08/27/2025
WORMS
I made this post mostly for my Rehabber friends but wanted to share with all my animal loving friends as well that might want to better understand worms in their furry friends, since this applies to them as well, other than the different type of roundworm. I believe too many animals are suffering with tapeworms because people don’t understand the different types of worms. Most people want to just buy the liquid because it’s easy to administer and the most affordable. They are unaware that it does not treat tapeworms. Treating tapeworms in multiple dogs or cats can get expensive. The box of the Fenbendazole says for tapeworms. That can be deceiving when you don’t know that there are different types caused from different things 
I don’t feel like this is explained well enough and I see this come up in multiple groups for multiple species. I want to explain more about the tapeworm, hoping to help some others with worm confusion, but will start with roundworm. Yes, raccoons carry the roundworm (Baylisascaris Procyonis) and need to be treated for roundworm, preferably with Pyrantel Pamoate, upon intake and occasionally throughout rehabilitation until release. There are multiple brand names that are the same active ingredient, Pyrantel Pamoate, to treat roundworms with. Pay attention to your active ingredient and your strength. The most common strength you can buy at most farm stores is 4.54 mg/ml. Some are only 2.27 mg/ml. You can order a strength of 50 mg/ml. Make sure you are checking those things for proper dosing.
Tapeworms….there are a few different types of tapeworms, the most common tapeworm being caused from the flea. If they ingest even one single flea when grooming themselves, they can become infected with tapeworm. That tapeworm can be treated with Praziquantel, and pretty much only Praziquantel, that can be purchased OTC. Most farm stores carry it in pill form. You can order a liquid form. The second most common tapeworm is from eating things like raw pork, beef, or a rodent. That one can be treated with Praziquantel as well, which is the preferred ingredient, or a 3+ day treatment of Fenbendazole. Most of the time they come out in little segments that people identify as a grain of rice, a little maggot, or a sesame seed, (when dried up) but they don’t always come out in small segments. Sometimes they will come out in clumps. If you are seeing tapeworms in your babies, it is most likely caused from fleas. You are better off treating with Praziquantel to make sure you are treating for the right kind of tapeworm since that will kill both types. Fenbendazole is better at treating whipworm. Pyrantel will also treat hookworm. Keep in mind that Praziquantel does not treat roundworm.
I think there is a lot of misunderstanding when people discuss worms and are told to treat with Pyrantel Pamoate and then it’s not treating the tapeworm, if that’s the issue. Being able to identify the type of worm is very helpful in providing proper treatment. Worms do not just go away. If you have stopped seeing them without treatment, it does not mean that they are no longer infested. You must treat for worms in order to get rid of worms.
I hope this helps some people better understand the most common types of worms that raccoons can get and how to properly treat them. It was all very confusing to me in the beginning as well. Photo on the left, Tapeworm. You can see the segments that they typically come out like (my photo from a previous intake) photo on the right, Roundworm (internet photo)
Kara Butler
Rock Creek Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation
