Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Mar 24

Can Roundworms Infect Any Animal ?  Basically, the answer is Yes.

These ascarids (a type of nematode worm) occur in all animal groups, including mammals, reptiles and birds and in each case the worm is host specific. They have managed to colonise every environment on earth by using the species that live there - but they do have their limits….

Host Specificity in Roundworm:
Roundworms are very specific in the animals they can reproduce in, but the worms themselves can get into other species and cause illness.  For example the dog roundworm (Toxacara canis) can cause lesions and blindness in humans.

However - host specificity means that they can only fully complete their life-cycle - from egg to larvae to adult - in one or sometimes two species. As mentioned, they are able to stay alive in other species in their larval stage, but can only become adult in their specific host.

Larval roundworms are commonly found in humans - although are inactive - but are still known as a zoonosis - which is a general terms used to describe a disease that can be spread from animals to humans, like rabies and salmonella.

How Do You Get Infected?
As with most endoparasites, animals or humans become infected by close contact with feces.  The eggs are ejected from the host in stools and are protected on the ground until ingested by another creature. 

Dogs and cats continue the cycle by sniffing each other waste for scent, or eating grass or food off the ground in an infected area (the eggs can survive long after the actual stool has gone).

Humans who pick up their animals waste inside or outdoors are at risk from picking up an egg - and needless to say if they do not thoroughly wash their hands before handling or eating uncooked food could ingest the eggs themselves.  The egg hatches to a larva and wil move around it’s new hosts body!

Unfortunately, people do not always treat their pets for worms and so children or adults sitting in parks, doing handstands or generally just playing about could come into contact with the eggs.  As will those who stoke, play or sleep with a pet that has laid on grass and the eggs may be transferred that way.

How To Avoid Getting Infected:
Don’t stop having fun outside or playing with your pets - just take obvious precautions.

Worm your pet regularly with a veterinary approved roundworm treatment following the dosage chart properly and on dates recommended.

Grooming your pet regularly and washing it’s bed/bedding can also reduce the numbers of eggs brought into your home by accident.

Always wash your hands before eating!  If you can remember to wash them after playing with pets or in parks or woodlands, but if you get in the habit of always washing before eating anyway - then you could avoid a lot worse things than roundworms!!
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