Dog mess is said to blind the very young if they get it in their eyes. If this is so, does the same apply to..

Question

Foxes?
Cats?
Any other animal that you know of?

It occured to me that dogs like to roll in foxes mess and children like to pet the dogs and I found myself wandering if this is dangerous. Please help so my mind is at ease (or I become extra vigilant)!

Any doctors out there confirm this please? Is it just an 'old wives' tale?

Answer 1

Its not the mess thats the problem, its a certain kind of worm larvae that may be in the mess.
Toxacara Canis eggs take two weeks to mature after the mess is laid, so all you need to do is have the vet worm your dog for roundworm and tapeworm, and clear up his mess every day as soon as its laid. Adult dogs also have some immunity, its young pups that carry the biggest burden.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=toxocara+canis&spell=1

Toxoplasmisis is a worm carried by cats and some livestock, its a bigger problem because unlike toxacara canis it doesn't die in the winter. Plus cats bury their mess so its harder to find and clean up.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=toxoplasmosis&btnG=Search&meta=

Basic hygeine precautions take care of these problems. Just teach your kids to wash their hands after they pet the dog and before they eat.
People have been living around these animals for tens of thousands of years.

Its unborn children that are at most risk so you can relax.

Answer 2

What you are referring to is Toxicara Canis or Toxocara, which is a kind of minute worm that can cause various ill effects, including partial blindness, in infants if they do ingest the eggs. This is why now child play areas in parks are fenced off and dogs not allowed there. Foxes and cats may carry Toxicara too. The illness contracted is called Toxocariasis or Toxoplasmosis and can also affect pregnant women adversely.

If you have pets and give them worming tablets on a regular basis, your child will not be at risk. If the child pets an unknown animal, simply make sure he or she washes hands afterwards.
Medical studies have proved that, on the whole, children who have pets have a better immune system than those who have not, so I would not stress.

If you type "Toxicara" in my web search, the information about it is all there from different providers that include the BBC.
The following website is well designed and informative.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/default.htm
I hope this helps.

Answer 3

It's not the actual dog mess but worms that can cause blindness in children. Although Im not sure if this applies to feaces from fox,s.
It is always best to get children to wash their hands after handeling any animal, as should adults.

Answer 4

It's the worms found in the faeces which can lead to blindness. Worm your dogs with a complete wormer like Drontal Plus every 3 months and teach your children to wash their hands after petting the dog.

Answer 5

It doesn't need a doctor to confirm the risk of toxoplasmosis from dogs and cats. Just do a search on that word. Other posters have explained the risks very well.
The only thing to add is the risk in pregnancy. When a pregnant woman is infected her child may be born with defects leading to severe lifelong physical and mental disabilities.

Answer 6

When Dog, Cat, fox etc mess comes into contact with the mucous membranes either in the eye or the nose or mouth, there is a risk of a disease called Toxoplasmosis. It is a worm that can attack the optical nerves and cause blindness.
Pregnant Ladies should always wear gloves when dealing with animal mess and always wash their hands thoroughly afterwards, as they are most at risk.
Toxoplasmosis is irreversible, every precaution must be taken.

Answer 7

You should try and stop your dogs rolling in fox dung notjust for your kids sake but to stop you having to bath the dog.

As far as your own dogs go,provided they are wormed every 3-4 months they should not have any of the worms that can cause blindness in their dung.

Answer 8

It's no old wives' tales, although I didn't know it also included dogs. I know that pregnant women and young children should avoid contact with cat faeces because of the toxicara worm which can indeed cause blindness.
Those first few respondants have obviously never heard of it.

Answer 9

There is an etremley rare condition whereby very young children can go blind if they swallow dog poo. I would say it would be prudent to keep your children away from all types of excrement- but don't get paranoid if they do get it on themselves-it probably will do them no lasting damage. My son had a horrible habit of eating chicken poo and flies when he was a very small boy, I was horrified at the time- but it hasn't harmed him!

Answer 10

it can blind any person if the pet has not been wormed
its not the mess its the worms!
as far as wild animals well you guess not unless god gave them a pill last night!?