Due to the ongoing pandemic, people have become more anxious about diseases and whether it requires quarantine or not. For example, if your dog has worms, you can have questions like should I quarantine my dog with worms? Or not?
Well, if your dog has worms – you don’t need to quarantine your dog as this disease or rather this problem is not contagious. However, if you have kids and elderly around – you should quarantine your dog. As the worms can sometimes be picked up by humans causing diarrhea.
You should also visit a vet and get proper medication so your dog can get rid of the worms.
Now that we are over the basics, let us dig deep!
What Are Worm Dogs?
Worms are referred to as parasites small in size. They are very common in dogs, and they can get them from the environment they live or play in. Dogs can contract worms under the following circumstances.
- Mosquito bites can lead to heartworms in dogs.
- Dog fesses can make roundworm eggs grow in the stomach of dogs.
- Interaction with fleas or rodents will lead to tapeworms.
- If dogs lick their skin or coat they can essentially get hookworms.
- Whipworms can form if dogs interact with contaminated soil or sand.
How Will You Know If Your Dog Has Worms?
Your dog will likely have worms if it shows signs of diarrhea, coughing, vomiting, and lethargy. However, symptoms can vary depending on the type of worm. For instance, upon your dog contracting a tape worm, it is likely to show signs of rapid weight loss and rice grains in its stool. Generally, dogs demonstrate the following symptoms upon getting different types of worms.
- Tapeworms will result in rice-like worms in the stool of dogs. It will also scoot to the bottom of the ground.
- Roundworms will result in vomiting.
- Whipworms lead to diarrhea and weight loss.
- Hookworms will result in dogs getting pale gums.
Can You Get Worms from Your Dog?
No, you cannot get worms from your dog if you interact with them. However, It is essential to be aware of the types of worms that humans can contract from dogs. The symptoms humans contract from the worms can vary depending on how they contracted the worms. For example, the difference in body types like eye, skin, or internal organs.
Humans contract roundworms if they accidentally ingest roundworm eggs. Roundworms can be found in the soil where dogs passed feces. If the eggs are ingested the worm’s eggs can migrate to the internal organs of humans.
As a result, their muscles can be affected, along with their eyes and brain. Young children mostly catch roundworms because they are more likely to play in the sand and other contaminated areas.
Kids
Kids tend to put things in their mouths and do not have the best hygiene. Adding on, under the context of hookworms, the dogs’ contaminated infestations shall pass through skin contact. Hence, if individuals walk barefoot on contaminated soil they will contract hookworms. Humans can get severe diseases as a result.
How Do Dogs Get Affected by Worms?
Dogs can easily get affected by hydatid tapeworms. They contract it by eating raw organs, domestic animals, and wild animals that contain the parasite. As a result, mostly impacts dogs living on farms and dogs that are used as scavengers. However, this worm can easily be avoided if dogs are prevented from eating raw organs.
This parasite can be transferred to humans under the condition that they ingest eggs in the feces of the infected dog. This can form a dangerous disease for humans caused by cysts. Cysts can form in the liver, lungs, and brain. This can have serious consequences on the body and can have symptoms like diarrhea, rapid weight loss, fatigue, and a swollen abdomen. Whipworm is another disease common in dogs that impacts their health.
Passing of worms to humans
On the contrary, passing on to humans is rare and it has little implications on their health. Nevertheless, a different form of whipworm known as richuris trichiura is transferred easily to humans and impacts their health to a great extent.
Lastly, heartworms also impact dogs and can be transferred onto humans. This process is undertaken with the help of mosquitos, when humans are bitten by the infected mosquito heartworms are passed on to them. This can result in inflammation, and cause lung damage.
Can You Get Worms from Your Dog Sleeping on Your Bed?
Several of the dogs that are affected by worms can easily transmit it to people. However, people mostly get diseases from the environment rather than direct contact with the dog. Hence, you should deworm your dog regularly to help him sleep on your bed.
Can You Get Worms from Your Dog Licking You?
Worms from dogs are not transferred to humans by licking usually. However, other types of infectious diseases. It is still better to be careful and deworm your dog before coming into direct physical contact.
Should You Treat Your Dog with Worms?
Worms are very common in dogs; it is rare for people to develop a serious illness from worms. However, it is best to avoid it and sidestep any kind of sickness. It is best to consult a vet and start getting treatment for your dog.
Should I Quarantine My Dog with Worms?
Based on the information provided previously, it is important to quarantine your dog if it has worms and you have kids and elderly at home. The worms can be transferred to humans and will have severe health consequences for them. It can also be transferred on to kids, and cause complications like lung issues, rapid weight loss, diarrhea, and fatigue.
In some cases, the disease can get critical too. Hence, it is important to keep the dogs in quarantine and get them treated before having any physical contact. The dogs can be treated while they are quarantined.
How Can I Get Rid of The Worms In My Dog?
Dogs can be treated for worms while being under quarantine. They should be dewormed regularly, which will help the dog, you, and your family. You can give your dog NexGard Spectra. It has medicine for a month and should be given to the dog for chewing daily. This medicine is capable of preventing the most common worms such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and flea tapeworm infestation.
The hydatid tapeworm can be prevented if dogs are restricted from consuming offal and scavenging. Dogs that are at risk of the hydatid tapeworm should be treated with ParaGard; this will provide board spectrum protection.
Takeaway
It is best to quarantine your dog if it has worms. This will prevent the disease from being transferred on to humans and impacting their health conditions. Humans can be transferred to worms like roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and flea tapeworm infestation.
They can be transferred through direct contact or coming across the environment of the dog. To prevent the transfer to humans, individuals should quarantine and deworm the dog.
However, if you are thinking if you should quarantine your dog if he has worms, then there is no need to do so. Just make sure to visit a vet and get them dewormed.