Tapeworms are one of the most common internal parasites that dogs can get. If small rice-like segments are found clinging to the hair around the dog's anus or in its stool, the dog has tapeworms. Often, these segments will be wriggling. Those segments are egg sacks. Be sure to take a stool sample to the vet just to be sure they are tapeworms.
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Prevention Medication
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Once a month deworming chewable tablets, pills or liquids for dogs work well for preventing tapeworms as well as some other types of worms. These can be purchased over the counter or by prescription. These can usually be given to puppies as young as 1 month old but be sure to check with your veterinarian before dosing the puppy. Because dogs are constantly exposed to tapeworm eggs throughout their lives, they need to be given tapeworm prevention medication once a month for the rest of their lives, unless a veterinarian says otherwise.
Other Prevention
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Tapeworms use the bodies of fleas in order to get inside of a dog. In order to prevent tapeworms, just giving deworming medications is not enough. One also needs to be adamant about flea prevention. Also, according to "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats," eggs can reside in soil that's been contaminated with tapeworm-egg laden feces. Pick up dog feces as soon as possible from the yard or on walks. Dogs can also catch tapeworms by eating a tapeworm-infested animal, so dogs should not hunt wild animals or eat animal feces. Rotten meat can also harbor tapeworms, so keep the dog from getting into the garbage.
Medication
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If a dog or puppy is already infested with one or more species of tapeworm, the medication given is exactly the same as medication for prevention. However, according to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, dogs or puppies with severe infestations can be given an injection of the medication to help speed up the process. Sometimes, heavily infested dogs will not be able to keep food down, let alone oral medication. Popular medications used are Droncit (the brand name for praziquantel), Panacur (fenbendazole), Cestex (epsiprantel), generic febantel or generic ivermectin. Dead tapeworms should not be seen in the stool of a dog on these medications because the medicine not only helps kill the tapeworm but makes it digestible.
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