Give them a few sips of water to drink.
They may experience immediate nausea and vomiting from the unpleasantness of eating something so unpalatable. They may (or may not) feel “yucky” and lose their appetites for a little while or they may vomit a time or two. It is safe to give your child a few sips of water to drink, and watch them at home for symptoms.
Beyond moving past the yuck factor, here’s what to do if your child eats dog poop.
“My child just ate our dog’s poop!”
Young children’s natural curiosity causes them to touch and to feel things, and very often to put those objects in their mouths. We love that our children are curious and have a sense of adventure, but cringe when they push the limits of what is sanitary or safe. This mother’s worst germ-phobic nightmare may have been realized in that moment when her precious child put the dog’s stool in her mouth.
Feces, poop, doo-doo, scat, #2, caca, BM, stool.
We have many names for that which we hope that our toddlers never think of investigating too closely.
Eating poop earns a “yuck factor” of 10 for all of us, pediatricians included, but, all polite conversation aside, we need to know if a child who ingests stool could come to any harm. We love our children and many of us are pet lovers, too. Should we worry that our children will get sick from ingesting Fido or Fluffy’s — or heaven forbid, their own — #2?
As you know, poop (called excrement or droppings in scientific literature) contains large amounts of bacteria. Despite seeming an enormous bio-hazard, according to the Tennessee Poison Center, the ingestion of a small amount of stool of a healthy animal or person is considered minimally toxic. They state that the ingestion of a mouthful of poop is not toxic and that the great majority of children have no illness afterwards. Maybe just bad breath, yucky teeth and an exasperated parent.
So if children eat any type of excrement, be it canine, feline or human:
Wash their hands and face well with a washcloth, mild soap and warm water, being careful to make sure that their fingernails are clean. Wipe their teeth with a washcloth or soft toothbrush. And for reassurance, it is always OK to call the Poison Help Hotline: 1-800- 222–1222.
Reptiles (including lizards, snakes, and turtles) and amphibians (including frogs, toads, and salamanders) are not recommended as pets for kids younger than 5 because of salmonellosis. This infection causes symptoms such as belly pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Young children can get very sick with dehydration, meningitis, and sepsis (blood infection).
Consider the type of pet and the health and age of your kids before you get a pet. For example, children whose immune systems are weak (from HIV, chemotherapy treatment for cancer, or steroid medicines) shouldn’t be around cats and dogs with ringworm infections. Kids with eczema should avoid aquariums. Reptiles and amphibians as pets are not a good idea for families with infants, young children, or an immunocompromised family member.
But some types of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that pets can carry can make people sick though a bite or scratch, or if someone has contact with an animals waste, saliva, or dander. Infants, kids younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, and people with weak immune systems have a greater chance of getting sick from these.
5 Lies You’ve Been Told About Dog Poop
Most of us, probably. But be mindful of hygiene when welcoming your new furry baby into your home.
Bacterial infections that have sickened 39 people in seven US states have been linked to puppies sold through Petland, a national pet store chain, US health officials say.
And while animal lovers will adopt rather than shop, one should still be careful, as bacteria can easily be carried via dogs.
Campylobacter infections have been reported between September 2016 and August 2017 in Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nine people have been hospitalised. No deaths have been reported.
On the African continent, outbreaks are particularly common in Mali, Gambia, Kenya and Mozambique. In South Africa, there is a 47.4% prevalence of campylobacter infections in children under-five with acute watery diarrhoea.
“Evidence suggests that puppies sold through Petland are a likely source of this outbreak,” according to a CDC news release. “Petland is cooperating with public health and animal health officials to address this outbreak.”
Campylobacter is a bacteria that causes people to develop diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), cramping, abdominal pain, and fever within two to five days of exposure to the organism, said Dr Sophia Jan, director of general paediatrics at Cohen Childrens Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, New York.
“The illness typically lasts about a week without treatment,” Jan said. But for people with compromised immune systems, campylobacter infections can be life threatening, she added.
Most cases in humans occur from eating raw or undercooked chicken, or eating foods that have been cross contaminated by infected poultry products, Jan noted.
However, humans can get infected from contact with the stool of an infected puppy, she added.
Twelve of the people sickened in this outbreak were Petland employees in four states. The other 27 had either bought a Petland puppy, shopped at Petland or visited someone who had purchased a puppy from Petland, the CDC report says.
Infected dogs may or may not show signs of illness, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, or a fever, so its important to take precautions when around dogs, the CDC says.
The biggest business, economic and market news of the day, by Fin24 deputy editor, Ahmed Areff.
Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.