of D. caninum?
The adult worm, which can be up to 20 inches long, lives in the small intestine. The segments, full of eggs, are passed in the feces. While warm, the segments are active, but as they dry, they break open and liberate the eggs inside. Either an adult louse or a flea larva ingests the eggs. The egg develops into an immature form in the insect. When a dog or cat eats the insect, the immature form develops into an adult and the life cycle is completed.
How is an infection with D. caninum diagnosed?
The diagnosis of a D. caninum infection can be diagnosed by finding the moving segments, dried segments, and occasionally by seeing eggs in the feces if the segment had ruptured.
What are the signs of a D. caninum infection?
In heavy infections, we may notice abdominal discomfort or nervousness in the animal. The animal may vomit and sometimes have convulsions. It is thought that the convulsions are due to toxins produced by the tapeworm. The active segments around the anal area may cause an animal to lick or ’scoot’ on the floor.
What signs of infection do we see in humans?
Usually it is children who become infected with this tapeworm by ingesting flea larvae or adult lice. In general, we rarely see symptoms in humans. In severe infections, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and pruritus (itching) in the perianal area may be present.
How do we treat and prevent infections with D. caninum in cats and dogs?
The most common treatment is praziquantel which is found in Droncit. The dose is determined by number of tablets per body weight. It can not be used in pregnant animals. The drug epsiprantel (Cestex) is also effective, but cannot be used in puppies and kittens less than 7 weeks of age. For more information see the table on Treatments of Gastrointestinal Parasites at the end of this article.
The most important preventive measures are flea control and lice control. Numerous products are on the market which can be used for this purpose. It is recommended to not only treat the animals but also the environment in an attempt to kill as many flea larvae as possible.
TAENIA SPECIES
There are 9 major species of Taenia tapeworms in North America, 7 of which have cats or dogs as the definitive hosts (animals which harbor the adult form of the parasite).
Latin Name Common Name Definitive Host Intermediate Host
T. saginata Unarmed tapeworm; beef tapeworm Man Cattle
T. solium Armed tapeworm, pork bladderworm Man Pig
T. hydatigena Thin-necked bladderworm Dog, Bear Sheep, goats, cattle, pig, deer
T. krabbei Dog Reindeer
T. multiceps
(Also known as Multiceps multiceps)
Dog
Sheep
T. ovis Dog Sheep, goats
T. pisiformis Dog Rabbit, rodent
T. serialis
(Also known as Multiceps serialis)
Bladderworm Dog Rabbit, hare
T. taeniaformis Feline tapeworm Cat Rodent
Are the life cycles of the different Taenia species similar?
Yes. The gravid segments of the worm pass out with the feces of the dog or cat. Often eggs are released from the segments before they are passed. The intermediate host ingests the eggs which are immediately infective. In the intermediate host, the embryo is released in the small intestine and the immature form migrates through the body to various organs, depending on the species of Taenia. The immature form develops a small fluid filled sac, called a bladder, which surrounds it and provides nourishment. When the ‘bladder’ is ingested by the definitive host, the head of the tapeworm is released, attaches itself to the intestinal wall, grows and segments.
Dogs and cats may remain infected for a year or more, and the tapeworms can grow to be over 6 feet long.
What are the signs and symptoms of Taenia infection?
Even in severe infections, there is little evidence of infection other than pruritus around the anal area and finding the segments attached to the animal’s fur. Rarely, intestinal obstruction may occur. In general, the intermediate host shows many more signs of illness than the definitive host.
How is an infection with Taenia species diagnosed?
Because the eggs are often released from the segments before the segments pass out through the feces, the main method of diagnosis is through microscopic fecal examination. All Taenia eggs look alike and are identical to those of Echinococcus.
How is a Taenia infection treated and prevented?
Taenia spp. are more susceptible to antihelmintics than other tapeworms. Effective treatments include Droncit and Cestex. For more information see the table on Treatments of Gastrointestinal Parasites at the end of this article.
Prevention methods must be based on prohibiting cats and dogs from eating raw meat or offal, and preying on wild animals. The immature forms in the intermediate hosts are killed by freezing or cooking. Rodent control is important.
ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS, E. MULTIOCULARIS (HYDATID TAPEWORM)
Dogs and wild canids serve as the definitive hosts of Echinococcus granulosus. Herbivores such as sheep are the intermediate hosts. Fox, cats, and dogs are definitive hosts for E. multiocularis, and voles, lemmings and shrews serve as the intermediate hosts. Humans can also serve as intermediate hosts for both species of Echinococcus. The infection in humans causes a severe, sometimes fatal disease called ‘hydatid disease’ or echinococcosis.
