Types of Dog Tapeworms

Tapeworms are intestinal parasites that infect both animals and humans. They seldom cause physical symptoms in dogs and usually are identified from the segments they shed in a dog's stool. Some tapeworms can infest dogs for years.

  1. Types

    • Six of the 11 types of tapeworms infesting dogs belong to the Taenia species: T. hydatigena; T. krabbei; T. multiceps; T. ovis; T. pisiformis and T. serialis. The other five species are Dipylidium caninum, Echinococcus granulosus and E. multiocularis, Diphyllobothrium latum and Spirometra mansonoides.

    Transmission

    • The life cycle of every tapeworm species has a stage in which the parasite inhabits an intermediate host. Dogs get tapeworms by swallowing infected fleas or the meat of infected fish or animals.

    Features

    • All adult tapeworms, regardless of type, live in dogs' intestines. The worms, according to Dr. Holly Nash, editor of PetEducation.com, have no digestive systems. Their skins absorb nutrients from the digested food passing by.

    Size

    • Adult tapeworms range from microscopic--the 7 mm of the two Echinococcus worms--to the more than 30 feet of Diphyllobothrium latum. Dyplidium caninum, the most common dog tapeworm, can reach 20 inches.

    Treatment

    • Praziquantel treats all tapeworms. Epsiprantel treats D. caninum and Taenids. Both oral medications are given once. Standard doses are 5mg/kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight for praziquantel and 2.5mg/lb. for epsiprantel.