Dog tapeworm. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of body segments from a dog tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis). The tapeworm resides in its host's intestines, absorbing digested food directly through the segments, or proglottids, of its body. The proglottids also have both male and female sex organs and therefore are able to produce eggs. The eggs are released into the host's intestines and are expelled with the faeces. The eggs are ingested by a new host and the life-cycle begins again.