Overview
Tapeworm disease is caused by canine tapeworm parasitizing the intestinal tract, which is mainly caused by the damage of the worm to the mucous membrane of the intestinal wall of the host and the toxin secreted by the worm. Clinical manifestations are mild, but in severe cases, especially in children, there may be lack of appetite, dyspepsia, abdominal discomfort, occasional abdominal pain and diarrhea. Because there are pregnant nodes automatically escaping from the anus, so there can be anal itching and irritability. The diagnosis is mainly based on fecal examination, and the detection of eggs or pregnancy nodes can confirm the diagnosis. Pharmacologic treatment may include albendazole, mebendazole, and praziquantel.
Causes
Adult worms are 10-50cm long, with four suckers on the head segment and about 60 small rose-spine-like hooks on the parietal process. Gestational nodes are filled with egg sacs, each storing 2-40 eggs, which are discharged with the feces and disintegrate to disperse the eggs. The eggs are swallowed by the intermediate host flea larvae and develop into cysticercus-like larvae in the intermediate host. The end-host dogs, cats and other animals or people are infected by accidental ingestion of diseased fleas, and the cysticercus-like larvae in the diseased fleas enter the small intestine of the end-hosts and develop into adult worms after 2 to 3 weeks.
Symptoms
Clinical manifestations are related to the number of infected worms. Most of the clinical manifestations are mild, and those with severe infection, especially children, may have lack of appetite, indigestion, abdominal discomfort, occasional abdominal pain, diarrhea, anal itching and irritability due to the automatic escape of the pregnant nodes from the anus.
Examination
Eggs can be detected by fecal examination, and the method of fecal examination, floating egg collection method, has a higher positive rate.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is mainly based on fecal examination and can be confirmed by finding eggs or pregnant nodes.
Differential diagnosis
It should be distinguished from obesity tapeworm and chain tapeworm.
Treatment
Praziquantel is a new type of broad-spectrum anti-helminthic drug, in addition to anti-schistosomal effect, or a highly effective anti-tapeworm drug, praziquantel is not yet elucidated the principle of killing tapeworms, it may have to promote the Ca2 ＋ to enter the worm body, thus causing the worm muscle contracture, resulting in spasmodic paralysis, take at once, 1 hour after the laxative, the effect is good.
Prevention
In addition to pay attention to personal hygiene and dietary hygiene, dogs, cats and other animals kept at home should also be regularly flea and deworming, and try to avoid excessive intimacy with these pets, play, in order to reduce the chance of infection.