I am seeing small white worms around my pet’s anus or on his stool. What is this?

These unsightly parasites are tapeworms. They are usually up to about ¾ inch long and are white in color. However, when these worms die, they typically appear much smaller and are light brown in color. Tapeworms may be seen in dogs and cats. The most common tapeworm we see is caused by concurrent flea infestation as the flea is an intermediate host. Another source of tapeworms is the ingestion of rats, mice, or other rodents which serve as the intermediate host. Tapeworms typically do not cause severe disease and are easily treated with appropriate medication and flea control.