How to Deworm Puppies With Children at Home

Young puppies may have worms, which are transmittable to humans.

Many puppies are born with some type of intestinal worms transmitted to them via the mother's placenta or milk, according to Cass Veterinary Services. A standard sign of worms in a puppy is a bloated belly. However, some puppies show no signs of intestinal worms but still carry them. Worms can be potentially dangerous to humans as well as to puppies, but can be treated with deworming medication. Until the puppies are treated, wash your hands after playing with them and keep unsupervised children away from them.

Things You'll Need

• Dewormer

Instructions

1. Visit your veterinarian, who will be able to provide you with a safe dewormer. There are dewormers that you can buy without a vet's prescription, but they may be too harsh or even ineffective. Ask the vet how long it takes the deworming medicine to work and how you should clean up the waste so that family members don't come into contact with it.

2. Separate the puppies and children while the puppies are being dewormed because the puppies will be shedding the worms. Make sure to warn the children about the potential risk of illness so that they know to stay away from the puppies.

3. Build a containment area for the puppies or enclose them in a pen or kennel. Clean regularly so that the puppies aren't playing close to their waste.

4. Take the puppies to the vet for testing to determine if the worms are gone before you allow the children to interact with them. You may have to deworm the puppies more than once.

Tips & Warnings

• If you allow your children to play with the puppies during the deworming process, instruct them to thoroughly wash their hands with antibacterial soap afterward.

• Keep the deworming medication out of reach of your children. It should not by ingested by humans and can make your children ill.

References

• Puppy Training Solutions: Treatments For Puppy Worms
• Cass Veterinary Services: Roundworms