You can catch this dangerous disease from your own dog. Symptoms may appear years later

Echinococcosis is a disease caused by the larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus or Echinococcus multilocularis. According to the report of the Chief Sanitary Inspector “Sanitary condition of the country for 2022”, 45 cases of the disease were diagnosed last year. However, as the authors of the list point out, the current number of cases is difficult to assess, because the disease usually develops for a long time and often does not give any symptoms. This means that it is often not detected until several years after infection.

How can you get echinococcosis from a dog?

Specialists have no doubts: contamination of the environment with tapeworm eggs excreted with feces by infected foxes, wolves and raccoon dogs is common. That is why it is so important, washing forest fruits on which tapeworm eggs may be located. But not only. The dog can also be a reservoir of tapeworms.

“Tapeworm eggs enter the human body both through close contact with these animals (e.g. stroking) and transfer of eggs to the mouth through dirty hands, as well as consumption of tapeworm-contaminated food (e.g. unwashed undergrowth fruits) or contaminated water. Infection is real in many regions of our country, also in urban and suburban areas, due to the increasing prevalence of foxes. In terms of preventing echinococcosis, the GIS report reads.

Antiparasitic prophylaxis in dogs

In order to protect yourself from tuberculosis, you should: regularly deworm pets. The dog should be regularly subjected to antiparasitic prophylaxis. It is worth making sure with your veterinarian whether the preparations we give to our animals also work on tapeworms. As experts emphasize, it is equally important to properly protect the property and garbage cans against foxes.