Will Falconer, DVM Moderator
Hi Paula,
No short answers, except one: tapes are the most benign worm on the planet, i.e. rarely cause disease. They rob a bit of nutrients but that's about it. When I treat an animal with them, I'm looking for a constitutional remedy (fitting the whole patient), and it builds the dog's resistance so the worms no longer have a home.
As with all of homeopathy in chronic disease, there's never a "one size fits all" in doing this.
p.s. the dewormer is likely more risky than the worm.