Related Pages. Dipylidium is tapeworm of cats and dogs. People become infected when they accidentally swallow a flea infected with tapeworm larvae; most reported cases involve children. Dipylidium infection is easily treated in humans and animals.
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.
Can humans get flea tapeworm?
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. The most effective way to prevent infections in pets and humans is through flea control.
What is flea tapeworm in dogs?
The flea tapeworm is the most common species of tapeworm that infects dogs but infection with this worm does not usually cause any ill effects. However, the hydatid tapeworm poses a serious health risk to humans, despite not causing any real ill effects to the dog.
What does flea tapeworm look like?
Clinical diagnosis is usually made by observing the white, mobile tapeworm segments in the feces or crawling around the anus. These segments look like grains of white rice or cucumber seeds. Occasionally segments are seen crawling around the dog's anus.
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