Is your pet dog scooting around the yard or trying to itch or bite its anus all the time? Does your dog's poop have small white grains about the size of rice grains? If so, it's likely that your beloved pet has a tapeworm infection. It's not life-threatening and won't cause lasting health problems, but you'll want to see a veterinarian as soon as possible to get your dog tapeworm treatment.
Tapeworm Treatment
Mission Veterinary Clinic in Granada Hills is an animal emergency hospital that accepts walk-in patients. When you come to us, we'll conduct a thorough pet exam to diagnose your dog and ensure it has no other health problems or conditions. Tapeworms come from infected fleas that a pet ingests as it scratches itself, and fleas can cause other health problems for dogs if the infestation isn't properly treated. If your dog scratches itself too much, it can break open its skin, which causes scabs to form. In serious instances, fleas can also cause pet anemia by depleting your pet's red blood cells. What's more, your pet's fleas can also cause health problems for you if you don't get rid of them right away.
The most common tapeworm treatment option is praziquantel, a parasiticide drug. We can administer it orally or inject it into the dog. The dosage depends on the dog's weight, so we'll weigh your dog before giving the medicine to ensure your dog gets the right amount. Praziquantel detaches the tapeworms from the dog's intestinal wall, so they can pass through the digestive system.
An oral treatment or antibiotics can treat any scabs your dog may have from scratching flea bites. These treatments prevent infection of the wound and provide relief from itching, so your dog isn't continually scratching sensitive areas of its skin. We'll also provide appropriate treatment if your dog still has fleas. A flea pill can kill the fleas on your dog in under 24 hours. Flea shampoo and topical treatments are also effective, and you can use them at home to prevent future infestations. We can also recommend a good flea collar for your dog.
Get Top-Tier Care from Our Pet Clinic in Granada Hills, CA
Fleas are a common problem, so don't feel bad if you find that your dog has them and has gotten tapeworms as a result. Mission Veterinary Clinic and Animal Emergency Hospital offer urgent care that will help you address the problem right away, so your pet can find relief from discomfort and infestation. We can also help you take measures to avoid future flea and tapeworm infections. Drop by whenever you need help, and we'll do everything we can to provide your dog with the top-tier healthcare it needs and deserves.
