Dipylidium canine (Flea Tapeworm)

[SunshineLW]

Video of freshly passed canine feces with an active Dipylidium caninum (flea tapeworm) proglottid (10x magnification). These feces were passed by an apparently healthy, 13-year-old, neutered male, Australian Shepherd dog. This motile proglottid contains thousands of eggs that are infective only to fleas, which serve as the intermediate host. Within the flea intermediate host, the eggs develop into a stage that is infective to the definitive host. Dogs, cats, and humans serve as definitive hosts, which become infected only by ingesting the infected flea intermediate host. If a dog, cat, or human ingests the eggs in this proglottid, then it will not result in a patent infection. Anyone up for going on the tapeworm diet?: https://youtu.be/xSTejVq08qA

Visit The Monster Hunter's Guide to Veterinary Parasitology for microscopic, focus-stacked images of Dipylidium caninum (flea tapeworm): http://www.veterinaryparasitology.com/dipylidium.html

[MichaelG.]

Very nicely done, Lance

I must admit that I first wondered just how small a 'flea tapeworm' might be.

MichaelG.

[vasselle]

Bonjour
Very nice
Merci pour le partage
Cordialement seb