A dog that hunts and consumes wild rabbits is most likely to be infected by which cestode?

The correct answer is Taenia pisiformis, which is a cestode commonly associated with the consumption of rabbits. This tapeworm utilizes rabbits as an intermediate host, and when dogs hunt and eat these animals, they can become infected with the adult form of the parasite.

The lifecycle of Taenia pisiformis involves eggs that are shed in the feces of infected dogs. When these eggs are ingested by rabbits, they develop into cysticerci, which can then be transmitted back to dogs when they consume infected rabbit meat. This relationship highlights the specific host-parasite dynamics that occur with Taenia pisiformis, linking the lifecycle of the organism to the dietary habits of the dog.

While other options involve different cestodes, they are not as directly related to the consumption of wild rabbits. For instance, Dipylidium caninum is generally associated with fleas, not direct consumption of wild prey, while Echinococcus granulosus primarily infects dogs through the consumption of infected livestock or wild intermediate hosts, leading to hydatid disease. Mesocestoides also has a different lifecycle and is more associated with various hosts, including rodents, but is not specifically tied to the consumption of rabbits by dogs.

Thus, understanding the specific