Both of these tapeworms are found in limited areas in North America. E. granulosus is more common in geographical areas with large numbers of sheep, but is still quite rare. Originally, E. multiocularis was only found in the northern states; more recently it has been found as far south as Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
What is the life cycle of Echinococcus tapeworms?
The intermediate host ingests the Echinococcus eggs which are passed in the feces of the definitive host. The eggs hatch and the immature forms penetrate the intestinal wall of the intermediate host and migrate to various organs, usually the lung and liver. Large cysts, 2-5 inches in diameter, develop and contain thousands of infective forms, called ‘hydatid sand’.
When the cysts are ingested by a definitive host, each of the infective forms contained in the cyst can develop into an adult tapeworm which are usually less than 7 mm long. The adult worms attach themselves to the small intestine and may live there up to two years.
What are the signs of Echinococcus infections in animals?
As with Taenia tapeworms, the definitive hosts rarely show signs of disease unless the tapeworms are present in high numbers. Usually the intermediate hosts do not show signs of infection either.
How is infection with Echinococcus diagnosed, treated and controlled in cats and dogs?
Eggs of this tapeworm are not uniformly passed in the stool. If eggs are found, it is virtually impossible to distinguish them from the eggs of Taenia, which is a much more common tapeworm.
Praziquantel at a dose of 5 mg/kg is the treatment of choice in cats and dogs infected with Echinococcus. For more information see the table on Treatments of Gastrointestinal Parasites at the end of this article.
Control of Echinococcus is centered around preventing cats and dogs from eating parts or all of the intermediate hosts. Animals should not be fed offal or uncooked meat. Rodent populations should be controlled.
How do humans become infected with Echinococcus?
Humans become accidentally infected by ingesting food items contaminated with the eggs of Echinococcus. This can occur through eating contaminated vegetation such as nuts, berries and herbs. Hands could become contaminated by gardening or otherwise working in soil contaminated with cat, dog, fox or other canid feces. Be sure to wash all fruits and vegetables and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water as well.
Signs of infection may not be evident until years after ingestion of the eggs.
What are the signs of disease in humans infected with Echinococcus?
Humans, unlike animals, often show signs of infection with Echinococcus, and the signs vary depending on the organs infected. Parasitic tumors may develop in the brain, heart, lungs and liver. If these cystic tumors in a human would rupture, anaphylactic shock may occur. Surgery is often the treatment of choice in humans infected with Echinococcus. Newer drug therapies such as albendazole and albendazole with praziquantel are often used in conjunction with surgery, or alone if surgery is not an option.
The diagnosis of hydatid disease in humans is often made through sophisticated testing using CAT scans and MRI. Serologic tests are also available.
DIPHYLLOBOTHRIUM LATUM (BROAD FISH TAPEWORM)
As with other tapeworms, D. latum lives in the small intestines of its definitive hosts which include cats, dogs, fox, bear, other fish-eating mammals, and man. It is found in the Great Lakes area, in some southern Gulf areas and in the Arctic. Unlike other tapeworms already discussed, it has two intermediate hosts.
What is the life cycle of D. latum?
The adult worms, which can reach the length of ten meters, are found in the small intestine of the definitive host. Instead of passing segments filled with eggs, D. latum eggs are discharged through a small ‘uterine pore’ in each segment. Segments which have released all their eggs are often shed in chains instead of individually.
After the eggs are passed, they need to remain in water for 8 days before they are infective to the first intermediate hosts which are copepods, a type of freshwater crustacean. The D. latum embryos develop into second stage larvae inside the copepods. One copepod can contain large numbers of these second stage larvae.
The copepods are often eaten by minnows in which third stage D. latum larvae develop. Often larger fish, such as perch, walleye, trout and pike, will eat the minnows and the third stage larvae will move into the larger fish’s tissues. A definitive host becomes infected by eating the infected minnows or larger fish.
Do pets and humans infected with D. latum show any signs of disease?
Even though the adult tapeworm can grow very large, there are minimal signs of infection in cats and dogs.
The adult tapeworm can live for up to 20 years in people. In humans, D. latum absorbs and a large amount of Vitamin B12 from the intestinal contents. This results in a Vitamin B12 deficiency in some humans. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the proper production of red blood cells, and a deficiency in the vitamin can result in the development of pernicious anemia.
Humans with severe infestation may also have diarrhea, obstructions of the intestine and bile ducts, and sometimes show toxic symptoms.
How is an infection with D. latum diagnosed?
Diagnosis of a infection with the broad fish tapeworm is generally made through finding the eggs in the feces. Care must be taken to differentiate the eggs from another tapeworm called Spirometra and a lung fluke, Paragonimus kellicotti.
What is the treatment for D. latum infection and what prevention measures can be used?
