The most common tapeworms in dogs include Taenia species, Dipylidium caninum, Echinococcus granulosus and E. multiocularis, Diphyllobothrium latum and Spirometra mansonoides, according to the website Vetinfo. They are common and fairly easy to treat, but some are contagious to humans and cats. Tapeworms attach themselves to the intestines and survive on the food there. Dogs can get tapeworms by ingesting a flea with tapeworm eggs or by eating rodents (or other small animals) with tapeworms.
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Mild Weight Loss
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Because tapeworms survive on the food the intestines are trying to absorb for nutrition, dogs may suffer mild weight loss as a symptom of tapeworm infections.
Vomiting and Abdominal Pain
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Dogs may vomit and experience abdominal pain due to the damage and irritation tapeworms cause.
Anal Irritation and Itching
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Tapeworms are composed of segments called proglottids. These segments contain eggs, which may detach from the tapeworm, and spread more tapeworms. These eggs can come out of the anus, causing irritation and itching. Dogs are known to drag their backsides along floors to itch their anuses when they have tapeworms.
Exiting Proglottids
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Proglottids can come out in dog feces, which is a sure sign of tapeworm infection. They are approximately the size of rice grains and may be moving or still.
Anemia and Low Energy
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Although anemia is not distinguishable by appearance alone, it is one symptom of tapeworm infection in dogs due to blood loss. Because of anemia and/or nutrient loss, dogs may also experience low energy levels.
Lack of Appetite
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Dogs infected with tapeworms may experience a decrease in appetite. This is a common symptom of many illnesses.
Prevention
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Symptoms of tapeworms can be prevented by preventing the initial infection. The best means of doing this is via flea and lice prevention, as fleas are the most common carriers of tapeworm eggs for dogs. Effective flea control includes regularly treating your dog with medications and/or topical treatments, and--if the home has been infected--treating the home.
Treatment
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Treating tapeworm infection symptoms in dogs can be done by treating the infection itself. The most common treatment for dogs is the medication praziquantel, which is dosed according to body weight. This drug cannot be used in pregnant females, but epsiprantel (Cestex) can. However, epsiprantel cannot be used for puppies under seven weeks.
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