Can I catch worms from my cat or dog?
Most of us deworm our pets to keep them healthy and save them from discomfort – but it’s also essentialforreducing the risk to us.Here’s our guide tothe parasitesyourcat or dogcould catch and how you can reduce the risks toyou and yourfamily.
Roundworms
Humans can pick up roundworms from a variety of places, so it’s important to know where they are most prevalent and to follow up with good hygiene practices.Following ingestion of roundworm eggs, the larvae hatch and migrate around the body causing organ damage, such as blindness, and liver and lung disease.
Here are a few places you could pick uproundworms:
From puppies and kittens
A single roundworm can produce250,000 eggs per day. Puppies can be infected in utero (i.e. before birth), and puppies and kittens can be infected through their mother’s milk when suckling.Remembertowash your hands wellafterhandling puppies and kittens and deworm themregularly,tohelp eliminate these parasites.
From pet waste
Roundwormscan cause disease in humans if we unknowingly eat the microscopic eggs that infected dogs and cats shed in theirfaeces.Always use gloves and a bag to collect your pets’waste. Clean litter trays daily, andregularly pick up poo in the backyard, at dog parks and while walking your dogto help minimise the spread of parasites.Remember to always wash your hands after handling dog or cat poo.
From the soil
Roundworm eggscan survive inthe soil for years. People can come into contact with them during gardening, and young childrenare at risk of infectionif they play outside in the dirtanddon’twashtheirhandsafterwards.Roundworm eggsin the soilcanalsostick toyour pet’sfur, especially if your dog or cat loves to dig or roll around in the grass, so always wash your hands after patting your pet.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are segmented worms that live in the intestine, they produce small egg-filled segments that break off and are passed out in your pet’sfaeces. If your pet has tapeworms,you may see tiny white segments that look like grains of rice crawling around theirback end or intheirfaeces.
Dogs and cats can become infected with tapewormsby swallowing infected fleaswhilehunting or scavenging,or wheneating uncooked meator offal.Flea tapeworm infection rarely causes disease in pets but can sometimes cause an itchy bottom.
Humans, mainly children, canalso become infected with the flea tapeworm if theyaccidentallyconsume an infected flea (e.g. after patting their flea-infested dog or cat).Symptoms in infected humans can include vomiting and diarrhoea.
Another species of tapeworm called the hydatid tapeworm can causea serious condition in humans called “hydatid disease”. This disease occurs in humans who accidentally ingest hydatid tapeworm eggs from the environment. These eggs can migrate from the intestinal tract and lodge in various organs (mainly the liver and lungs), where they can grow into large cyst-like structures, resulting in serious and potentially life-threateningdiseases.Hydatid disease is difficult to treat and control, so reducing the likelihood of exposure by regularly deworming your dog, preventing your dog from scavenging and maintaininggood hygiene practices is very important.
Hookworms
Pets can pick uphookwormsby eating larvae from the soil,orby thelarvae penetrating the skin, or if they eat an infected rodent or bird. Symptomsof hookwormsaren’t common in adultpets butcan bemuchmore serious in young dogs and cats. Symptoms includediarrhoea, lethargy, anaemia, and in severe cases, even death.If the larval stages of hookworms penetrate the pet’s skin, it can occasionally cause irritation and itching (i.e. dermatitis), with the paws being most commonly affected.
The larval stages of hookworms can also affect people similarly.If we walk across a contaminated area in bare feet,the larvae can burrow into our skin and cause irritation and itching.Wear shoesoutsidewherever possible to reduce the risk of a hookworm infection. Occasionally,hookworm larvaecan migrate to the intestinal tract, resulting in severe abdominal pain.
Dealing with worms
Pet owners can choose froma range of deworming products,such asMilbemaxTM. Deworm youradultpetsat least once everythreemonthstocontrol intestinal worms,and help reduce the risk of human infections.In some cases, such as with hydatid tapeworm in dogs, monthly dosing is recommended. Puppies require more frequent deworming as they are much more susceptible to worms (refer to label for dosing instructions).
Other options for deworming your pet include:
- AdvocateTM, a fast-acting, water-resistant, easy-to-apply monthly spot-on that protects your pet against most gastrointestinal worms, as well as fleas and heartworm.
- CredelioTM PLUS is for dogs only, and is a monthly chewable tablet that protects against most gastrointestinal worms, as well as fleas, ticks, mites and heartworm
Always consult your veterinarian to ensure your pet is on an appropriate deworming regimen. Appropriate hygiene practices are also essential in minimising the risk these parasites pose to humans.
Always read and follow label directions.
