Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordon Booth
Toxocariasis is readily diagnosable, easy to treat and almost never gets to develop far enough to cause blindness(NHS website).
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More info to counter HBC's hysterical overreaction.
Sadly, most people’s knowledge of the rare Toxocara canis infection is limited to hearsay and hysterical media reports. However the facts are:
- As the eggs of the Toxocara worm take over two weeks to hatch and become active, there are no health risks to you from immediately clearing up after your dog.
- In tests, only five per cent of pet dogs were found to expel Toxocara worm eggs.
- Of this five per cent, the majority were pups between two weeks and six months of age or pregnant bitches.
- Foxes and cats also act as hosts to the Toxocara worm.
- The incidence of all Toxocara-induced diseases in the UK is only two cases per million of the population. However, this still means that about 40 people are needlessly ill each year.
- The eggs of the Toxocara worm, if deposited in soil, can lie dormant for up to three years, if the conditions are right. They are highly resilient to temperature changes and chemical disinfectants have little effect on them.
Source: ( Dogs Trust - Home)
(My emphasis)