Dr Marc Simpson says if our pets have worms we can pick up the eggs when we play with them.
If kids don't wash their hands properly after playing with animals they can then ingest those eggs, Dr Simpson says.
Worms from dogs and cats are not the same as those humans usually get, he adds, and can cause different, more serious, health issues.
Dr Simpson says when the eggs from pet worms hatch inside a human they realise they're not in a dog or cat and leave the intestinal tract. When they do this the larvae start burrowing into other organs.
They can end up in the back of the eye, for example, and can lead to blindness.
In extreme but rare cases untreated infestations of some species of worms in humans can end up in the brain and cause death.
Infested pets, especially puppies and kittens, can also die if they are not wormed.
On a less serious scale, if humans accidentally walk barefoot on pet faeces that contains hookworm then the larvae can burrow into the skin of the foot causing a nasty red rash.
Although the majority of Australians are aware of pet worm infestation in humans, many don't know what the symptoms are.
A recent nationwide Newspoll survey of 1225 Australian households showed that seven out of 10 were aware that intestinal worms could be passed from animals to humans, however there was uncertainty surrounding symptoms.
A simple cough can be a warning sign of worm infestation in humans, yet only 15 per cent of dog and cat owners who participated in the survey were aware this symptom could be an indicator of worms.
Thirty-six per cent did not think a cough could be linked to worms, while 49 per cent could not say.
The survey, conducted by Novartis Animal Health, revealed that pet owning parents or guardians with children (63 per cent) said a quarter of their offspring had been infected by worms passed on from pets and 75 per cent were aware that their children having itchy bottoms were a symptom of worms.
Overall, 75 per cent of respondents knew about the itching, while 63 per cent understood that weight loss was an indicator; 55 per cent cited diarrhoea; 37 per cent excessive tiredness; 32 per cent a fever; and 15 per cent a cough.
Dr Simpson says once a pet worm is inside a human body it is doing damage so we need to focus on prevention.
This means treating adult dogs and cats for worms every three months, and puppies and kittens every two weeks to the age of 12 weeks, and then every month for six months. After six months they should be treated every three months.
Owners of other pets should be aware that their animals can also get worms but it is less of an issue. It is more common in dogs and cats because dogs socialise at parks and beaches and cats wander.
Dogs and cats pick up the microscopic worm eggs when they take a whiff of another animal's faeces. Animals with worms can suffer from diarrhoea, vomiting and anemia.
If humans get pet worms they can experience the more serious problems mentioned above as well as cysts.
This worm infestation is referred to as larva migrans and Dr Simpson says it is completely preventable.
Here's how:
DR MARC SIMPSON'S TOP PREVENTION TIPS
- Use a good worming tablet to fight roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm.
- Worm all animals together so there is not cross contamination.
- Don't let your pet smell or lick stools.
- Pick up your pet's stools and discard of it.
- Make sure meat is well cooked. Freezing, drying and exposure to temperatures over 37 degrees Celsius will kill hydatid tapeworm cysts. Steer away from serving meat from wild animals and aim for supermarket meat that is safe for human consumption.
- Keep an eye out for fleas as young tapeworms can reside in them.
- Wash your hands after playing with pets.
SIGNS YOUR PET HAS WORMS
- You can see worms in your pet's stools. Roundworm and tapeworm are large enough to be spotted in faecal matter. If you notice what looks like small grains of rice in a stool it's a safe bet your pet has worms.
- Vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Weight loss despite a good appetite.
- Pale gums can mean your pet doesn't have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. Blood-sucking parasites such as hookworms are one of the more common causes of anaemia in pets.
- When puppies and kittens catch worms they will show a bloated stomach or belly. This means your pet may have numerous roundworms causing an intestinal blockage and stools cannot pass.
__small.png)
