{"id":9944,"date":"2022-09-12T11:08:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T11:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/blog\/uncategorized\/tapeworms-in-puppies\/"},"modified":"2023-05-30T12:32:23","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T12:32:23","slug":"tapeworms-in-puppies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/en-us\/blog\/puppy-health\/parasites\/tapeworms-in-puppies\/","title":{"rendered":"Tapeworms in Puppies: Symptoms, Causes & Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Think tagliatelle! Urgh, there\u2019s no doubt Tapeworms are disgusting and close up look like something from a horror movie. Tapeworms in dogs are a common intestinal parasite. Thankfully they\u2019re easy to treat with medication, but they can lead to severe problems in young, old or immunocompromised dogs. It\u2019s important then to be aware of the signs. Finding tapeworm in puppy poop is probably not on your list of lovely things to discover about your puppy, is it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this guide to tapeworm in puppies, we\u2019ll take you through what tapeworms are, how to find out if your puppy has tapeworms, how to treat tapeworm in puppies and how to prevent your puppy from getting tapeworms in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Shane Guymon<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What are tapeworms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re squeamish, we better issue a content warning for you – Tapeworms in puppies are white and apartment and can measure over a foot long. It\u2019s honestly enough to put you off your carbonara! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapeworms also have 6 rows of teeth and use these to hook on and live in your puppy\u2019s small intestine, eating the nutrients that are being passed down the digestive system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common species of tapeworm is Dipylidium Caninum and as intestinal parasites go, they are pretty common and relatively harmless, unless there is a severe infestation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do I know if my puppy has tapeworms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It can be challenging to tell if your puppy has tapeworms because there are often no apparent symptoms. Keeping to a worming schedule, and knowing when to worm your puppy<\/a> will help take the guesswork out and limit the amount of searching for signs of worms you need to do! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some common signs that your puppy may be suffering from tapeworms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your puppy might lick their bottom if they have tapeworms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tapeworms in puppies can cause itching in their back end. If you see your puppy suddenly start licking their behind, then it might be that tapeworms are causing them to itch back there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapeworms can make puppies scoot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your puppy is doing that hilarious scoot along the carpet, we know you know the one, then chances are they might have tapeworms. Tapeworms can cause your puppy to have an irritated bottom and make them want to scratch it.  Poor pups, and your poor carpets!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapeworm can show up in puppy poop <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Due to the tapeworm life cycle, small pieces of them will come out in your puppy\u2019s poop, ready to lay eggs and get into their next unsuspecting host. If you see what looks like grains of white rice in their poop it could be tapeworms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you will see the tapeworms wriggling around<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<Insert dry heave here> Yes, sometimes you will see the tapeworms in your puppies anus. They will move around and will be pretty small like grains of rice, or cucumber seeds in appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapeworm infestation can cause weight loss in puppies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your puppy is really full of tapeworms then they can steal a lot of vital nutrients, which means they\u2019re not going to your puppy, and so they\u2019ll lose weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tapeworms can cause diarrhea in puppies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, if your puppy has very loose stools or diarrhea<\/a>, then chances are there could be some worms or other nasties in their gut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some puppies will vomit up Tapeworms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Well, pieces of them anyway. Yes, a tapeworm infestation can make some puppies vomit, and worming tablets themselves can be quite heavy on a puppy\u2019s tummy, causing them to be sick. Probably best to give them a gentle diet if they\u2019ve been unwell. We\u2019d recommend holding the worm looking noodles\u2026no one needs a reminder do they?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Marcus Wallis<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How are tapeworms in puppies treated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect your puppy has tapeworms, or any other kind of worm<\/a> such as roundworm<\/a>, a visit to the Vets<\/a> is always a good idea. They\u2019ll be able to prescribe a broad-spectrum dewormer that will get rid of other parasites too.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dewormers will kill the tapeworms and other nasties. You may find evidence of some of these other parasites when your puppy has a post worming poo. Usually, tapeworms aren\u2019t seen as by this stage the dewormer will have broken them up into small pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapeworms in puppies can be treated by various types of wormers, that come in the following forms<\/p>\n\n\n\n