Tapeworms?

[JGuitaristR]

Hello, I just recently discovered that my rottweiler has tapeworms. Odd thing is we have no fleas here. I can't seem to find any information on other causes of tapeworms other than flees..... but then again I can't find ANY information on tapeworms and dogs. Does anyone know what else might have caused it?

Another dog did visit here with a friend, the dog had fleas, but they were only here for a few days... and I don't think the tapeworms can develop that quickly.

If anyone knows, please write back!!! Thank you.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Drake had a tapeworm once before and we don't have fleas either. One of his playmates did. Thank God for Advantage!

If the dog eats the flea, he can get heartworm. According to my vet, all it takes is eating one flea!

The worm can be cleared up in less than a week. Your vet will give you some pills that will take care of the problem

[lv4dogs]

Yes they can contact tapeworms by ingesting a flea, also by a rodent & they can also get them from eating other dogs feces. (even if your god does not eat feces it can step in a nother dogs pile & lick his feet). Even though your dog does not have fleas it just needs to eat one (you might not of seen that one little flea LOL). It can not be transfered from pet to pet, it has to be ingested.

[sandragonfly]

Yeah, my cat had some tapeworms twice...once a flea went inside animal's mouth, sometimes it is ingested then inside the dog/cat, they produce more! You can go to vet, and buy this one $8.95 pill "Droncit" (this is really for only felines but for dogs...*shrugs*)--and yup, goes away in a week...good luck put it in his/her mouth!

[mruffruff]

Droncit is also for dogs; the dosage is much different. Check with a vet first.

[lv4dogs]

I can't remember which name goes w/ which medication but the tapeworm meds for dogs & cats is defferent. One is called Drontal & the other is Droncit.

[scarlett]

hey,

ok awhile back i was around a cat or dog can't remember and started getting these rash like things on my skin at first i didn't worry about it then i went to my nerou and my mom asked about the spots on me cause they were spreading around right away the doctor said tapeworm so please becareful around tapeworm it can get you and cause a bunch of rashes to get on yougood luck

scarlett

[Dixieland Dancer]

Here is some information I found on the web. Very informative!

THE COMMON TAPEWORM (Dipylidium caninum)

Biology of the Parasite

The adult Dipylidium caninum lives in the small intestine of the dog or cat. It is hooked onto the intestinal wall by a structure called a rostellum which is sort of like a hat with hooks on it. The tapeworm also has six rows of teeth to grab on with. Most people are confused about the size of a tapeworm because they only see its segments which are small; the entire tapeworm is usually 6 inches or more.

Once docked like a boat to the host intestinal wall, the tapeworm begins to grow a long tail. (The tapeworm’s body is basically a head segment to hold on with, a neck, and many tail segments). Each segment making up the tail is like a separate independent body, with an independent digestive system and reproductive tract. The tapeworm absorbs nutrients through its skin as the food being digested by the host flows past it. Older segments are pushed toward the tip of the tail as new segments are produced by the neckpiece. By the time a segment has reached the end of the tail, only the reproductive tract is left. When the segment drops off, it is basically just a sac of tapeworm eggs.

As Rover sleeps, tapeworm segments are passed

The sac 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 is able to move. Eventually the segment will dry and look more like a sesame seed. The sac breaks and tapeworm eggs are released. These eggs are not infectious to mammals. The tapeworm must reach a specific stage of development before it can infect a mammal.

Larval fleas are generally hatching in this vicinity and these larvae are busy grazing on organic debris and flea dirt (the black specks of digested blood shed by adult fleas to nourish their larvae). The flea larvae do not pay close attention to what they eat and innocently consume tapeworm eggs.

Tapeworm segments and flea dirt are found together in Rover’s dog bed.

Tapeworm segment breaks, releasing eggs

eggs are eaten by grazing flea larva

Flea larva pupates

Rover licks himself and swallows fleas

As the larval flea progresses in its development, the tapeworm inside it is also progressing in development. 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 usual business, namely sucking its host’s blood, when to its horror, it is licked away by the host and swallowed.

Inside the host’s stomach, the flea’s body is digested away and the young tapeworm is released. It finds a nice spot to attach and the life cycle begins again. It takes 3 weeks from the time the flea is swallowed to the time tapeworm segments appear on the pet’s rear end or stool.

You can see diagrams to this

here.