There are many reasons you don’t want your puppy to contract parasites. They can cause your puppy to have a poor appetite and upset their stomach to the point of diarrhea or vomiting. Not to mention, they are just plain disgusting.
But there’s another serious reason you don’t want your puppy to have parasites: they can actually pass to people. “Zoonosis” is the term your veterinarian will use to describe an animal disease that can affect people. Not all parasites are zoonotic. But two common worms dogs can get—roundworms and hookworms—can infect people.
These worms aren’t going to cause the exact same issues in people as they do in dogs. Because these worms are used to infecting dogs, they get “lost” inside humans, never quite reaching the intestines. Instead, they end up in odd places inside the human body. That’s why people can have strange, wide-ranging symptoms from these worms, like a skin rash or a problem with vision, rather than an upset stomach.
Okay, so you’re probably really grossed out right about now. But the good news is that this is really easy to prevent! Here are a few tips to keep your puppy, you and your family safe from worms:
- Keep your puppy on monthly heartworm prevention. Aside from protecting your puppy against heartworm infestation, heartworm preventives also target intestinal worms, giving you the peace of mind that your puppy is regularly being dewormed, so you’re not at risk.
- Consider getting fecal tests done on a routine basis. This can help you catch a worm problem before it becomes a long-standing issue. Your veterinarian can recommend how frequently this should be done based on the prevalence of worms in your area.
- Pick up your puppy’s poop in the yard regularly (every day). Always wash your hands after you handle your dog’s poop, even if you were using a baggie or scooper to do so.
- Try your best to stop your puppy from eating other dogs’ poop.
- Don’t go barefoot in parks or on beaches that may be frequented by stray dogs or cats.
Learn more about internal parasites that could affect your puppy.
