The Flea-Tapeworm Connection

Any cat that is at risk of carrying fleas is also at risk of becoming a host to tapeworms. The reason has to do with the cat’s highly effective grooming technique, plus the flea-tapeworm circle of life. First, flea larvae ingest the eggs of tapeworms. When fleas then mature and decide to move in with a cat, the cat reacts to their irritating little bites by licking the itchy spots, using its rake-like tongue to lap up the fleas in the process. Now, the tapeworm eggs inside the fleas are inside the cat, where they can mature into tapeworms and trouble. Tapeworms may cause illness, allergy or weight loss if they are present in large numbers. When segments of the tapeworm break off and pass into the cat’s stool, they can be seen crawling on the surface of the feces. Each of these capsules contains up to 20 tapeworm eggs. These segments often look like grains of cooked white rice but may look like golden sesame seeds as they begin to dry up. Less commonly, they are seen crawling around the cat’s anus. Also, a cat will occasionally scoot or drag its anus across the ground or carpet due to the anal irritation caused by the capsule segments. Occasionally, a tapeworm will release its attachment in the intestines and migrate to the stomach. When this happens, the cat may vomit an adult tapeworm several inches in length.

Be aware that tapeworms are not readily diagnosed with routine fecal examinations. Because of this, you should notify your veterinarian when tapeworm segments are found in your cat’s stool. Available treatments are safe and effective. After treatment, the tapeworm dies and is usually digested within the intestine, so worm segments do not usually pass into the stool. Tapeworm infection can become re-established within a few weeks if the cat lives in a flea-infested environment or hunts and eats mice. Control of fleas is the cornerstone of preventing tapeworm infection. With the new and exciting flea control products that have become available, this is now much easier than in years past. We, at Hillsboro Veterinary Clinic, will be happy to help you decide what flea control product will work best for you and your pet and whether you also need to treat your house and yard for fleas. If you suspect your pet has tapeworms call us at 503-648-4117 and speak with Elizabeth, one of our receptionists, to schedule an appointment.