Tapeworms are one of the most commonly diagnosed intestinal parasites due to their visibility.  Unlike other worms, tapeworms can be diagnosed without a fecal test due to their tendency to break off into segments.  Most other intestinal parasites will lay microscopic eggs in the feces while the adults remain attached to the intestinal wall. 

How do you know your dog or cat has tapeworms?  You may see small, rice-sized worms in the feces or emerging from the anus.  If you watch them, you’ll see these small flat worms moving if they are still fresh, otherwise you may see dried segments that resemble rice grains where your animal sleeps.  These small worms are segments of the larger tapeworm living in your animal’s intestines.  They break off segments of themselves as a function of reproduction. 

Tapeworms come from fleas.  Even if your pet is on a flea preventative, he or she may still get tapeworms.  Tapeworms use the flea for their secondary lifecycle, but, once the flea is ingested, the eggs that live in the flea, now live inside your pet.  Flea preventatives do not deter fleas from jumping on an animal, they simply prevent the fleas from continuing to live on your pet.  This means that, even though your pet is protected from flea infestations, they will still groom themselves and can ingest infected fleas.  Flea preventatives can, however, help to prevent increased exposure to tapeworms.

If your cat or dog has tapeworms, he or she needs to be treated.  The scientific name for common canine and feline tapeworms is Taenia pisiformis.  Some over the counter worming medications claim they get rid of tapeworms, but they site a different genus of tapeworm than the one that will infest your dog.  Look at the label and make sure it matches the above scientific name.

Most dogs and cats need to be treated for tapeworms by a veterinarian.  The most common treatment is Drontal or Droncit, a drug manufactured by Bayer used to prevent and treat a variety of intestinal parasites.  Cats and Dogs are dosed according to weight and need one or two doses in order to cure them of the parasite. 

If left untreated tapeworms, like any other intestinal parasite, can cause severe digestive problems, weight loss, and debilitating health issues in your pet. 

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all cats and dogs be treated annually for all intestinal parasites since many can be transferred to humans.