Treating Tapeworms in Dogs and Cats: What you need to know

Intestinal parasites can cause a huge amount of distress when it comes to our beloved pets. There are many parasites including whipworms, hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Even though they can cause a lot of distress still there are lots of ways to treat your beloved pet.

If you are worried that your favorite pooch might have worms, then don’t worry. I’ll be giving you all you need to know about treating tapeworms in dogs and cats here. So, just stay tuned and follow the instructions accordingly. Your pooch will be happy in no time!

A Look inside Tapeworms

Let’s start with what tapeworms really are. Basically, they are one of the most common worms found in cats and dogs. Not that they are untreatable, but they are one of the most difficult to figure out.

If your pet is suffering from tapeworms, it can become really hard to figure out the symptoms as in most cases they aren’t so apparent.

A tapeworm is usually a flat, long worm that looks a bit like ribbons. This worm will attach itself to your pet’s small intestine. The worst part is that these parasites can be very long up to several feet.

However, they have segments that sometimes can leak or be visible in feces, so the next time you see it, go to the vet right away.

Usually, tapeworms are seen in cats who eat mice or dogs that accidentally ate rabbit or some kind of rodent carcass.

In any case, some form of untreated meat can be the cause of tapeworms or another type of worms in pets.

What Are The Symptoms?

Every kind of worm is different from each other. While tapeworms are longer and ribbon-like, roundworms can be easy to spot. Other worms such as whipworms or hookworms are practically invisible as they are really small in sizes.

In most cases, your pet won’t be showing any prominent symptoms, however, in some cases you might see these signs:

• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Pale gums
• Dry fur
• Itching problem
• Weakness and slow growth
• Breathing issues

Humans can also be affected by roundworms, and it can get fatal very fast. So, you should always check for any of these symptoms.

What Are the Main Cause of Worms in Dogs and Cats?

Tapeworms are mostly a common occurrence if your pup has a taste for untreated meat especially rodents. Rodents can carry this worm, and after eating, they can infest your pet’s body too.

However, these worms are more of a segmented type, so you would be able to see it with the naked eye. They are mostly seen in the pet’s fur and the anus area.

Roundworms, on the other hand, can be inherited from the mother. If the mother is infected, then the babies can get infected right in the utero. These worms can also pass through the milk. They usually infest the intestines and can be as big as five inches. The feces will include their eggs, so be sure to separate your infected pup from other pets in the house.

Hookworms are quite common when it comes to dogs. Cats can have them too, but they are pretty persistent in dogs. These worms can consume a great load of blood so, they can get very deadly for puppies.

If your dog is feeling weak and out of mood then mostly he might be infected with whipworms. They are really small and very hard to diagnose.

What Is The Treatment?

Only tapeworms can be treated with only one deworming treatment. Other worms require more treatments, usually two. That’s because in most cases, the first dose of treatment kills the adult parasites and the second treatment kills the remaining eggs and babies.

Treatment for Tapeworms

Tapeworms don’t have any migrating larval stage unlike other worms like whipworms or hookworms. So, that’s why they don’t require any second treatments. Any tapeworm dewormer medication from the vet will get rid of them.

It practically removes the protective coating and then dissolves them in the intestine. They can also get rid of any eggs remaining in the pet.

You won’t typically see any tapeworms in the feces after the deworming as it gets dissolved. Though if they’re not gone, you’ll see segments in the anus region. Sometimes if your pet gets too many tapeworms, it might vomit them up.

Treatment for Other Worms

All other worms like whipworms or hookworms require a bit extensive treatments. All of them seem to produce migrating larval stages that can move on to a new host. For hookworms and roundworms, you’ll need a second dose within three weeks of the first treatment. It can sometimes go up to another dose.

For whipworms, you’ll have to get the second treatment in 72-75 days.

If you have other pets in the house, then you should definitely keep everything in check. Sandboxes need to tend to more often. You should always change the sand entirely to contain the infection from other pets.

Natural Remedies

Some foods can get rid of tapeworms without any drugs. However, they may not be able to get all the way through. Before using these foods, always check with the vet and only give them when he allows it.

• Fermented vegetables can help reduce the infestation.
• Fresh fruits such as pineapple or pomegranate or papaya can do the trick. However, a small dose is recommended.
• Coconut Kefir is a treat (non-dairy) that can help out in this case.
• Vegetables such as parsley, garlic, cucumber, carrots, squash, fennel, or watercress can help.
• Coconut oil, cider vinegar or bone broth can treat it.
• Spices such as wormwood or turmeric and seeds such as pumpkin or papaya will do the trick.

Deworming with Dewormers

As I said before the most effective treatment would be dewormers. You should always go for the best dog dewormer so that your pooch can be healthy and energetic like before.

Many veterinarians will prescribe certain dewormer. However, you can also find them online. These products will get rid of the worm situation within a few weeks.

In The End: Prevention Is the Key

I know how tapeworms or any other worms can disrupt the health of your beloved pets. That’s why you should always check for worming situation whenever you notice anything out of place.

Our pets deserve all the love and care in this world. So, it’s to avoid this situation from the start. You should check all the litter boxes at least once a week. Make sure your dog doesn’t get in contact with any kind feces in other areas.

Prevent your pets from eating dead animals and make sure they live in a flee-clean zone.