Arrow-headed Flatworm

danielj

September 5th, 2007 at 12:00 am

Categories

Tape worm or slug?
Our dog either eliminated it or found it crawling in our carport in Hilo, HI a very long (about 1 foot), very skinny (like a guitar string) slimy worm like animal. The head is flat and fan shaped. The body does not seem to be segmented and can elongate and shrink. Our dog was treated for tapeworm about a month ago, when we found a white segment on her tail; her vet confirmed it was a tapeworm by doing a fecal check. Since then we haven’t found any more segments and we thought the tapeworm problem was finished. We’ve been using Frontline monthly to control fleas, but she is an outdoor dog who runs free. Please check out these 6 pictures. Thank you.
Rick and Karen

arrowhead flatworm rick Arrow headed Flatworm

Hi Rick and Karen,
No problem here. Your dog did not eliminate the Arrow-headed Flatworm, a Land Planaria. It is probably Bipalium kewensis, a species with a wide distribution in warm climates with moist conditions. It was originally discovered in the Kew Gardens greenhouses in London, hence the scientific name. It is a benign species.