Worms are something that we have to worry about as pet owners, however with proper preparation it’s quite easy to stay free of the rotten little things.
Hookworms and Roundworms
Hookwarms and roundworms can infect you in a number of ways. Their eggs are present in the infected animal’s stool and are passed on when someone or something eats them. Now, you’re probably not rushing out to eat your dog’s stool, but you can come in contact with the eggs while picking up poop (there might be a hole in the bag).
They look like a monster from a low budget 1900’s movie, but “15% of all cancers in humans are parasites-related“
You can also become infected just by stepping in it or sitting on dirt containing the eggs (larvae can burrow through healthy unbroken skin), so don’t pick up poop in flip flops and wash your hands afterwards.
Roundworm eggs in dog’s stool
When a human ingests worm eggs, they pass through the digestive system until they reach the intestines where they hatch. From here they (hookworms or roundworms) move about the body, often becoming lost in the eyes (do yourself a favor and don’t google that) or liver due to being unadapted to the human body.
Heartworms can potentially infect a human, however it’s quite rare since a mosquito must bite the infected host then bite the human, and the human body usually kills it upon entry. Sometimes however, it arrives in the lungs and can be mistaken for cancer which is very serious indeed.
Worms can be easily prevented with regular deworming and cleaning your hands after picking up your dog’s waste.
Ringworms
The ringworm isn’t a worm, it’s a slow growing fungus; it also doesn’t have to be ring shaped! What a useful name. While ringworms aren’t a worm, they are highly contagious. Usually all you’ll need is an anti-fungal cream.
Ringworms have only been included because their name allow them to be easily confused with worms.
1. Petfinder 2. DogBreedInfo 3. Alex A. Volinsky a*, Nikolai V. Gubarev b, Galina M. Orlovskaya c, Elena V. Marchenko. Human anaerobic intestinal “rope” parasites. Cornell University Library. 4. SherbourneAnimalHostpital
