Question: how do dogs develop tape worms?

Marisol Collins answered on 11 Nov 2016:

Brilliant question @Holly! How a dog gets a tapeworm depends on the species of tapeworm, as they can have different and clever ways to spread. For example, the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum (the most common tapeworm of dogs) is amazing because it also uses fleas to spread! The worm lives in the intestine of the dog and passes little packets of eggs in the dogs poop. These little packets can be eaten by the very young fleas (called larvae) living in the ground. The worm hatches in the flea and stays there until the flea is an adult. When the flea jumps on the dog to bite it, the dog can itch and lick and accidentally swallow the flea.. and we are back at the beginning, with the worm becoming an adult in the intestine of the dog! Round and round the lifecycle goes! Parasites living in parasites – clever huh?