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From: king@cbnewsk.att.com (joyce.l.king)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,rec.pets
Subject: Re: Fleas Transmit Tapeworms ???
Summary: article is true
Message-ID: <1990Jul19.183103.15741@cbnewsk.att.com>
Date: 19 Jul 90 18:31:03 GMT
References: <31860@cup.portal.com>
Followup-To: rec.pets
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 31

In article <31860@cup.portal.com>, mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson) writes:
> In today's San Jose Mercury-News (7/18), an article about fleas
> mentions they can transmit tapeworms.  Is that really true?  I thought
> tapeworms were transmitted by contact with fecal material.  I think
> they're confusing tapeworms with some other kind of worm (heartworms?).

The article is true.  Dogs and cats get tapeworm from eating animals
(fleas, rabbits, squirrels, etc.) that have tapeworm.  The don't
get tapeworm from being bitten, or from having fleas on them...only by
ingesting them, which they do when they scratch themselves with their
mouths.

Heartworm is spread by a mosquito that has previously bitten a heartworm-
infested animal.

Most other worm parasites are transmitted by contact with fecal material.
Remember, most worm parasites are species specific, so you cannot complete
the life cycle of your dog's worms, and he can't complete the life cycle
of your horse's worms.  In some cases, you can give each other parasites
in some other form...like hook worm from your dog can get into YOUR foot,
but instead of completing its life cycle it will wonder around aimlessly
in your legs, not a pleasant experience.  

This is a gross oversimplification of parasitology, but is probably all
that is necessary in this follow-up.  If the rest of you netters want to
pick up the banner and go from here, best wishes....



-- 
                       Joyce Andrews King