Flatworms

Flatworms are parasites. Also referred to as intestinal worms, that live and reproduce in the intestines. There are three types of intestinal worms that can affect our pets: roundworms, hookworms, and flatworms. The two main flatworms infecting cats and dogs are Dipylidium caninum and Taenia. Flatworms are usually pretty long and flat like a piece of tape. They are made of many small off-white segments.

Each of the segments will eventually come off and appear in an animal’s stools, or around an infected animal’s anus. They look like rice and sometimes they even move for a little while until they dry off. It’s a bit gross!

These segments contain microscopic eggs that will eventually spread in the immediate environment of the animal. These eggs will then be ingested by intermediate hosts such as fleas or rodents. Fleas for Dipylidium, and rodents for Taenia. These eggs will then be ingested by intermediate hosts such as fleas or rodents. The larvae stay in the intermediate hosts until cats and dogs ingest the fleas chewing in an itchy spot or eat the rodents. Ingestion is a mandatory phase in the flatworm’s life cycle. Which means that cats and dogs cannot get infected with this worm directly from other cats and dogs.

Surprisingly, infected cats and dogs show very few to no symptoms. It is the pet owners who usually react in disgust when they see something moving on their pet, or when they see worm segments after their cat gets up from taking a nap on their lap. Yup!

These things happen…

So, how can you protect your pets against flatworms? It’s rather simple: protect them against fleas and keep them from hunting. This gives you a great reason to adopt a preventive approach to flea management during hot weather, from May to November. It is also important to give monthly deworming treatment against flatworms, especially for cats who hunt. There is a wide variety of treatments against fleas and flatworms.

Talk to your Passionimo veterinary team to learn the best option for your pets.