Dipylidium Eggs Under Microscope 

 

 

 

Scientific names of most common dog and cat tapeworms in West Central Florida: Taenia taeniaeformis (cats), Dipylidium caninum (cats and dogs), Taenia pisiformis (dogs).  Of these, Dipylidium, a tapeworm transmitted by fleas, is the most common.

Diagnosis: is usually by visualization of tapeworm segments in feces.  Dipylidium segments appear as single segments about 1/2 to 1/4 inch long and yellowish to pinkish-white in color.  Many people say they look like rice, and when they dry up they look very much like yellow rice.  Dipylidium segments may be seen on feces, on the hair in the pet's perineal area, or on the surface where the pet has been resting. 

Less commonly, other types of tape worms will be seen.  These are usually passed as tape like strips of segments joined together.

Clinical signs: most animals asymptomatic, weight loss, anal itch, vomiting, diarrhea, can cause intestinal obstruction in rare cases

Mode of transmission: For Dipylidium oral ingestion of infected fleas is the only means of infecting dogs and cats.  Any pet having Dipylidium tapeworms must have or have had fleas on it.

Other tapeworms are contracted by ingesting the meat of infected  small rodents, livestock or fish, depending on the type of tapeworm.

• Cannot be directly transmitted to other pets.  All tapeworms pass from a host species (dog, cat, human or other animal) to an intermediate host (flea, fish, rodent, or other animal).  They must spend time in the body of the intermediate host before they become infective to the host animal (dogs and cats, for instance).

Treatment: praziquantel injection or tablets/capsules

Prevention:

• Monthly flea preventive for Diylidium, and avoiding infected animals
• Keep cats indoors to prevent hunting
• Do not feed animals raw meat, especially sheep and wild ruminants

Zoonotic disease:

• Dipylidium caninum can be transmitted to human if a human orally ingests an infected flea.  Humans cannot be directly infected by pets.
• Echinococcus granulosus is a tapeworm that dogs become infected with after eating an infected sheep or wild ruminant.  This particular tapeworm can cause serious disease in humans.  This type of tapeworm is extremely rare in our area, and your dog is not at risk unless you feed infected sheep or wild ruminant meat.

Information about human Echinococcus infections from the CDC

Please contact our veterinarians at Animal Medical Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Florida (FL) at 727-896-7127 for more information.