Dogs Trust > Information > Dog A-Z > T > Toxocariasis >
Dogs Trust is not responsible for the content of external websites.
For further enquiries email (Christina at) info@dogstrust.org.uk
The rumours and fear regarding the danger to human health from dog faeces has spread throughout the population. Sadly, most people’s knowledge of the rare Toxocara canis infection is limited to hearsay and hysterical media reports. However the facts are:
• As the eggs of the Toxocara worm take over two weeks to hatch and become active, there are no health risks to you from immediately clearing up after your dog.
• In tests, only five per cent of pet dogs were found to expel Toxocara worm eggs.
• Of this five per cent, the majority were pups between two weeks and six months of age or pregnant bitches.
• Foxes and cats also act as hosts to the Toxocara worm.
• The incidence of all Toxocara-induced diseases in the UK is only two cases per million of the population. However, this still means that about 40 people are needlessly ill each year.
• The eggs of the Toxocara worm, if deposited in soil, can lie dormant for up to three years, if the conditions are right. They are highly resilient to temperature changes and chemical disinfectants have little effect on them.