Can Canine Tapeworms Infect Humans?

One of the most disgusting parasitic organisms around has to be the canine tapeworm, a flatworm. It's insidious nature and habits really are revolting, but perhaps worse that its life cycle is the fact that humans can become infected with the tapeworm. The canine tapeworm, dipylidium caninum, is transmitted via the common flea. The cycle begins with tapeworm segments that are excreted with the feces of infected animals. Fleas eat parts of the feces and get the tapeworm eggs into their guts. The only way for a dog to get the tapeworm at this point is if it eats an infected flea. This can happen if the dog is licking itself due to itching from the fleas.

Once the flea is inside the dog's stomach, it is digested. The digestion process releases the tapeworm eggs, which then hatch. Most dogs don't show any symptoms if the infection is light, but if there are a lot of tapeworms living in its gastrointestinal tract, the dog can lose weight or become sick from irritation and vomit. If infection is suspected, sometimes moving tapeworms and segments can be seen in the feces or around the dog's anus. There are medications available from the vet that will kill the parasites, so treatment can cure animals.

But what happens if the dog isn't diagnosed early enough? Sometimes, usually in small children who aren't as careful or clean as adults, people can accidentally eat an infected flea and become infected themselves. Little children might not realize they have a flea on their hand or perhaps they might touch the feces and pick up a flea that way, then put their fingers in their mouths and swallow the flea. The fleas life cycle is the same in a person as it is in a dog. Parents will usually find evidence of the tapeworms in their children's feces or around their bottoms. The dipylidium tapeworms can grow fairly large, up to 8 inches or so. If vomiting occurs, sometimes an entire worm will be thrown up.

To avoid tapeworm infections is both pets and humans, pet owners should keep the house and yard clean and free from fecal matter and treat dogs with flea products regularly to prevent infestations. If children are in the household, make sure they do not play anywhere around dog feces and make sure they always wash their hands thoroughly each time they play with their pets. Tapeworms are found throughout the world, so there isn't any country that is particularly safe from them.