Dog Roundworm
The dog roundworm (Toxocara canis) is a common intestinal parasite of dogs, especially puppies. Its eggs, shed in dog feces, can infect people and cause toxocariasis.
The dog roundworm (Toxocara canis) is a common intestinal parasite of dogs, especially puppies. Its eggs, shed in dog feces, can infect people and cause toxocariasis.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Dog Roundworm in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Ecdysozoa lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
A Worm That Infects Puppies Before Birth
Larvae can pass from the mother through the placenta and milk, so puppies are often born infected. Adult worms live in the small intestine and shed thousands of eggs a day.
Risks for Children
Eggs persist in soil and sandboxes for months. When swallowed by people, especially young children, the larvae wander through tissues (visceral larva migrans) or the eye (ocular larva migrans) and may cause damage.
Prevention
Regular deworming of dogs and puppies, prompt removal of feces and hand washing reduce risk. See Giant Roundworm.
Dog Roundworm at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Toxocara canis |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Nematoda |
| Class | Chromadorea |
| Order | Ascaridida |
| Family | Toxocaridae |
| Field Guide group | Ecdysozoa: Nematoda (Roundworms & Parasites) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Cream-colored intestinal worm up to 18 cm long with three lips and arrowhead-shaped flaps (cervical alae) at the head end; puppies catch it from their mother. |
| Order | Ascaridida |
| Human disease | Toxocariasis |
See Also
- Giant Roundworm — a related human parasite
- Domestic Dog — the usual host