How to Treat Tapeworms

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Dr. Aimee Beger. I'm a veterinarian, and we're going to be talking about tapeworms today in your dog. Tapeworms are typically seen as little white grains of rice, or white segments under your dog's tail, and they are typically contracted by eating fleas, or by contact with other dogs that have tapeworms. The treatment of choice that we use here is a a drug called Praziquantel, and it's a one time treatment, and is typically curative; although we do require doing a fecal test to ensure that your dog's tapeworm has been eliminated. When you come in with your dog we like to have you bring in a fresh stool sample, if possible. And we will send that off to the lab and look for tapeworm eggs. Sometimes, we can diagnose it if we do see the little tapeworm segments, or grains of rice on your dog's rectum. And the good news is it's very treatable and curable, and it is preventable as well."