Latin Name

Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis

Seen in Cats and Dogs?

E. granulosus in dogs and foxes E. multilocularis in foxes, dogs and cats

How does my pet become infected?

E. granulosus - ingestion of raw meat or offal from sheep, cattle, goats and/or pigs
E. multilocularis - ingestion of microtine rodents such as voles or lemmings

Signs

These tapeworms do not cause clinical signs in dogs

Warnings

Man can act as intermediate host to E. granulosus - resulting in serious disruption of the organ in which the cyst forms; usually occurs in the liver or lungs in Human Hydatid Disease E. multilocularis infection in man is usually fatal due to the invasive cysts formed in the liver that behave much like a malignant tumour.