Faecal analysis came back clear three weeks ago but picking up last Wednesday 'horror' found tape worm. Not impressed with myself, both treated with milbermax, question is, directions are for every three months but having got/had (hopefully) should I treat earlier to ensure no left overs & if so would you stay with Milbermax or alternate with drontal or something else?
Sorry, hope you're not eating?

Tapeworm comes from fleas so would need to remove them as well.

Tapeworm comes from fleas so would need to remove them as well

Yes & dogs might be picking them up from hedgehog habitated areas.
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Understand to have tapeworm, that from source has to be ingested even regarding fleas? Realise you can never say never with fleas but both boys are checked every other day (flea comb) & not had them for years also been told it's because we raw feed but 99.9% of meat is frozen below 20. Yes being hounds they hoover, regular faecal checks have always (thank G) come back as not showing.  Once a year they do get a weekly course of Panacur  & if have any doubts or feeling guilty, worm them 'very' occasionally with different products from the vet.
What I'm asking is if they have a burden of tape worms, & been dosed with Milbermax, having had them would it be best to worm again before the 3 month period to get any residual critters???

Lacy - you are both doing faecal analysis and also worming with regular wormers?  *confused*!?

> Lacy - you are both doing faecal analysis and also worming with regular wormers?  *confused*!?

Sorry if my post is confusing, yes faecal analysis done around twice annually which have always come back negative.  Use panacur once a year for a 7 day course for lung worm - both are daily grass/salad eaters & scavengers -  & our enclosed garden is infested with snails/slugs.  It gives me peace of mind & yes very occasionally I've used wormers.

Used milbermax last week, after finding large amount of tape worm in faeces (10 days after a negative result from analysis) & I'm wondering rather than wait another 3 months should I worm earlier to zap any leftovers. To be honest prefer not to but I'd rather be certain.

I would worm about 3 weeks after first wormer, but I guess it's personal choice.

It does worry me though, as I've just moved across from worming regularly, to faecal analysis, and thought that would be picking anything up!!  Kind of makes me rethink that... :(

> Used milbermax last week, after finding large amount of tape worm in faeces (10 days after a negative result from analysis)

Have you contacted the people who tested your dog about it?
From what I've read it takes about 3-4 weeks from being infected to them shedding them.

Iv never used milbemax as have always used Drontal Plus but I would worm every 2 weeks for a month just to make sure everything is cleared out.

> Have you contacted the people who tested your dog about it?

Yes I did.

Reply is along the lines that tapeworms are notoriously shy shedders & because of their intermittent shedding pattern they're not included in the count, or they could have been too immature.  They do however, report if observed.

Not knowing the development of tapeworms can't say how old they/it was or what they'd look like at 3-4 weeks from infection to shedding but it wasn't cells or eggs but numerous lengths, one still moving.

> it wasn't cells or eggs but numerous lengths, one still moving.

Just checking that it's definitely Tapeworm? 

Tapeworm shed segments like grains of rice.  It is Round worm that are longer (which is confusing given their names where you'd expect roundworms to be small and round and tapeworms to be longer).

Hookworm is a possibility as they can be hard to get rid of.

> Just checking that it's definitely Tapeworm?

Yes, after initial shock bought many of the bits in (LOL) picked them out to examine & check! Looked at the alternatives on line, going through pictures & descriptions for sometime to confirm.

Realise they normally shed, which horrified me to think what they could still 'certainly' have had, which is why just wanted to ask if should worm again soon & what suggestions having used Milbemax, as I've often read here that perhaps it's beneficial to alternate types of wormers?

I think I'd ask the vet re worming again and the possibility of not being totally rid of the worms.

I know in horses the vet will double the worming dose if worms are persistent...not sure about dogs though.

I also query having a worm count carried out if it doesn't pick up one of the most common worm types - is it worth it and not better to worm routinely?

I don't think panacur is used for tapeworms? Certainly for the dogs passports we have to use drontal (or cestem), so I would worm again with that.

No Panacur doesn't cover the main tapeworm, or the nasty one we don't have in UK and reason for tape worm treatment before entry to UK.

Panacur does cover one sort of tapeworm but not the other.

I think I'm going back to worming regularly then :(