I (28F) took my dog Lucy (5F) to a nearby lake along with some friends of mine.
We were all having fun, but Lucy’s favorite thing was jumping into the lake and drinking water from it. She was so funny trying to catch little fish.
It was all good until a couple of days later when I noticed something strange…
Strange Behavior
Lucy started acting lethargic—she wasn’t her usual energetic self, and her appetite seemed off.
I figured it might just be the heat or maybe she was sore from all the swimming, but then I noticed something horrifying during one of her bathroom breaks.
I saw what looked like tiny white rice-like pieces in her poop. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right.
My Worst Fears
I Googled it (as you do) and realized those “rice grains” were tapeworm segments. 😲 My stomach dropped.
I felt like a terrible dog mom for not knowing the risks of letting her drink from the lake. So I immediately got some dewormer to help Lucy ASAP.
Later, the vet confirmed it was tapeworms and explained that Lucy had probably ingested infected water or eaten a flea carrying the tapeworm larvae.
Thankfully, the treatment was straightforward. A dose of wormer medicine and another follow-up dose to ensure the tapeworms were fully eradicated.
(In fact it’s not a bad idea to occasionally give dewormer to your dog even without any visible symptoms. Because you never know what your dog managed to pick up over weeks and months playing in the park etc.)
Within a couple of days, Lucy was back to her happy, bouncy self.
Now, I’m way more cautious about where Lucy drinks water. I carry a portable water bottle for her when we’re outdoors, and I’ve learned my lesson about checking for fleas regularly, and I make sure she has flea protection.
Lesson learned: always be proactive about your dog’s health.