Dog Tapeworm Proglottid
Scientific Name: Dipylidium caninum
Order & Family: Order: Cyclophyllidea, Family: Dipylidiidae
Size: Fresh segments are approximately 10-12 mm long and 3 mm wide (roughly the size of a grain of rice).
Natural Habitat
Adult worms live in the small intestines of dogs, cats, and occasionally humans; proglottids are found in stool or around the anal area.
Diet & Feeding
As an adult in the intestine, it absorbs nutrients directly from the host's digested food through its skin.
Behavior Patterns
Gravid segments (proglottids) break off from the main worm and migrate out of the host's anus. They are mobile and may crawl like maggots for a short distance before drying out and releasing egg packets.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include abdominal pain and diarrhea in the host. Humans can be infected if they accidentally ingest an infected flea (the intermediate host). They have no ecosystem benefits as they are obligate parasites.
Identified on: 1/10/2026