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Writer's pictureThomas F. Dock, BSc, CVJ

The Downfall of Terry the Tapeworm

We all know that hanging out with the wrong sort of crowd can have disastrous results...and this story proves the point! Take a moment and read about Terry (the tapeworm) and her infatuation with Rover (an adorable and well-loved long-faced Basset Hound). Just like any good villain, Terry has a sidekick named Frankie. Frankie is a flea who will do whatever Terry asks of him!


Rover and his family are outside enjoying Independence Day with a cookout. Rover is especially excited for all the food dropped by the toddler table. Like any good parents, this family put the toddler’s table in the grass where clean up would be easier and Rover springs into action and goes on the hunt, pacing around the table, using his nose to find all the yummy morsels through the tall thick grass. Unfortunately, Rover’s owners forgot his flea prevention for the month. Without this necessary and vital prevention, Rover is wide open to an advance by Frankie the Flea!


Frankie seizes his opportunity to jump on Rovers face. Frankie underestimated the length of Rover’s very slippery tongue and just as quick as he was on his face he just as quickly found his way down his throat. Frankie's plan to eat Rover's blood has back fired; he's the one who has been eaten! Rover and his owners have no idea that this accident might lead to issues down the road!


Now Terry’s nefarious plan has been hatched. Terry (in the form of a tapeworm egg) has hitched a ride inside Frankie. As Frankie has sacrificed his body for Terry, she breaks out and attaches herself to Rover's intestinal tract. She grows long and into multiple segments, feeding off the nutrients passing through Rover’s system. Over time, Terry begins to lose older segments, now filled with tapeworm eggs and they are passed through Rover's stool to start her own bloodline of little villains.


Rover’s owner notices rice type worms in the pup’s stool and immediately makes an appointment with his veterinarian. After an examination and verification of the parasite with a stool sample, Dr. Clean gives Rover's family multiple options as far as treatment. Injection? Pill? Rover shakes his head at the thought of the shot, but his owner opts to give the injection. Pilling Rover can be drool-tastic and difficult! The doctor also talks about how tapeworms are zoonotic and can be passed to humans in some special cases. The doctor explained that this is very rare and Rover's family would have to eat fleas for this to happen. However, there are some other types of tapeworms that can be contracted by eating under-cooked meat. Thankfully, Dr. Clean recommends a safe and effective monthly preventive product that can help prevent flea infestations, breaking the cycle of crime started by Terry.

Once the medication has been given, Terry begins to fall apart and ends up in Rover's stool. His owners are thorough and pick up his stool with the worms and dispose of it. They also make sure to put him BACK on his monthly prevention to make sure Frankie's cousins stay away from Rover.



Rover is now parasite free and back to eating all of the scraps on the kitchen floor with no yucky worms to ruin the family’s outings!

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