How to Get Rid of Tape Worms in My Puppy

When puppies get tapeworms, it is most likely from fleas, which they most likely swallowed during a big itching or biting session. If tapeworms go unchecked in puppies, they can cause serious illness such as weight loss, inflammatory bowel, abdominal cramps and lethargy. While medications eliminate tapeworms, it's also important to eliminate the fleas that cause them. The tapeworm received its name because the segments look like tiny pieces of tape that are about the size and color of a grain of rice.

Things You'll Need

  • Flea repellent
  • Deworming medicine
  • Pooper scooper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Control fleas on your puppy and in its bedding and surroundings by using flea sprays and powders.

    • 2

      Worm your puppy as young as six weeks. Your veterinarian will administer medicine orally or by injection. The medication will cause the tapeworm to dissolve within the intestine.

    • 3

      Prevent your puppy from eating mice, rabbits or other rodents which are another source of worms. To reduce the risk, keep your pets inside the yard or on a leash whenever you go for a walk.

    • 4

      Keep your yard clean by scooping up all stool before it is contaminated by the soil underneath. Tapeworms can thrive in soil that's contaminated with wastes from dogs and cats.

    • 5

      Check your puppies bottom and droppings regularly for rice-shaped tapeworm segments. Symptoms of worms include vomiting, bloody diarrhea or stool that looks like black tar. In addition, worms in the body may shed small segments of their bodies, which appear in your puppy's stool.