If your dog lives in a flea-infested environment, reinfection with tapeworms may occur in as little as two weeks.
How likely are you to get tapeworm from fleas?
Can I get a tapeworm infection from my pet? Yes; however, the risk of infection with this tapeworm in humans is very low. For a person to become infected with Dipylidium, he or she must accidentally swallow an infected flea. Most reported cases involve children.
Can fleas transfer tapeworms?
There are different kinds of tapeworms, but the most common one is caused by swallowing a tiny infected flea. Fleas can carry the tapeworm's larvae or babies. If your dog swallows it -- maybe while grooming himself -- an adult tapeworm can grow inside your dog's intestines.
How fast do tapeworms grow in cats?
At this point, it takes about four weeks to grow into a reproducing adult tapeworm, which can measure anywhere from 6 to 23 inches and produce the segmented egg packets. These segments contain up to 20 microscopic eggs and exit the cat's body through their feces.
How do fleas cause tapeworms?
In pets with flea infestations, the larval fleas hatching in the area consume organic debris, flea dirt (digested blood shed by adult fleas–it looks like pepper) and any tapeworm eggs. The tapeworm egg proceeds to develop inside the flea and by the time the flea is an adult, the tapeworm can infect mammals.
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
How do you get rid of worms from fleas?Why do fleas have worms?