Worms are a very important health consideration when it comes to dogs. That's because some of these parasites can cause problems for humans, too, so it's important to protect everyone in the house. A common example is the roundworm, which normally inhabits the digestive tract but can migrate to other parts of the body.
Simply clear the area of existing vegetation, lay a clear plastic tarp over the soil and weigh down the edges with rocks or bricks. The sun's heat will bake through the tarp and, after four weeks, will kill any roundworms in the underlying dirt.
Be sure to pick up after your dog every day and keep your yard clean so any tapeworms still existing in the yard do not find their way back to your dog. You will need to have a flea control plan in place because tapeworms are often found in fleas.
Treatment generally consists of a general dewormer and environmental cleaning. Indoors, the floor should be vacuumed and cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner. Litter boxes and bedding should be scrubbed and laundered. All animals in the house should be dewormed together to ensure all infected animals are treated.
It is estimated that a medium-sized garden can contain more than 20,000 earthworms. Worse yet, if your dog gets roundworms he could spread them to you. So don't let your dog eat the earthworms and keep him and you parasite free.
Litter boxes can be cleaned with a bleach solution (one cup of chlorine bleach in one gallon of water) to facilitate the removal of eggs. Rinse the litter box thoroughly to remove all bleach since it is toxic to cats. Surfaces that may be contaminated with roundworm eggs can also be treated with this bleach solution.
All bedding, brushes, combs, rugs, cages, etc. should be vacuumed, scrubbed, and washed with hot water, detergent, and 1:100 chlorine laundry bleach, or another effective disinfectant (see above). It is best to throw out any items that cannot be thoroughly disinfected. Walls, floors, lamps, etc.
These worm eggs and larvae can survive for weeks and even years in areas such as parks, playgrounds, and yards. Roundworm infections usually happen when soil, sand, or plants that have been contaminated with infected animal feces are accidentally put in the mouth and ingested.
The short answer is yes, many worms infesting dogs are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. Different worms cause different diseases, and each have their own symptoms. So, look after yourself and look out for the signs.
On a side note, after deworming an infected pet consider confining them to a small easily cleaned area for a day or two. As the worms pass they can mess up furniture and carpets!!
The tapeworm eggs can live in the environment in grass and soil, carpets and dust, so it is hard to eliminate the process of infection as we cannot keep this permanently clean.
A simple chlorine wash consisting of 4-6oz of chlorine per gallon of water which will not damage the lawn, but will kill most viruses or bacteria.
One of the best general and most economical disinfectants is bleach. A mix of one part bleach and 30 parts water will kill even tough viruses such as parvo. Leave the bleach on the contact surface for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.
In order to get rid of the detritus worms that you currently have, do twice weekly water changes on your tank including thorough gravel vacuuming. The suction from the gravel vacuum will pull the worms out so you can dispose of them.
Keep your child's and your own fingernails short. Change bed linen, towels and underwear daily for several days after treatment. Bedlinen and clothing should be machine-washed in hot water to ensure that all the eggs are killed. Vacuum and dust the house, paying particular attention to the bedrooms on a regular basis.
It takes one to three weeks for the eggs that are passed in the feces to become infectious; however, these eggs can survive in the environment for many months.
Cryptosporidium is resistant to chlorine disinfection so it is tougher to kill than most disease-causing germs. The usual disinfectants, including most commonly used bleach solutions, have little effect on the parasite. An application of hydrogen peroxide seems to work best.
After touching an infected area, people may put their fingers in or near their mouths or touch surfaces. Pinworm eggs can attach to bedding, clothing, toys, doorknobs, furniture and faucets for up to two weeks.
Numerically, the odds of you or your children getting worms from your dog or cat are quite low.
“Worms can be picked up from your dog's stool and contaminated soil. They can infect other dogs, and in some cases, people can contract certain types of worms. That's one reason it's important that you always carefully clean up your dog's stool.”
In most cases, it's a sign of intestinal parasites. Dogs pick up parasites after coming into contact with eggs in the soil or stool from an infected dog. They ingest the microscopic eggs of the parasites when grooming themselves or after eating contaminated soil or feces.