The short answer is yes, many worms that affect dogs are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. Different worms cause different diseases and each has its own set of symptoms. So take care and watch out for the signs.
In most cases, in order to contract worms from an animal, a person must ingest parasite-laden feces. Common sense and hygiene greatly reduce the risk, Weese said. “The risk is never zero,” Weese said, “but I’m not convinced it’s any higher for a veterinarian than for someone walking in the park.”
Fortunately, most of these don’t make us sick, but some can. Parasites such as hookworm, roundworm and Giardia can be transmitted from dogs to humans through licking.
An itchy rash at the site of penetration is the most obvious of the symptoms of hookworm infection. Twisting red tracks may also be visible as the worm eats its way under the skin. Severe cases can cause diarrhea and lead to weight loss and anemia.
Contact with contaminated soil or dog feces can lead to human ingestion and infection. Roundworm eggs can accumulate in significant numbers in the soil where pets defecate. Once infected, the worms can cause ocular, pulmonary, cardiac, and neurological symptoms in humans.
Sometimes you don’t need to do anything about a tapeworm. It could leave your body on its own. But if your doctor finds it, they can prescribe you a medication like praziquantel or nitazoxanide. These will either kill the adult worms or cause you to shed them.
In the stool, the worms look like small white cotton threads. Because of their large size and white color, pinworms are difficult to spot. The male worm is rarely seen as it remains in the intestine. The best time to look for pinworms is at night when the female comes out to lay eggs.
A single dose of albendazole (400 mg) or mebendazole (500 mg) may be administered to prevent parasitic infection in adults. A dewormer is given to pregnant women after the first trimester. The drug is administered twice a year in regions where parasites are more than 50%.
Fecal testing (examination of your stool) can identify both helminths and protozoa. Stool samples must be taken before you take anti-diarrhea medication or antibiotics, or before barium x-rays are taken. Multiple stool samples may be required to find the parasite.
Many times people get worms by accidentally swallowing them or their eggs. Some worms can penetrate your skin when they are young and small. Sometimes you get worms when bitten by an infected insect or when you eat meat from an infected animal.
According to WebMD, intestinal parasites like hookworm, roundworm, and Giardia can be transmitted from dogs to humans through licking and kissing, as can ringworm, a fungal infection of the skin. Salmonella bacteria that cause food poisoning can also be passed from your dog to you and vice versa.
Itching and a localized rash are often the first signs of infection. These symptoms appear when the larvae penetrate the skin. A person with a mild infection may not have any symptoms. A person with a severe infection may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and anemia.