Praziquantel is the ingredient your looking for and ordinary intestinal wormers such as Strongid, Safeguard, Nemex, Panacur, etc do not contain it. Medications only kill tapeworms and do not prevent them. Only prevention available is by controlling fleas. I try to stay on top of my fleas, but I've had HECK with tapes for some reason this year.
If your getting something from your vet for $9, I would consider yourself lucky and stick with it. The prescription medication usually used is called Drontal and I was paying right at $30 for a single dog treatment at the vet. I've started using the over the counter version called D-Worm tabs (Tapeworm version) made by Farnam Pet Products, and it still shakes out to about $20 a treatment (5 tablets).
I just did the math on the fish tapes link you provided, Richard. On my bottle of D-Worm, it states each tablet = 34mg and recommends 5 tablets for a dog 60 lbs or over. 34 X 5 = 170mg...same as the fish tapes forte. Bottle of 5 = $29.99 / 5 doses = $5.99 / treatment. Thanks for the link...I'll be ordering some of those!!!
Here they are even cheaper. Check this link out --->
http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Tapes-Forte-170mg-Cap/dp/B0013PTIOK
