Experimental studies have demonstrated that the life cycle of the G. spinigerum worm essentially involves 3 hosts: the egg in the faeces of dog are an ovum in one or two celled stage. The eggs develop in water and the second-stage larvae hatch in 7-18 days. The larvae are ingested by the first intermediate host (Microcyc1ops varicans, Mesocyc1ops leuckarti), early third stage larvae mature in cyclop at day 7-14 post infection. When the cyclop are ingested by the second intermediate host (snakehead fish, eels and frogs). The advanced third stage larvae are eventually surrounded by a cyst in the muscle or liver at day 29-45. The definitive host (dog) are infected by eating nakehead fish, eels and frogs. The adult worms take about 112-123 days to become mature in the stomach of dog.