How to Get Rid of Roundworm From Soil
The best reason to get rid of roundworms in soil is because when humans accidentally consume infected dirt, this may result in a zoonotic infection called toxocariasis. This can affect the major organs, central nervous system and the eyes, causing blindness. The Centers for Disease Control notes that most roundworm infections in humans cause only mild symptoms, but the most severe cases are noticed in children who play in or eat roundworm-contaminated soil. Get rid of roundworms in your backyard by knowing what puts them there in the first place: the parasite's host, which is most often a domestic animal.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic tarp
- Scoop for fecal matter
- Plastic bags
- Deworming medication (if you have pets)
Instructions
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Roundworm Basics
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Find out who the main culprits of contamination really are. According to the CDC, it's dogs (usually young puppies who are already infected while in their mothers' wombs) and less frequently cats who populate your yard with roundworm eggs and larvae by way of infected fecal matter. Cats pose less of a threat to your back yard because they bury their waste.
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Guard your turf. Consider putting up fencing to prevent stray or outdoor cats and dogs from wandering into your yard and using it as a repository for their waste.
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Cover areas where children are likely to play with a plastic tarp. Pay particular attention to sandboxes.
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Make sure animal feces doesn't contaminate your yard. The CDC advises burying it or scooping it into a plastic bag and throwing it in the trash.
For Pet Owners
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Make sure all new puppies or kittens receive worming medication from a veterinarian. The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends treatment for puppies at two, four, six, and eight weeks of age and treatment for kittens every two weeks between the ages of three and nine weeks. If you intend to keep your new pet outdoors, make sure she has monthly preventive treatments.
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Have your pet examined by a veterinarian routinely for the presence of roundworms and other intestinal parasites. The CAPC advises that stool samples be taken two to four times until your pet is one year of age and once or twice a year thereafter.
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Discourage hunting/stalking of backyard prey. Cats and dogs can acquire roundworms from consuming an infected host, such as a bird or rodent, as well as by ingesting soil contaminated by the feces of roundworm-infected animals.
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Tips & Warnings
The CDC notes that the raccoon roundworm may also infect humans.
When it comes to roundworms, environmental contamination can be severe: the CDC notes that a single ascarid (Toxocara canis) from an infected puppy produces more millions of eggs per day that remain infective for years.
