Roundworms are parasites that can cause disturbance in the overall well-being of both dogs and humans (their primary hosts). But how long do roundworms and their larvae survive outside the body?
The short answer is: Roundworm eggs take about one to three weeks of age to become mature roundworms but when they are ejected from the intestine to the soil, the worms die almost immediately as they’ll have nothing to feed on.
They usually find their way into contaminated soil with human feces, dog’s feces or other animal feces.
When they find their way into a hosts intestines, they cause diarrhea and fever which will hinder your day-to-day activities and that of your pets as well.
Roundworms are dependent on their hosts to survive and when they are gotten rid of, they are returned to the soil, thereby contaminating it.
So, if you’re wondering how long it takes for them to die after leaving the host’s body, then you’re in the right place.
Read on to know more about these dangerous worms and how long it takes for them to die after leaving their hosts.
How Long Can Roundworms Live Outside the Host?
Once outside the dog’s body, you’ll discover roundworms wriggling in the dog’s stool and within a few minutes, they die.
To sum up, a roundworm’s life is nothing without the host and they will die right after they are ejected from its host.
How Long do Roundworms Survive on Surfaces?
Roundworms die a few minutes after they are ejected from the intestine of their host.
When in the soil, swimming in poop, they won’t have any means of survival because they need their hosts to survive.
That’s for the adult roundworms. The eggs, however, can stay in the feces for months, waiting for the next host to live off.
So, it’s quite simple; the adult roundworms have a short-lived life on the surface while the eggs enjoy the surface for a long time till they get a new host.
How Do Roundworms Survive?
Roundworms are common parasites of dogs and humans as well and they survive by eating and operating in the host’s intestinal wall.
Their activities can cause major discomfort in their hosts including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, among others.
When they infect your cat, puppies, or other animals, you should quickly move to deworm your pet to get rid of them.
Dogs come in contact and are infected with roundworms in so many ways;
- it could be the nursing mother or dog parents passing the roundworm to their newborn puppies.
- or an infected mosquito sharing it with an innocent dog out in the field.
- More so, they can be infected if they ingest fleas while grooming.
Whichever way your dog got infected, your aim is to get rid of them.
You can introduce a deworming agent to kill it inside of the dog or force it out through the dog’s feces.
How Long Can Roundworms Live in Soil?
When ejected from the host, the roundworm is left with no source of survival as it will be left bare in the soil with feces.
In the soil, an adult roundworm has a few minutes before it dies.
However, the eggs will stay in the soil for months, surviving various weather conditions until it eventually finds a host to live off. This is how roundworm infection begins.
The eggs, however, might die in the soil if the weather gets too extreme for them to handle.
If it gets overwhelmingly hot or cold, the roundworm eggs will perish.
How Do I Clean My House After Roundworms?
As stated earlier, roundworms do not just infect your pets as they can also find their way into your body or your kids. This makes roundworms contagious.
It is rare for roundworms to affect adults but there have been cases across the United States of adults suffering from the effects of roundworms in their bodies.
Roundworms will particularly go for your kids about ages 1-5 (They are most susceptible).
So, if you’ve had a roundworm infestation in your home and you want to clean up before they proceed to cause any harm, then follow the steps below:
Step 1: Get an N95-rated dust mask, disposable gloves, rubber boots, and disposable full-body overalls when cleaning up the feces of your pet that has been infected with roundworms.
Step 2: If you have cats, ensure to regularly clean their litter box and get rid of their feces.
Also, if you’ve got dogs around the house, ensure you pack up their feces when they defecate indoors.
Step 3: If you discover dried feces, sprinkle a little amount of water on it to prevent inhaling the roundworm eggs on windy days.
The water will also prevent the roundworm eggs and feces from separating.
Step 4: Ensure that you boil any equipment [scrapers or shovels]used in packing the roundworm-infected feces.
Step 5: You must steam your carpet or rugs to totally eliminate the roundworm eggs.
More so, you should quarantine the infected pet and sprinkle salt where they defecated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roundworms Survival Outside of the Body
According to our research, the following questions are among the most commonly asked about roundworm infection and their eggs surviving outside the body.
Your questions are answered below:
How Long Do Roundworm Eggs Live on Surfaces?
When the adult worms are ejected from the host body through feces, they do not just die but also leave their larvae there waiting for the next host.
It takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks for the eggs to be old enough to cause infection in various hosts.
Moreover, the roundworm eggs can live on for years because they can survive in any kind of environmental condition, so until they find a host, they lie low, laying ambush for their next host.
What Kills Roundworm Eggs?
Roundworm eggs are known to survive for months in feces waiting for the next host, however, they’ll die if they come in contact with harsh chemicals, steam ,or fire.
What Temperature Kills Roundworm Eggs?
A temperature of 20-50 degrees and a pH of 7-12.5 will kill the laid roundworm eggs.
Does Sunlight Kill Roundworm Eggs?
Yes, direct sunlight (UV radiation) on the eggs for an extended period will kill them.
What do Roundworms do to Dogs and Can They Kill Them?
Their activities can cause major discomfort in their hosts including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, among others.
But the most significant issue they can cause is stunted growth in puppies of whom they are the biggest concern to.
When they infect your cat, puppies, or other animals, you should quickly move to treat roundworms and deworm your pet to get rid of them.
How do Dogs Get Roundworm Infections?
While being outside of its host will kill adult roundworms, roundworm eggs will survive for a long time in certain environments.
Dogs come in contact and are infected with roundworms in many ways;
- Roundworm infection can be had through eggs or roundworm larvae in dog feces
- it could be the nursing mother or dog parents passing the roundworm to their newborn puppies.
- or an infected mosquito sharing it with an innocent dog out in the field.
- they can be infected if they ingest fleas while grooming.
Whichever way your dog got infected, your aim is to get rid of them.
You can introduce a deworming schedule with a recommended product to kill it inside of the dog or force it out through the dog’s feces.
Summary
The good news as you’ve discovered by now is that once you get roundworms out of their host, their life is over.
It’s the infective larvae and eggs which you need to be careful of in infected soil or pet’s feces.
They can affect puppies and adult dogs alike, as well as humans (and other wild animals/pets) but pups are of most concern as they can stunt growth.
Once you’ve got roundworms diagnosed, it’s time to go to your vet or doctor to get roundworms treated.
The easiest way you can prevent roundworm infections is by washing your hands with soap and hot water whenever you come in from the outdoors, as well as if you’ve been touching pets or other wild animals.
This simple advice to prevent roundworms is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC).
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