Can Tapeworms Be Washed Off My Dog's Bedding?

If your pooch has tapeworms, a type of intestinal parasite, Fido will excrete segments of these worms through his feces, where they can wind up on his bedding. Fortunately, you can wash his bedding to remove these parasites from his environment after giving him some deworming medication to get rid of the tapeworms in his system.

The tapeworm segments that come out of your pooch's backside contain tapeworm eggs, which flea larvae feed on, becoming infected with the parasites. If your pooch eats one of these infected fleas, he will become infested with tapeworms or reinfested after he's already been treated for them. After deworming your canine companion, wash his bedding in hot water. Set your hot water heater to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit before starting your wash to kill those tapeworm eggs, bacteria and any fleas present on the bedding. Reset the hot water heater after the wash to your normal setting to prevent yourself from being scalded.

Vacuum your carpets thoroughly to get rid of those tapeworm segments and steam them to kill any remaining eggs. Wipe down solid surfaces with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water to kill the eggs and get rid of any bacteria from the tapeworm segments. For light-colored fabrics, add 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach to your laundry to kill the eggs.