Tapeworms
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They're also one of the few internal parasites that can be tracked back to the source.
There are two common types of tapeworms in dogs. And adult tapeworms look alike. Each has little segments that look like a measuring tape. Since the segments break off easily, they vary in length. Owners often report seeing pieces that look like dried rice on the hair around their dog's rectum, or on the dog's bed, or even the furniture.
Rarely, small, white moving pieces are visible on a freshly passed stool. (But perhaps these are seen more frequently now that most responsible dog owners are bagging up their dog's stools.) These pieces are sometimes confused with maggots if on a stool that's been outside for a while. If you're not sure what it is, take a sample to your veterinarian. Tapeworm eggs are not often caught on fecal examinations, so let your vet know if you've seen any segments.
Sometimes an observant owner will catch his or her dog rubbing its rear on the ground or carpet. Anal gland problems are the most common cause of this rubbing, but don't rule out tapeworms. Also, although rare, a dog will sometimes vomit up an intact or large segment of a tapeworm.
The most commonly seen tapeworm species is Taenia sp. They appear in dogs that eat uncooked meat of various kinds -- most commonly rodents or rabbits. A microscopic exam will tell your vet if the tapeworm sample is Taenia sp. If it is, you'll know your pooch has been out hunting on his own. Or perhaps Kitty is dropping "gifts" for Fido to devour (this happens more often than people think).
The other common tapeworm is Dipylidium caninum. This one shows up in dogs that are infested with biting lice or fleas (usually fleas). When dogs do the sort of self-grooming/nipping that they often do with a flea infestation, they tend to ingest fleas which may carry the tapeworm cysticercoid stage. Not all fleas carry tapeworms, but many do.
Again, these two types of tapeworms can be distinguished only by careful examination. They're not easily identified by just looking at them.
Both types of tapeworms mentioned here are fairly easily treated with oral or injectable medications. But unless you remove the source of the tapeworms -- get rid of the fleas or stop the hunting -- these parasites will recur with regularity. A severe case of tapeworms can interfere with digestion and cause blockage or a poor haircoat, but they're rarely serious parasites. (The whipworm, on the other hand, is serious.) No one appreciates tapeworm segments on the sofa, however, and maintaining family peace requires prompt treatment.
The truly serious tapeworm species is called Echinococcus. There are two variants: a) granulosus, which is associated with Australia though found almost everywhere to some extent and b) multilocularis, which is less common. Both of these tapeworms can cause serious, even fatal disease in humans through hydatid cysts. (Think of those alien sci-fi films where something evil grows inside you. This isn't far off!)
Echinococcus granulosus is in its most aggressive form in sheep. If a dog eats uncooked meat or offal from an infected sheep and then defecates in the pasture, the life cycle for this parasite is perpetuated. Humans are most often infected through contact with their own pets. Personal hygiene is obviously of the utmost importance here.
There are effective medications with which to treat dogs and cats; periodic worming for tapeworms is practiced in endemic areas. Sheep-herding dogs imported to the United States from Australia must undergo quarantine. In Australia, wallabies and dingoes help perpetuate the cycle, as well as the sheep and dog relationship.
So, while tapeworms are not usually a serious parasite, they can cause some health problems. They're reasonably easy to treat and you, as an owner, are an important partner in diagnosing it. And then there's that question of how your dog got infested and how you can change that.