Fox tapeworm in dogs – signs and what to do
Book a vet visitBook a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. It is a parasite that dogs can carry after eating rodents or other small prey, and it can also infect people.
What you can do now
- Contact your vet
- Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see
- Take a photo or short video to show the vet
- Keep fresh water available
- Let your dog rest somewhere calm
Don't
- Do not give any human medicine
- Do not wait if it gets worse
What it is and how it spreads
Fox tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) is associated with dogs that hunt and eat small prey in endemic areas.[1] It is found in continental Europe and in foxes.[2] In Norway, it has not been found on the mainland but is present in a limited area of Svalbard; in Sweden, occurrence is very low.[3]
Signs
How pets pick it up
Where in Europe it occurs
| Country | Occurrence |
|---|---|
| Austria | Present |
| Belgium | Present |
| Czechia | Present |
| Denmark | Present |
| France | Present |
| Germany | Present |
| Netherlands | Present |
| Poland | Present |
| Romania | Present |
| Sweden | Present |
| Switzerland | Present |
| Norway | Not present |
| United Kingdom | Not present |
What the experts say
“In areas endemic for Echinococcus multilocularis, dogs that may hunt and eat small prey should be treated monthly with a product effective against this parasite.”
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Common questions
Where in Europe is fox tapeworm found?
It is found in continental Europe and in foxes.[2]
Is fox tapeworm found on mainland Norway?
It has not been found on mainland Norway, but it is present in a limited area of Svalbard.[3]
Is fox tapeworm found in Sweden?
It has been found in several places in Sweden, but occurrence is very low.[3]
Sources
How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages
Other parasites in dogs
Granulocytic anaplasmosisHarvest mite
HeartwormInfectious cyclic thrombocytopenia (Anaplasma platys)Leishmaniosis (Leishmania infantum)Louping-illLungwormLyme disease (Borrelia)
Skin worm (Dirofilaria repens)Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)Babesiosis (Babesia vulpes / B. microti-like)Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis)