Dogs with Worms? Contagious? Harmful?

Question

I just got a young female dog yesterday that previously had a litter of puppies. I had gotten her from a friend of a friend who was not taking care of her at all. I made an appointment with my vetrinarian, but he is so backed up that my appointment is in three days. I really need the answer to my question now, though. I noticed in her stool that she has worms. I was wondering if tthis is contagious to humans? If so, how would I get them from her, and how would I prevent my family from getting them, too?

Answer as soon as possible, and thank you very much! :]

Answer 1

Yes, worms can be transmitted to humans. Mostly through the eggs and young children that tend to stick things in their mouth. Sounds gross but is true. Keep the kids hands washed.

Answer 2

The answer to "can I get these worms from my dog" is, it depends. Some worms are highly specific to dogs, others can be passed around a variety of species, including to humans. The main way that worms are transmitted from dogs to humans is through the oral-fecal route: somehow a person eats something that has been contaminated with infested feces from the dog.

The best prevention is to pick up the dog's feces IMMEDIATELY after she goes to the bathroom. If you have children, especially young children that may either eat dirt or accidentally eat some dirt while playing, this is incredibly important. Young children occasionally become infected with Toxocara canis, the dog roundworm. This can cause ocular larval migrans, where the worm actually migrates through the child's body and ends up in the child's eye. From my understanding, human pediatricians can miss this as being caused by a larval worm and recommend that the child have the eye removed.

Overall I would recommend that you practice very strict hygiene for the time being: wash your hands after cleaning up the feces, insisting that everyone in the family wash up (up to elbows for young children) before eating, and making sure that anyone who has played or worked in the soil around your house washes immediately after finishing with the project or game. Hopefully that will keep anyone from ingesting the eggs of the worms.

I would also recommend that you save the worm (or a stool sample containing worms) for your veterinarian to examine. Dogs can get a variety of different worms (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, etc.) and your vet may choose a different deworming product based on this.

The good news is that most worm infestations are fairly easily dealt with, and your vet can advise you on how to prevent future infestations.

Answer 3

Depends on the species of worms

Although rare, roundworms can be transmitted to humans. As can hookworms, and tapeworms - but this is uncommon.

Sanitation is the best thing you can do. Use gloves (or plastic bags) and scoop up her stool as soon as you can and dispose of it in a plastic bag. Wash your hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water and use a hand sanitizer - even if you use gloves. Use a bleach solution for shovels, etc. to sanitize them.

Outside, scoop up her stools - don't leave them or the worm eggs will remain in the soil to reinfect your dog.

Morining of your appointment, save her stool (a small piece) and bring that to your vet so s/he can test it to see what medications should be used to treat your dog. Usually this takes 2 and sometimes 3 de-wormings to cure. During that time, be sure to use good sanitation practices.

Poor doggie. She's lucky she has you.

Answer 4

You are fine, as I have to honestly assume that you are not going to use your bare hands to pick up the stools, and you don't have any intention of consuming them. If what you are seeing is a long spagetti shape worm - oddly enough, those are round worms, if you are seeing tiny little worms, about the size of a grain of rice, they are tape worms. She can also have hookworms, which you won't see, but could cause her to have blood in her stools. You can go to Petsmart, and get a good over all wormer to get the process of killing the worms started, as it will not hurt, but you will probably want to get a good prescription strenght wormer from your vet also. She should take one immediatly, and then another in 3 weeks to kill off any larva that may have survived the first dose. But, all in all you are both fine

Answer 5

Take your dog to another veterinarian. It's not a huge emergency that can't wait 3 days but yes, most worms are contagious and can be transfered to humans. It's the larvae that could be transfered then incubate in your body and turn into whatever sort of parasite it is.

Get the dog dewormed as soon as you can.

Good Luck

Answer 6

well in order for it to be dangerous to humans you have to ingest the eggs sack (worms)
so as long as you keep your dog off places you sleep (bed) couch) then you wont get them. but kids tend to catch worms from animals from not washing hands and so on
if its rice like segments then it called tapeworms
just go to the vet or purchase some dewormer form the store
but yes humans can get them but you have to swallow a worm some how! and also FLEAS carry tapeworms so if your dog has fleas get some flea treatment! hope this helps

Answer 7

Worms are mostly contageous between pets and not humans. Make sure you collect and dispose of poop qucikly and properly. You'll need to wash all the bedding and vacuum daily until your vet gets your dog on proper meds. If you take a stool sample in to your vet they cam examine it and send you home with proper meds the same day. Good luck.

Answer 8

You won't get worms from your dog but she will live. take her to the vet when you have the appt and tell the doc. kids usually can get ringworm but you can't see them, unusual to get them from your dog. Do your children play near where the dog goes to the bathroom? Do you keep it clean? I wouldn't worry.

Answer 9

You can get a deworming kit from your local pet store, but be sure to bring her in for her appointment. Also, you can try other vets in town that may be ablr to get her in right away.

Answer 10

harmful:somewhat.

contagious:idk...