Tapeworms
TAPEWORMS (Dipylidum, Taenia, and Echinococcus)
Tapeworms also live in the intestines of dogs and cats and are very common in the UK. They are made up of lots of SEGMENTS all stuck together in a chain so they can get pretty long: up to several metres for some species!
When the segments at the end of the chain break off they are passed out in the animal’s poo, ready to infect another animals. You may see the segments in your pet’s poo or in the fur around their bottom: They look like little WRIGGLING GRAINS OF RICE!
Tapeworms cannot be passed directly from one dog or cat to another; they need an intermediate host: a flea, a rat, a sheep… or US!
The most common tapeworm in UK pets is called Dipylidium and it can be passed from pet to pet by infected FLEAS which are eaten when the animal is grooming. As we said earlier, fleas are EVERYWHERE, so no pet is safe from flea AND TAPEWORM exposure.
Taenia and Echinococcus tapeworms are passed on through eating infected rodents, rabbits or farm animals. Dogs and cats who HUNT, are fed OFFAL or SCAVENGE carcasses are especially at risk of infection.
Although unpleasant (and a little bit disgusting), tapeworms don’t generally cause ill health in our pets, unless they are present in extremely high numbers. The same is generally true for us: although we can get tapeworm infections, they don’t usually cause severe illness.
The exception to this is Echinococcus infection. When a dog passes Echinococcus eggs in its poo they can infect farm animals AND PEOPLE. The Echinococcus eggs develop into large CYSTS in the liver, nervous system and heart and can cause severe illness and even death in infected people.
Dipylidum and Taenia tapeworms are found pretty much THROUGHOUT the UK, so even urban pets are at risk of infection.
Echinococcus tapeworm is not as widespread as other tapeworms but is still regularly found in some parts of the UK. Even though it is not as common, vigilant control of Echinococcus is important because it can cause such severe illness in people.
Tapeworm treatment for dogs and cats can be in the form of a spot-on, tablet, liquid or granule medication. Many products will treat roundworms as well.
Pets in the UK should be treated for tapeworms every ONE TO THREE MONTHS, depending on their lifestyle.
Dogs that scavenge, spend time around farm animals, or have access to uncooked meat should be treated monthly. Cats who go outdoors, especially those that hunt, may need monthly treatment as well.
Urban dogs and cats who do not scavenge or hunt may be treated for tapeworm every three months.
Remember that even indoor only cats can be at risk of tapeworm exposure through fleas, so unless you want to risk seeing those little tapeworm segments wriggling around your cat’s bottom (or on your carpet!) then treat him for tapeworm regularly!
IN A NUTSHELL: Tapeworms don’t cause much harm to our pets but they can be passed to us and occasionally cause disease, so treating your pet regularly is important.
