WORMS? NO Way!!!

Aw come on my BOSTON doesn't have worms!
Are you kidding? Your not?
Okay then.  Just where would MY Boston have gotten these worms? How disgusting... eck.
 How a dog gets infected by worms depends on the kind of worms the dog has. There are a lot of different kinds of worms that live in dogs. All of these kinds of worms are called parasites because they feed off the dog instead of living on their own. These are not worms like earthworms; parasite worms have to get inside a dog to reproduce. The most common ones in dogs are roundworms, hookworms, whip-worms, tapeworms, and heart-worms. Roundworms and hookworms are found a lot in puppies and sometimes in adult dogs. Whip-worms, tapeworms, and heart-worms are seen more in older dogs.¹

How Do I Find Out if My Dog Has Worms?

Your veterinarian can tell you if your dog has worms. The doctor will check a fecal sample from your dog to see if it has any intestinal worms and a blood sample to see if it has any heart-worms. Most veterinarians recommend checking once a year to make sure your dog is free of worms. If your dog does have worms, the doctor can give your dog medicine to get rid of them. 
Since veterinarians are also on the front lines when it comes to public health, They consider that fecal exams are not just necessary for healthy pets, they’re essential for healthy humans, too, more so if your family members are very young children, very old adults or otherwise immuno compromised (transplant patients, HIV-positive humans, chemo recipients, etc.).³
Children Catch Worms from Dogs and Cats?
Infants and small children are more susceptible to catching worms from pets, as they have immature immune systems and often poor hygiene. Humans can catch worms from the family dog or cat so it is important to teach your children to wash their hands before eating. Equally important is to regularly treat your pets for worms. It should be noted that catching worms from the family pet is not common but you should be aware of the possibility.  Dogs should be discouraged from pooping where kids play, as roundworms are especially dangerous to children. Roundworm eggs can lie dormant in a sandbox for years. Once they enter the child host they can migrate to the child's liver, lungs, eyes or brain and become permanently encysted.²
To help protect your family from the possibility of catching worms from your pets it is essential that you de-worm your pets regularly.

That is all fine but that did not answer my question... Just where would MY Boston have gotten these worms?

 Can Roundworm spread from dogs to children?
Roundworm are the most common parasite of the digestive system in cats and dogs. Roundworm can only spread to humans by ingesting roundworm eggs. This can happen when a child comes in contact with contaminated soil or sand and then transfers eggs to the mouth via contaminated fingers or by putting contaminated objects in their mouths.  After the eggs are inadvertently eaten they hatch in the human intestine.   The larvae from these eggs are then released into the bloodstream and find their way to all parts of the body. Most human patients are children between the ages of two and four years, who become infected after playing in sandboxes or soil contaminated by pet feces. The eggs can survive in soil for as long as seven years. Toxocariasis can be prevented by keeping children from playing in soil contaminated by animal feces and by teaching children to wash their hands before eating. Toxocaraeggs can only become infective if they have been in the environment for approximately two weeks, so direct contact with an infected animal generally does not result in transmission. Adult roundworms are long and can be seen in the dogs stool. Eggs can only be detected with a microscope. Treatment of roundworm is not considered to be difficult. Many roundworm drugs allow your dog to pass the worms during a bowel movement. No treatments kill the roundworm eggs, however, once cured, common preventatives can be used such as ProHeart.  In adults, roundworms are usually not harmful, but can cause a loss in weight, weight gain in the belly which looks like a pot belly, or if your dog appears weak. A dog that is first infected with roundworms may not show any signs of the infection. One of the most obvious signs a dog is infected with roundworms is seeing the worm or larvae in a dog’s stool, urine, vomit or saliva. Roundworm eggs can only be seen under a microscope and is only found in a dog’s feces. A dog’s stool will be irregular and he may have a lot of gas. Aside from seeing the adult worm or larvae, a dog owner may also notice the stool is darker in color, is bloody, or the dog has irregular bowel functions. Dogs with roundworm usually have diarrhea. Dogs can become infected with roundworms by eating infected lizards, mice, birds and other prey. Puppies can be infected by their mothers. They can also become infected from ingesting soil contaminated by infected feces. If your puppy vomits up a worm there is a good chance it is a roundworm. Roundworms will look like spaghetti in the puppy’s feces.  

