Tapeworm

Tapeworm – Cestodes 

There are many different types of tapeworm which can affect domestic animals. The most common type is the Flea Tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum). This tapeworm lives in the small intestines of cats and dogs (and occasionally children) and releases small, white packages of eggs which appear like cucumber seeds or grains of rice in the faeces or around the anus of cats and dogs. An intermediate host – typically a flea or louse – will ingest the eggs and they develop into an infective stage within the flea/louse at which time the flea/louse is ingested while grooming and then the tapeworm reinfects the dog/cat. 

In general, they cause little clinical disease in dogs and cats but may cause irritation around the anus when the active cell packets move on the skin. 

The other tapeworms of note are the Taenia species and Echinococcus granulosus (Hydatid tapeworm). In dogs, these worms cause no or little clinical disease, but they have a tremendous effect on the intermediate hosts in the life cycle. 

There is a complex life cycle involving sheep and macropods (roos, wallabies etc) whereby infective cysts develop within the internal organs of these animals (causing disease and condemnation of the carcasses), and these infective stages are ingested by dogs/foxes when eating a carcass and then eggs are passed in the faeces of dogs/foxes which are infectious to sheep/macropods and humans too. 

Hydatid tapeworms have officially been eradicated from Tasmania though the occasional case is still reported. This disease can cause horrific cysts inside people, surgery being the only cure. This is the reason why feeding offal (the internal organs of sheep/cattle/pigs/goats) to dogs is ILLEGAL – whether it is cooked or not. The only exceptions are feeding of commercial products that have been treated in a way that makes them “commercially sterile” – eg. dried liver treats. Special care must be taken on properties where dogs may stumble upon a carcass. 

Praziquantel is the recommended treatment for all tapeworms. Most veterinary all-wormers will contain praziquantel in sufficient amounts. The Tasmanian government requires that dogs travelling into the state be treated with praziquantel prior to entry to keep our state Hydatid free.