Worms

We are pretty sure our horrid little terrier has worms.

My kids barely pay attention to her because she smells so bad and she's irritating more than anything, but what I was going to ask is, should I be worried about worms transferring from the dog to the kids.

A doctor told my sister that animals giving children worms was an absolute myth, but I am not sure who is right since I had always "thought" animals give worms to people.

The kids have showed NO SIGNS of having worms what-so-ever nor have DH and I and DH is the one one who pets the dog ( I think where the dog is concerned it's alittle like the episode of the Simpsons when homer finds PINCHY the lobster and he's the only one who can't see the lobster for the snapping horrible creature he is LOL).

Should I treat the kids when I treat the dog? Or is the doctor right?

OKAY this is disgusting! I found a paper on this subject from a professor. I am so never touching another dog again ROTF


WORMS THAT LIVE IN YOUR PET:

Hookworms and roundworms
Hookworms and roundworms (Ancylostoma and Ascaris ) are common nematodes of dogs and cats. When a human accidentally eats something contaminated with worm eggs from a pet’s stool, the eggs hatch in the intestines and begin migrating throughout that person’s body. Worm larva can also burrow through intact skin. Because these parasites were designed to live in dogs and cats, they become lost in the human body – often in the liver or eyes. When this occurs, the disease is called visceral larval migrans. This disease occurs most often in children due to their poor hygienic practices. In the eye the larval nematodes cause inflammation and blindness. In the liver they can cause chills, fever, malaise and an elevated white blood cell count. To prevent this disease, have your pet’s stool checked yearly for parasites and feed a monthly heartworm preventative that also kills nematodes. Both popular brands of heartworm preventative for dogs contain ingredients that keep your pet free of intestinal worms. Pyrantel pamoate is a very effective medicine to remove hook and roundworms. It is sold on the pet isle at WalMart.

(*or better still, banish the dog from the household* LOL)

The eggs of the roundworm of raccoons, Balisascaris, are particularly dangerous when ingested by people. If you keep pet raccoons or raise orphans, worm them frequently with pyrantel pamoate and milbemycin oxime. If you have neighborhood raccoons, do not leave dog or cat food outside where it will attract them. Keep your trash cans well covered and seal up attic crawl spaces where these animals can nest.

Tapeworms
Certain tapeworms that encyst in the muscles of livestock and fish can also infect humans. Taenia solium is carried through pork, T. saginata by beef and Diphyllobothrium latum by fish. The common pigmy tapeworm of dogs and cats (dipylidium) that I see frequently in dogs and cats is never infectious to people. Besides the three tapeworms previously mentioned, Echinococcus granulosa, can infect people. The first three develop in the human intestine while the last can cause major damage to the human brain and body organs. Praziquantel and fenbendazole destroy these parasites.

Dog Heartworms
On rare occasions, dog heartworms will infect human beings. This parasite, Dirofilaria immitus, is spread dog to dog by mosquitoes. When a mosquito obtains a blood meal from an infected dog and then goes on to bite the owner it is common for some of the heartworm larva to be transferred to the human. In a normal person, the body’s immune system quickly recognizes the parasite and destroys it. In rare instances, however, the larval heartworm manages to migrate to the person’s lungs where the dying parasite stimulates an inflammatory lesion called a “coin lesion”. These lesions are not serious in themselves but they become very significant when they are misinterpreted as being lung tumors. This is not a very common occurrence for example, within the last twenty years in the United States about eighty cases were reported in the State of Florida.

SCREAM! I am sooooo scared! damage the brain and organs?

Well, you know, I worked in a histology lab and NEVER ONCE did I see anyones organs come in with worm damage. Also most of the tests for OVAS, CYSTS AND PARACITES done on stools came up nix.

Best rememdy is to treat them all me thinks.

Is anyone as grossed out as i am right now?

[JeanineAnne]

I have never in all my life heard of anyone catching worms from a pet, but I'm sure there is some child out whose parents either don't know or don't care if their child injest animal feces. That thought grosses me out more than the dog having worms....

[~Tara~]

ewwww

I have no input, I just read and was completely grossed out *cough gag choke*

[luvmy4sons]

Some worms leave their larva in the yard and the children can ingest them if they pick things up in the yard and put it in their mouth. Grass and other objects. That is why it is good to keep up with the dog poop pick up. Ring worm is highly contagious and sometimes difficult to treat, but I see it more often in cats than dogs. I don't think you can catch the worms from just petting your dog except ring worm. Yearly vet visits and good yard hygiene and a watchful eye so children don't put things in their mouth should help prevent the unliklihood of children catching anything. :D You are too funny! LOL! I love dogs! :P

[JoyLynn]

ewwww

I have no input, I just read and was completely grossed out *cough gag choke*

Eeeewwww!! Me too! [whatblah]

[rofl]

[lovesmile]

Joy [welcomewave]

Leslie, that is exactly what I thought - and who's kids goes out and plays with dog poop anyway (well a child under 2 might LOL)... man any kid that does that must be the arch enemy of Santa (meaning; guess they got no toys in their stocking that year LOL LOL)

I seriously thought one of the ways of contamination from dogs to people could be in the sand that the poop has previously been on because littlies love to dig in the sand

Yeh we are normally good with worming but given we've moved 3 x in the space of a year, a lot of things have fallen by the "way side" so to speak.

