Worms Cats Dogs

Although pinworms are among the most common worm infections that humans (and especially children) are likely to get, they are not spread by the family pet.

Pinworms are of the roundworm family and are peculiar to people. They will not survive in the intestinal tract of cats or dogs so they cannot be transmitted by the family pet.

The common misconception is that pinworms inhabit the homes of dirty people or people who have dirty pets. This is untrue. Pinworms are highly contagious, especially in places where children come into contact with other children – like schools. An infected child that scratches their itchy anus can get eggs under their fingernails. These eggs can be transferred to door handles, clothing, bed linen, furniture, faucets, and food. Because the pinworm eggs are resilient they can survive for several days waiting to be picked up by another host and swallowed.

Usually the host person will notice little effects, and may not realize they have been infected at all. In severe cases, or with young children, the symptoms of pinworms may be more noticeable. These symptoms will include an itchy anus most noticeable at night when the worms are active. The itching may even be enough to cause disrupted sleep patterns.

Treatment for pinworms is not usually needed as children will often grow out of the infections, and the worms themselves cause no noticeable ill effects. However, your doctor can prescribe medication if the side-effects become problematic to the point of disrupting sleep.

The main thing to remember is that your beloved cat or dog is no the cause of pinworm infection, so you do not need to treat or blame them.