During grooming, or in response to a flea bite, a dog inadvertently ingests the tapeworm infected flea. As the flea is digested in the dog's intestine, the tapeworm egg is released, it hatches, and then anchors itself to the intestinal lining, therefore completing the life cycle.
How long is a tapeworm life cycle in dogs?
They have a life cycle of between four and six weeks and are so small in their adult form in the dog that you are unlikely to spot them. If your pets eat carrion, hunt or receive raw meat you should de-worm them regularly.
How long does it take for a tapeworm to mature in a dog?
Once the larvae get to the intestine, they mature into adult worms and begin laying eggs — starting the cycle again. It takes about four weeks from the time a dog or cat eats the eggs for an adult worm to mature in the animal's intestine and start laying eggs.
What is a tapeworms life cycle?
The life cycle of tapeworms typically includes the egg, one free-living larval stage, a procercoid and a plerocercoid in the first and second intermediate host, respectively, and the adult in the definitive host. Fish may serve as second intermediate host, definitive host, or in some species as both.
How long can tapeworms live outside a dog?
Most tapeworm eggs last for months while waiting for their intermediate hosts; however, scientists have documented that the eggs of some tapeworms are capable of surviving up to eight months, Animal Diversity Web reports.
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