Honestly, I read an article on worms not long ago because I thought one of our cats had them. And I decided it was not worth worrying about LOL Only because we have three cats and it is sooo much work (cleaning) to avoid worms when you have that many cats. And sooo expensive to treat them. And then you have to treat all the family.
I know my sister had worms (pinworms) as a kid. I am pretty sure she would have got them from our cat or from another child. And they didn't harm any of her organs. Did you know you can get pinworms from just breathing? So if you went to someones house where one of their kids or a pet had worms you can easily pick them up. I read that and just thought "geez what's the point in worrying". :roll:
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if I have them right now. Since I was pregnant I couldn't treat myself so it was a waste of time treating Paul and Abby but not treating myself.

And how do you stop a toddler from putting their hands on the cats fur near their tails (where the eggs are in their fur)? Abby is always patting the cats.

You can't (stop the kids from touching the cat anywhere) LOL

I guess rather than worrying I will look for solid evidence of infection (such as sleeplessness, itchy butt at night ewwwww).

They seem to be at the most risk actually, once they start school.

Yeah once they start daycare/kindy/school they get everything, you name it. I actually dread sending Abby to preschool.

If you want to check for physical signs of worms get a torch and look at their bottom in the middle of the night. If you shine the torch apparently you should be able to see them.

yeah that's what my sister and Mum have told me and that they look like little bits of white cotton, not actually like worms.

Preschool and Kindy are gross places for germ breeding I totally agree!

If they have worms they don't sleep.

I saw the dog scratching it's butt on the bricks yesterday. DO you have any idea how much I'd just love to send it to the pound? It is the grossest living being that ever graced the face of the planet. I told DH I felt physically sick when I saw her and that he is NOT to let her inside.
She has all these itch allergies from laying in the grass UGGG (She gets spring itchies) Her smell is pungent, not like a normal dog smell (no it's not her teeth, it's her BODY). If she so much as rubs on your clothing it's instant contamination from stench.

DH is the only one who likes the dog - the kids yell if she comes near them "SHE'S STINKY! Get lost Molly"

All I do is grrrr at her and she runs off. She also has no brains what-so-ever and even DH agrees she doesn't contribute anything to the family besides poop LOL LOL. She is basically a goldfish on land (no brains, just eats and poops).

He will pick up the tablets today. I wish he'd just re-home her or something LOL LOL

yeah that's what my sister and Mum have told me and that they look like little bits of white cotton, not actually like worms.

Preschool and Kindy are gross places for germ breeding I totally agree!

If they have worms they don't sleep.

I saw the dog scratching it's butt on the bricks yesterday. DO you have any idea how much I'd just love to send it to the pound? It is the grossest living being that ever graced the face of the planet. I told DH I felt physically sick when I saw her and that he is NOT to let her inside.
She has all these itch allergies from laying in the grass UGGG (She gets spring itchies) Her smell is pungent, not like a normal dog smell (no it's not her teeth, it's her BODY). If she so much as rubs on your clothing it's instant contamination from stench.

DH is the only one who likes the dog - the kids yell if she comes near them "SHE'S STINKY! Get lost Molly"

All I do is grrrr at her and she runs off. She also has no brains what-so-ever and even DH agrees she doesn't contribute anything to the family besides poop LOL LOL. She is basically a goldfish on land (no brains, just eats and poops).

He will pick up the tablets today. I wish he'd just re-home her or something LOL LOL

[rofl] [rofl] I love dogs but if I had one it would have to be bathed every day. I hate dog smell. If it makes it easier you can tie her to the fence by her leash and hose her down [rofl] That way she can't move. :lol:

We have three cats and I'm constantly telling one or the other off. This week we've had a lovely big rat brought to us and also a blackbird. And Mischief decided to puke on the windowsill in the lounge GRRR And Kitty and Cleo are always leaving chunks of fur on the carpet from scratching so much. We really need to get them all flea collars. I used to treat them with Advantage/Revolution but it's $30 for three treatments and we have three cats. So that's $30 a month we just don't have. Mind you, the flea collars are $10 each :shock: But Paul said they are supposed to last for more than a month.. something like 3 or 5 months I think. So I guess flea collars are cheaper... but I don't know how well they work.

[AmyB]

Are you thinking the dog has worms just because she is scooting? If so, you might want to check this out as another possibility...

http://www.dr-dan.com/analsac.htm

A friend of ours is a groomer and once in awhile she would empty the dogs' glands for us if we had noticed them starting to butt scoot. The vet has done it before, too. The fluid in the gland is pretty nasty smelling.

Amy, honestly the thought did cross my mind about the butt glands because I have heard that before, but she has smelt for years and the butt scooting has just started in the last few weeks.

Perhaps we should get her checked over for good measure??

She comes up with rashes all on her underside every spring and nothing we've tried alleviates them - we know if we take her to the vet they'll only load us up with creams and medication that we can't afford.
I think I have assumed the smell comes from the skin condition????

None of us have ever been effected by her allergy by petting her.