Tapeworms of UK cats and dogs: an update

Tapeworms are helminths belonging to the class Cestoda and are common parasites of cats and dogs. Cestodes consist of a head bearing hooks or suckers to attach to the intestinal wall, a short unsegmented neck and a chain of segments called proglottids. Taenia spp. and Dipylidium caninum are large tapeworms of cats and dogs and remain ubiquitous throughout the UK despite the use of cestocidal anthelmintics being a widespread practice. Visible motile proglottids are passed in the faeces but will also actively crawl out of the anus. The visible nature of these proglottids often leads to revulsion and concern in pet owners leading to the seeking of veterinary advice and nurses will often be called on to dispense advice on treatment and control, as well as allaying fears among members of the public regarding zoonotic risk. Echinococcus granulosus is a closely related tapeworm of canids but is only a few millimetres long in the definitive host. It is a serious zoonosis and despite extensive attempts to control it, endemic foci in the UK remain. This article provides an update on the distribution, diagnosis, treatment and control of these parasites.