Tapeworms are parasites that can affect your cat or dog. They use their hook-like mouths to attach to your pet's small intestine. If your pet has tapeworms, they aren't usually very harmful, but your pet can lose weight if it is heavily infected. At Posh Puppy in Burien, WA, our experts can educate you on how to diagnose and prevent tapeworms in your pet. The goal at our pet spa is to keep your pets happy and clean.
How Do Pets Get Tapeworms?
Pets don't get tapeworms by ingesting a fertilized tapeworm egg, which is how pets get most other parasites. If your pet has fleas, it is at risk. While self-grooming, your pet can swallow a flea that is infected with tapeworm larvae. When the flea is digested, the larval tapeworm will settle into your pet’s intestines and develop into an adult tapeworm.
Diagnosing Tapeworm
If your pet has tapeworms, you will be able to see them crawling around the anus or in a bowel movement. If your pet rubs its anus on the ground or licks or bites the area, this irritation could be caused by tapeworms. It can be difficult to diagnose tapeworm, so make sure to pay close attention to your pet.
How Can Tapeworms Be Prevented?
The best way to prevent your pet from getting tapeworm is to prevent a flea infestation. You can do this by having your pet groomed regularly by our professionals and using flea and tick prevention medication. There are a few different types of medication you can choose from:
- Topical treatment: This form of flea prevention is a liquid that is applied between your pet's shoulder blades.
- Oral: You can get a chewable flea prevention medication for your pet that tastes good. You can also get a pill that can be hidden in a piece of cheese or a treat.
- Collars: There are certain types of flea collars that effectively prevent fleas.
If you are going to keep your pet 100 percent flea-free, you need to give your pet flea prevention medication all year long. Even if the winters are cold where you live, you will still need to keep up with the flea prevention medication. It is also important to monitor your pet when it is outside, as fleas live in high grass and shady areas.
Preventing fleas and tapeworm should also be done at home. All bedding needs to be washed in hot water, and the carpets should be vacuumed. You can also purchase a flea-killing spray for your furniture and upholstery.
Schedule an Appointment at Our Pet Spa
Preventing tapeworms in your pet is vital in keeping it healthy. Regular grooming is equally important in making sure your pet is clean and free of fleas. At Posh Puppy in Burien, WA, our team offers a variety of grooming services. Our pet groomer is committed to keeping your pet happy and healthy. To learn more or to schedule an appointment at our pet spa, call us today.