Puppy Has Worms
My puppy has worms. My veterinarian says they are called roundworms and hookworms. Are they serious? Can I catch them?
Roundworms and Hookworms are common parasites in puppies. They can be serious, and can cause significant problems for your puppy.. Your veterinarian has medication that is safe and effective. It is very important to keep the stools picked up from the yard, as the worm eggs are passed in the stools and develop into infective stages in the soil. The infective stages can cause diseases in humans.
If you or your children are playing or digging in the soil where infective eggs or larvae reside, you can contract either visceral larval migrans from roundworms, or cutaneous larval migrans from hookworms. That is why it is important to dispose of the stool. It is also important to wash your hands, arms, and legs if they may be contaminated. No running in the house to eat a cookie until those hands are washed!
You will not get the worms by petting your dog. The Companion Animal Parasite Council advised pet owners to keep pets on heartworm preventative medications that also control roundworms and hookworms. The preventative should be given twelve months a year.
Please contact your veterinarian immediately for follow-up care for your puppy.
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