The final host for the dipetalonema reconditum is the dog. Any species of dog can be the host for this parasitic worm, and it is a bit of a scary thought. This particular species of parasitic worm is more of an inert force in the dog. Dogs that are infested with dipetalonema reconditum often never show symptoms.
There aren’t a lot of knowns about this particular species because the worm is mistaken for the heartworms that dogs can get from mosquitoes; these are gotten from lice and fleas. These worms often are only found when the animal is being necropsied after death, adding to the confusion. (For those who don’t know, a necropsy is simply an autopsy done on a non-human organism.)