Hookworm is an intestinal parasite found in cats and dogs but is more common in dogs. Hookworm are most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas. In animals the hookworm attaches to the inside of the intestinal wall by means of a hook-like mouth and feed on the blood of the host. The eggs are excreted in the animals feces. Hookworm is transmissible to humans via soil contaminated by cat or dog feces. Hookworm eggs are deposited into the soil. The larvae which hatch from the eggs can infect a human either by ingestion or by penetrating the skin. In skin penetration humans can develop into a characteristic itchy rash calledcutaneous larva migrans, or creeping eruption. The rash can take the form of a snake-like tract with blisters which is caused by the hookworm larvae traveling under the skin.  In humans when the hookworm enters via the skin it does not find it's way to the intestines. Children or adults can become infected through the soles of their feet by walking barefoot in a hookworm infected area or on the buttocks by sitting in a infected area

Can Ringworm spread from dogs and cats to children?  Contrary to its name Ringworm is not a worm at all but a fungus called Dermatophytes. Dermaphtytes means 'plants that live on the skin'. The fungi cause circular lesions on the skin. Ringworm is very contagious and can spread from cats, dogs and other animals to humans and visa versa.

 
Can you catch heart-worm your dog?
No. Heart-worm is transmitted by mosquitoes not dogs or cats.  Humans are not a natural host for heart-worms.
Tapeworm in dogs
You can often see the dried sections of tapeworm around the dog’s anus. They resemble rice grains. Dogs will often scoot around on their rear end due to the irritation.  Flea control is an important part of preventing tapeworm.

At what age do I worm my puppy?
Puppies 4 to 12 weeks of age should be wormed every two weeks.
From age 12 weeks to 6 months puppies should be wormed monthly
From 6 months onward dogs and puppies should be wormed every 3 months.
 What are some of the symptoms that my dog or puppy has intestinal worms?
Loss of appetite,The dog's coat is in poor condition, The dog has a pot belly appearance - especially in puppies
The dog or puppy suffers weight loss, Diarrhea (sometimes bloody diarrhea), Vomiting, Lethargy, Anemia - The dog or puppy has pale gums, Worm segments around the anal area. These segments look like small grains of rice or sesame seeds., Continual licking of the anal area, The dog or puppy scoots around on it's rear end., Coughing if juvenile roundworm have migrated to the dog's lungs
 What worming medication should I use for my puppy?
Ask your vet for the best worm medication for your dog or puppy. You can often purchase deworming medication over the counter at your vets without a consultation fee.

Excessive Salivation is one of the most common side effects of dewormers. This problem should pass within an hour or so after administering the medication. Make sure plenty of fresh, clean water is available to your dog.
Nausea and Vomiting though rare, are reported side effects of almost every dewormer on the market. The chemicals may cause these effects in an attempt to rid your dog's body of the parasites.
Diarrhea  is another rare side effect, but one that should not cause alarm. Again, this is just the medication doing its job to rid your dog of internal parasites.
Warnings

Most products are not advised for use in dogs that are nursing or pregnant. Seek veterinary advice before administering over-the-counter dewormers to pregnant dogs, as well as dogs that are ill or have a compromised immune system.
Severe Adverse Reactions

In clinical trials of dewormers, no severe adverse reactions were reported. If you suspect your pet is having an adverse reaction to a dewormer, seek emergency veterinary care immediately. Symptoms of an adverse reaction can include seizure, lethargy, loss of appetite or coma. In some cases, death can occur.
Related articles:

Why do Dogs East Dirt?

How to Get dog to take Medications.

sources:

¹  College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia

 ² dogbreedinfo.com

³  petMD Blogs