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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | 1 year and 11 months old | 50 lbs

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.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on June 26th, 2017

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 :)

21Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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