Worms

[elcapril]

:eek:
I was cleaning the cage last night. I had started using pine pellets as a flooring and noticed last night a cluster of what looks like roundworms. I am completely horrified!
Obviously I am calling the vet first thing tomorrow (today is Thanksgiving for those of you not in the US) and will get deworming medicine.
My biggest concern right now is for my kids. Can they catch this from the birds? I try to get them to wash their hands but they are young and one is a thumb-sucker.
Any advice? I am having a total nervous breakdown.
Thanks

[Budgiekin]

Oh dear. :( I'm glad you've got an appointment soon!

I can't say whether or not the worms would be contagious to your kids or you. It may depend on the type of parasite....

I don't have any experience with parasites, so I am afraid I won't be of much help here.

Please let us know how the vet visit goes. ;)

[Billie]

That's not good!
I use a parasite spray for the cage every weekend, and I also have bird worming liquid that goes in Billie's water every so often.
This works for me, and I have no trouble with worms!

I hope everything turns out ok - good luck with the vet visit!

[Lulu]

I have a question for you billie, and for anyone else in this thread.
I dont intend to take over the thread, but maybe it will provide useful information for other new budgie owners, including myself.

Would you recommend buying a parasite spray?
Or is it something that isnt really necessary, and only buy it when needed?
Is it something every budgie owner (new or experienced) should have?

[Babyluv12]

I have a question for you billie, and for anyone else in this thread.
I dont intend to take over the thread, but maybe it will provide useful information for other new budgie owners, including myself.

Would you recommend buying a parasite spray?
Or is it something that isnt really necessary, and only buy it when needed?
Is it something every budgie owner (new or experienced) should have?

No. They say they are bird safe but unfortunetly they are much too harsh for birds's respiratory system.

I also want to mention to elcapril that the pine shavings/pellets are also not safe. Pine itself is not really safe for them but the reason I say it's not recommended to use it is because when it gets dirty and wet it can be a breeding ground for bacteria. It's perfect for them and grows quite fast. You can use non colored newspaper or papertowels as bedding. It's much more hygenic.

[Budgietom]

I don't think it should affect your kids. I am basing my answer on the facts that worms in dogs are not contagious to humans according to the vet. I hope all goes well at the vet.

[atvchick95]

Actually People get round worms from ANIMALS! My nephew got it from a dog, it is highly contagious, not just from Animal to person, but Person to Person as well

You're going to have to wash their hands for them OR stand over them to make sure they get washed well with soap and water

[T3hdarky]

What exactly are roundworms? Something that goes inside the animal?

[keet_tweet4]

What exactly are roundworms? Something that goes inside the animal?

I think so.

I'm pretty sure you can catch it from animals. I'm glad your birdie has got an appointment.

[atvchick95]

This is a section I just read - and it horrified me!

So what's the big deal with public health significance?
Here is where it gets a bit frightening! Roundworm larva have actually blinded young children and caused countless other problems. The humans most affected are children from early neonatal age to four or five years of age, however any age can be affected. Why is this? The secret lies in hand-to-mouth ingestion of roundworm eggs. Lets say the cat uses the sandbox for a litter area. Kids playing in the sand very easily can pick up eggs on their hands and where do their hands go? Right in the mouth without being washed.
Once the embryonated roundworm egg reaches the intestine of the human it hatches and the larva penetrates the intestine wall. From there it gains entry into the blood stream and may end up just about anywhere in the body including vital organs such as the eye, brain, liver, kidneys, heart wall, lungs, etc. Since humans are an unnatural host for the roundworm larva, their body reacts and walls off the larva in little granuloma's (similar to what occurs in adult dogs and cats). These granuloma's may cause sudden dysfunction of any of these organs resulting in illness.
The most often diagnosed illness is loss of sight in one eye. The roundworm larva is trapped in the optic disk behind the retina of the eye and a granuloma forms. These granuloma's have been mistaken for retinoblastoma's (cancer of the retina) and the eye was mistakenly removed. I believe the reason the problem is so often diagnosed in the eye is because we know it is happening. We experience loss of vision; the eye is removed and the larva is discovered.
Remember what I said above? When roundworm larva are encased in granuloma's they are impossible to kill with any anti-parasitic drugs and they are also impossible to detect. How many cases of persons seizuring with no apparent cause could be related to roundworm larva? It is impossible to know because the granuloma's are impossible to detect. We can't remove the brain and search for the larva microscopically.
I hope I didn't scare you by making you aware of this problem. The problem is rare, but it "can" happen at any time. This is an important reason for people to always wash their hands before eating or putting a finger in the mouth. Who knows, it could save your eye!


And i got it from This website

http://www.dr-dan.com/roundwor.htm

[Billie]

Would you recommend buying a parasite spray?
Or is it something that isnt really necessary, and only buy it when needed?
Is it something every budgie owner (new or experienced) should have?

I never used a parasite spray for my last budgie Joey, and we never had a problem with him.
When I got Billie the pet shop assistant (who appeared to be a bird person and know what she was talking about) told me it was very important to have both a bottle of worming stuff and a "Lice and Mite spray" (now that I look at the bottle).
I'm using both, and so far it seems to be working well. Billie is healthy and there are no worms!
But I haven't been using it for long, as I have only had Billie a few weeks.

But do some research on different brands and what customers are saying, though. I think it's worth it.

[Lulu]

I think a mite spray would come in handy?
I could just spray the cage and her toys when she's out of the cage?

Ill ask the vet tomorrow :)

[Billie]

Well when I do my full cage clean-outs, I spray the corners of the cage after I have washed it and taken the food and toys out. I also spray Billie on the back, following the directions on the bottle.

I don't know if it's essential, but I think it certainly comes in handy! :D