Praziquantel is often the treatment of choice for broad fish tapeworm infections in cats and dogs. Although not FDA approved for this use in cats and dogs, it is a common and accepted practice to use the medication for this purpose. Recommended dosages vary. Humans are treated with praziquantel or niclosamide.
Prevention of D. latum infections can be accomplished by not allowing pets access to raw or undercooked fish.
SPIROMETRA MANSONOIDES
S. mansonoides more commonly infects cats and bobcats, but can also infect dogs and raccoons. Its life cycle and eggs are very similar to Diphyllobothrium. It is found in the southern United States in Florida and along the Gulf Coast.
What is the life cycle of S. mansonoides?
The adult worms, which are around 25 cm in length, are found in the small intestine of the definitive host. As with D. latum, eggs are discharged through a small ‘uterine pore’ in each segment.
After the eggs are passed, and become infective, they are eaten by the first intermediate hosts which are copepods, a type of freshwater crustacean. The S. mansonoides embryos develop into second stage larvae inside the copepods.
The copepods are eaten by birds, snakes, reptiles, amphibians or rodents. The third stage S. mansonoides larvae develop in these second intermediate hosts. Definitive hosts become infected by eating the infected snakes, rodents, or other second intermediate host.
Do animals infected with S. mansonoides show signs of disease?
Usually infections of pet animals with S. mansonoides are asymptomatic. In more severe cases cats may have weight loss, irritability and changes in appetite.
How is an infection with S. mansonoides diagnosed?
Diagnosis of an infection with S. mansonoides is generally made through finding the eggs in the feces. Care must be taken to differentiate the eggs from D. latum the lung fluke, Paragonimus kellicotti.
How are S. mansonoides infections treated and prevented in pets?
Treatment for S. mansonoides infections is the same as that for D. latum, praziquantel. Although not FDA approved for use in cats and dogs for the treatment of S. mansonoides infections, it is a common and accepted practice to use the medication for this purpose.
The only way a S. mansonoides infection can be prevented in animals is by not allowing them to scavenge or prey on the second intermediate hosts (birds, snakes, reptiles, amphibians or rodents).
Can humans become infected with S. mansonoides?
Rarely, humans have become infected with the second stage larvae by inadvertently eating the copepods. When this occurs, the second stage larvae migrate to muscles and other tissues and develop into third stage larvae just as they would in a snake or rodent. In addition, rarely in humans who have ingested infected reptiles or birds, the third stage larvae do not develop into adults in the intestine, but travel through the intestine and into the tissues. The human condition of having third stage larvae in muscle and subcutaneous tissues is called ’sparganosis’. Symptoms include pruritus (itching), urticaria (hives) and pain at the site of the nodules that develop. Treatment is usually by surgical removal of the nodules containing the third stage larvae. A similar condition may also occur in dogs.
Oral Treatments for Gastrointestinal Parasites in Cats
Ingredient(s) Example Range of Efficacy* Minimum Age/Weight
dichlorophene/toluene Triple Wormer R,H,T,F > or = 2.5 lbs
dichlorvos Task R,H,T,F > or = 2.5 lbs
febantel/praziquantel RM Parasiticide-10 R,H,W,T,F > or = to 2 lbs
fenbendazole Panacur R,H,W,T none
mebendazole Telmintic R,H,W,T none
piperazine salts Sergeants Worm Away R > or = 6 weeks
pyrantel pamoate/praziquantel Drontal R,H,T,F > or = 4 weeks > or = 1.5 lbs
praziquantel Droncit Feline Cestocide T,F > 6 weeks
epsiprantel Cestex T,F > 7 weeks
*Efficacy for intestinal worms:
R= Roundworms
H= Hookworms
W= Whipworms
T= Taeniid tapeworms
F= Flea tapeworms
E= Echinococcus granulosus tapeworms > means greater than
A tapeworm is a parasite that lives in the intestines, just like a human tapeworm. dogs contract the disease by ingesting dog poop with tapeworm eggs in it, or by eating infected pork (which is unlikely, because most pork is inspected before it can be sold.) the tapeworm steals nutrients from the food the dog eats, which is why two of the symptoms are hunger and weight loss.
vets can give dogs deworming medications to kill the tapeworms.
It’s a parasite that consumes nutrients that the dog ingests. Tape worm is caused when a dog ingests (eats) a flea – there’s no other way that tape worms are spread. Over the counter products are not good for ridding dogs of this parasite. A vet will give a dog Droncit or another safe medication that will rid a dog of the problem. They will reoccur if you don’t rid the dog and the environment of fleas.
a tape worm is a worm that looks like a grain of rice and can be found around the rectum of the dog or cat . tape worms r cause from fleas and easley taken care of by a worm pill from the vet called cestex