What worms are in my boarded dog's stool? Do I need to clean yard?

Question

A dog i'm boarding has worms in her stool. She is being treated for heartworms, and I've been watching her for 5 days. This is the first stool I've seen with worms. Do you know what kind of worms these are? Also how can I disinfect my yard. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | 1 year and 11 months old | 50 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Based on the photo, these look like tapeworm segments. Tapeworms are harder to kill than most other intestinal parasites, so in most states you will need to get a prescription dewormer from a vet to get rid of them. As far as disinfection goes - tapeworms have an indirect life cycle, so they cannot be contracted directly from coming into contact with an infected dogs feces. Dogs normally get them either from swallowing a flea, or from eating roadkill or some type of rodent. So you don't need to worry about your yard - the best way to prevent tapeworms is to keep your dog on a good quality flea medication, and keep them from eating dead things outside. They cannot get tapeworms directly from the ground, so this should not be a concern :)

What worms are in my boarded dog's stool? Do I need to clean yard?

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