DOG TAPEWORM (Dipylidium caninum) SCOLEX WITH SUCKERS and ROSTELLUM with HOOKS, 25X - stock photo

DOG TAPEWORM (Dipylidium caninum), SCOLEX WITH SUCKERS, and ROSTELLUM with HOOKS, 25X. This is a very common parasite of dogs and cats throughout the world that are infested with fleas. The tapeworms reside in the small intestine and may reach a foot in length. The rostellum and hooks are used to bury the scolex into the mucosa (lining) of the intestine to prevent detachment from the host. The intermediate hosts are fleas and lice of dogs. If a flea is nipped by a dog, an early stage (cysticercoid) of the parasite in the flea can infect the final host, sometimes children that have their faces licked by a dog.