Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Treatment
• Part 2 of 3: Applying the medicine
• Part 3 of 3: Preventing tapeworm in the future
• Warnings

Tapeworm is an intestinal parasite that can attach to your pet's gut wall, causing damage and stealing important nutrients. As the worm grows, individual segments of its body that contain eggs will break off and come out of the body with the feces. Once the eggs are out of the body, they hatch and there are more tapeworms in the world to infect new victims. If your pet has tapeworm, you will likely see the segments sticking to the fur around your pet's anus. You may also be able to see them in the feces. They look like little pieces of rice. If they just come out with the feces, they may still be fiddling like worms. Once you've discovered the tapeworm, you need to act quickly to treat your pet.

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Part 1 of 3: Treatment

1. Watch for common symptoms. In general, the symptoms of a tapeworm infection are difficult to recognize. The most obvious symptom is when you see small pieces of the worm - resembling rice grains - around your pet's anus or in his feces. Sometimes there are changes in behavior that can give you a hint. If your dog is dragging his anus on the floor more often than usual, check for tapeworms. The dog's anus may be irritated - that's why he is rubbing the ground with his anus. Furthermore, anemia can occur in rare cases.
2. Take a chair sample. The vet may want to verify the presence of tapeworm before giving you a prescription. The best way to take a sample is to pick up some poop with a plastic bag. Do not make physical contact with the worm. Spoon the sample directly into the pouch. In other cases, you may need to pull the segments of the worm off your dog's anus. Your veterinarian may also request that you keep your pet for several hours in order to get a sample yourself.
3. Call the vet. They may ask you to come for a check-up, give you a prescription over the phone, or refer you to a pet store for commonly available medications - most of these use praziquantel to fight the parasite. The most common medications are Droncit, Drontal Plus and Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs. They are available at veterinary clinics and larger pet stores. Your vet will know the best treatment to use to get rid of the tapeworm infection.Depending on your pet, your pet's size and age, the vet will have different treatment plans.
   • If you buy dewormer from a pet store, make sure you follow the directions carefully.
   • Most treatments are given orally, but there are also injections and topical treatments.
4. Follow the vet's instructions carefully. All medications have age and size specifications to follow. For example, most medications cannot be used on kittens (less than 8 weeks old) or kittens weighing less than 1 kg.

Part 2 of 3: Applying the medicine

1. Hold the medicine in your hand. Regardless of whether you are on a pill, liquid, or topical treatment, it is good to have the remedy in your hand. If your animal does not like to receive treatment, it will be much more difficult if you do not have the medication ready.
2. Hold your pet. This can be done in various ways. Depending on how big your pet is, you may need a few extra hands. Start by getting your pet in a corner; he will probably try to walk away from the situation backwards. If he can't, he's easier to grip. Hold his head with one hand and have the other ready to give the medicine.
   • If you are on oral medications, place your index finger and thumb on the sides of your pet's mouth and tilt his head back. This is the most effective way to open your pet's mouth to apply the medication.
3. Apply the drug. Now that you have a good grip on your pet, you can give the medicine. Apply topical treatments according to the directions for use - usually on the back of the head / neck so that the pet cannot reach once applied. Put pills directly into your pet's mouth.
   • For oral medication it is useful to keep your pet's mouth closed. Keep the mouth closed for 5-10 seconds and gently rub the throat, this will stimulate the swallowing process.
   • Check afterwards whether the pill has actually been swallowed. Dogs and cats often spit out a pill right away.
4. Reward your pet. Make this a pleasant experience for your furry boyfriend. He also can't help it that he got tapeworm. Give him a treat. Pet your dog or cat for a nice long time. Doing this will make the next treatment easier, because your pet knows that he is getting some treats and extra love too.

Part 3 of 3: Preventing tapeworm in the future

1. Check fleas. Tapeworm always needs a host, the flea, to complete its life cycle and infect another victim. Your pet gets tapeworms by swallowing an infected flea or by eating infected small animals, usually rodents. Flea control consists of treating your pet, the indoor environment and also the outdoor environment, if he has one. There are a variety of sprays, diffusers, and traps that you can purchase at most pet stores. You can also call a pesticide professional to carry out the treatment.
   • If your pet lives in an environment with fleas, tapeworm re-infection can occur within 2 weeks. Because the medication that treats tapeworm is so effective, the recurrence of the infection is almost always the result of reinfection from the environment.
2. Make sure to give your pet preventive treatment. Consult with the vet for more information. Some medications, such as Sentinel Spectrum, protect against fleas, heartworm, hookworm, roundworm and tapeworm.
3. Clean up. Since tapeworms start their life cycle in your pet's feces, it is good to get rid of them right away. Clean the litter box. Pick up the dog poo outside. Dispose of your pet's feces carefully. Wear gloves. Use sanitizer when possible. Put the feces in a plastic bag and throw it away. The air in the bag will eventually run out, which will choke the worms. It is also a general security issue. Do not spread your pet's tapeworm to other animals.
4. Wash your hands after playing with your pets. Regular or anti-bacterial soap will protect you from tapeworm. Of course you don't want to carry the tapeworm with you unintentionally.

Warnings

• Tapeworm infections can also occur in humans. While it is uncommon and unlikely to happen, a flea must be ingested to infect a human with the most common tapeworm in dogs. Most cases concern children. The most effective way to prevent infection in humans is through aggressive, thorough flea treatment. The risk of tapeworm infection in humans is small, but it does exist.