the vet said you can catch worms from your dogs, but Telecare says you can't. What's the truth? I'm worried.

Question

We have a puppy who's been licking around our mouths and we just found out she has worms. Our vet said that you can catch the worms from her, but when I called Telecare they said that it can't be transmitted from dog to human. I've looked online and found a few different ones that either agreed with the vet or with Telecare. I don't know what to believe and I'm worried, especially for my niece who is a baby, because the vet said that that age is more suseptible to it. I'm worried for the rest of us as well. If anyone could help me out it would be greatly appreciated!

When the vet called me they said it was roundworms. I have given her the dewormer since then, but she did lick us before we found out. I allowed it because I was told the only way you can get the worms from your dog is if you come in contact with the dog poop and then touch your mouth with whatever came into contact with the poop. When the vet told us you can get it just from the dog licking you. I called TeleCare (a nurse/doctor) and asked them, and she said that you can't catch it from dogs. So I got that from two doctors, just two different TYPES of doctors.

Answer 1

In third world countries it is common to see worms migrated under the skin of humans. In western nations it is not common. The worms usually show up as skin lesions not worms in the gut like they do in dogs. If you had them, you would know. You would have a worm lying under the skin and itching/hurting. It is just not common in the states. You are ok.
see this link
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/hookworm.jpg

Answer 2

Several types of worms are what is called zoonotic. A zoonosis is any infectious disease that is able to be transmitted (vectored) from other animals, both wild and domestic, to humans or from humans to animals (the latter is sometimes called reverse zoonosis). The intestinal parasites to worry about contracting from your dog are these types of parasites. The internal parasites include hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms. Hookworms are the most commonly contracted parasites from dogs to people. They are usually from the feces. The larva can make their way through a persons skin if a person is walking in a backyard or area were infected canine feces is located.
The best thing to do is to have the stool sample of the young children that have interacted with the dog checked. Kids are more suspesible especially because they do not wash their hands after interacting with the dog and put their hands in the dirt and in their mouth.
Adults around the dog should probably wait it out. If anyone gets diarrhea, stomach cramps, and persistant gas they should go to the doctor. Otherwise they probably arent infected if they have good hygiene practices.
P.S. Assuming your pet hasnt been dewormed by your veterinarian (WHICH IT SHOULD BE!!!) a stool sample can be checked in their office or sent in to the lab to verify an infection and pinpoint the exact parasite (s) that might be causing the problem.

Answer 3

Yes-there are many things that can be transmitted between pets and owners-children or not, and more than worms.

Ask your vet for his specific diagnosis-not just "worms". Once you have that information, ask your pediatrician if it is communicable between dogs and humans.

My son (Infant at the time) contracted a very terrible staph infection from our Lab-it may have been through a scratch on his skin that the organism from the dog was able to get into, but yes, the specific infection came from the infection that was underlying the dog's skin. Both my vet and pediatrician recommended that the dog have no contact with any family member until the antibiotics were finished (by the dog) she was quaranteened, and my son nearly hospitalized.

Call your doctor and vet-they are your best source of information.

Answer 4

It depends on the type of worm.
Most cases of humans accidentally becoming infected with dog parasites are small children who play in areas where dogs have recently defecated. They either accidentally swallow the eggs which are in the soil when playing, or have larva migrate from the soil to bare feet and into the skin that way. Dogs can also carry eggs on their feet or fur if they walked in or rolled on infected soil.
I've never heard of any actual cases of people becoming infected by puppies licking faces, but almost every mom I've worked with seems to tell their kids this.
Since there is a baby in the house I's be extra careful with her contact with the puppy as there may be egg hitch-hikers on the pups paws or fur.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/ascaris/prevention.htm#zoonotic

Answer 5

Get the pup wormed, it's easy and not expensive.

The usual way for kids to pick up worms from dogs (very rare, by the way) is if they pick up the feces or eat them - most kids are not likely to do this, I am sure you tell yours not to - so the chance of your kids, or yourself, contracting worms from your dog are very slim.

To be safe, have the kids wash their hands after they play with the pup --- and deworm that dog!!

This is a very, very rare case, by the way, not a major worry in life. I have had many, many fosters who had all kinds of worms when they came to me and never had a problem with getting anything from them, or of even having my own 4 dogs get worms from them.

Answer 6

Yes, the vet is right on this one. I know at the last state vet meeting here in Indiana they were going over this one. They have found roundworms that have migrated into the eyes of some children. This scares the crap out of people when they go to the vet. The vet is required to tell clients about this. It can happen, but rare.

Added: About Bob stating the Giardia! I know this one happens, I was on Flagyl for Giardia myself before!!

Answer 7

Well if you can catch some other humans cold., & stuff like the CHICKEN~POX,measels & many other things just from handling,touching or even drinking after someone that has a cold!?! & if certain safety precautions had'nt been taken before`hand .,. What statement,rule,law or book makes you any better !?! right ? ~!!{"Catching something from an ANIMAL could very well have worse affects on a human !?! '`R"r,r`r.r'.-

Answer 8

Of course you can. Roundworms and hookworms are the most common ones transmitted to humans...usually children. Worm the pup!!!!
You will not get worms from the saliva however, it is from the feces. But of course, puppies lick EVERYTHING!!! It is not likely you would get them from the puppy licking you.

Answer 9

your vet is right so take the dog and get rid of the worms. then after the dog is clean keep it away from other animals stool because that is how they get it . it is airborne sometimes and sometimes they get worms from fleas . so be sure that you keep the dog clean and free of fleas and dont let the dog sniff other dogs stool while out on a walk . good luck and god bless.

Answer 10

If by worms you mean "ring worm" (which is actually a fungus) then yes you can catch it from your cat or dog. As far as the others go.......I'm not so sure, you just may want to check what "worms" your pet has first, and repost that information here. It might be a bit more help.

Hope all goes well!