Fleas are the intermediate host for tapeworm. In other words, the tapeworm is unable to complete its life cycle without the presence of fleas in the environment. Regardless of whether the owner has seen fleas on the cat, or in the home, the cat must have ingested a flea in order to have tapeworms.
Is flea tapeworm same as tapeworm?
Flea tapeworm is the most common tapeworm in dogs in Australia. Fleas carry the tapeworm larvae, so if your dog ingests an infested flea during grooming the adult tapeworm can develop and grow in the dog's intestine. Flea tapeworm segments passed in the faeces of infested dogs look like small white grains of rice.
Do tapeworms turn into fleas?
The tapeworm egg proceeds to develop inside the flea and by the time the flea is an adult, the tapeworm can infect mammals. When a cat or a dog swallows the infected flea, something that is very easy to do during regular grooming, the cat or dog becomes the new host.
How do dogs get tapeworms Besides fleas?
Dogs can get tapeworms from fleas, mice, or other rodents. Flea control is an important step in protecting your dog from tapeworms. People rarely are affected by dog tapeworms. Other kinds of worms that dogs can get include heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms.
Do dogs with tapeworms have fleas?
Since tapeworm medication is so effective, recurrent tapeworm infections are almost always due to reinfection from fleas and not failure of the deworming product.
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
Does a flea turn into a tapeworm?What is the most common form of tapeworm?
