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Original poster

Sorry embarrassing - please can anyone medical talk to me about this?

35 replies

VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:20

Sorry this is such an embarrassing and weird one - I've just got back from holiday and it's been worrying me the whole time we were away (a short week). On the first morning away I stepped in some dog poo and didn't realise it, but some transferred to the back of my trousers (it wasn't visible, but I later realised it had been wet), and I had walked around with it in contact with my skin all day.

Apart from the obvious horror and panic that we would all be getting sick (which thankfully we haven't been so far - and I do make sure we all wash hands frequently), I am really worried about what might happen and how ill I could get from the prolonged skin contact. Can anyone advise me? Should I see a doctor or pharmacist? I think there's a small rash there.

Sorry this is long and rambly - it's been a long day of travelling home. Many thanks for any possible answers/advice.

OP posts:
YDdraigGoch · 31/05/2013 23:22

It's just dog poo. If you didn't eat it, you'll be fine.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 31/05/2013 23:24

I'm not medical, and I hope it's just because you're tired, but I can't see how a small, invisible amount of dog poo on your trousers could possibly have health implications now.

But I'm willing to be corrected.

Which country were you in? Is there a specific worry you have? (Worms, rabies... ?)

Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:25

Thank you. Is that true? I seem to have a bit of a rash forming and wonder if there could be a parasite. Can it cause some sort of parasitic rash, if there is such a thing?

OP posts:
PoppadomPreach · 31/05/2013 23:25

I agree with YDdraigGoch. Nothing to worry about.

YDdraigGoch · 31/05/2013 23:25

PS
It's not embarrassing either. We've all stepped in dog poo at least once in our lives.

YDdraigGoch · 31/05/2013 23:26

Stick a bit of sudocreme on the rash.
(My DDs hate that I'm not very sympathetic)

Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:29

Thanks OldLady too. It did smell a bit, which seems crazy for me not to have noticed, and it was definitely in contact with my skin all day, which makes me worry that some sort of parasite could have been rubbed in. Yes, worms, rabies (although I've looked up the country, and apparently it's rabies free as far as possible) some sort of infection.

OP posts:
Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:32

Thanks all. I'd definitely be embarrassed to have to explain to my GP if it came to it! I am rather tired but it's been on my mind every since it happened. I feel revolted as well as worried, thinking it all. I will put sudocrem on (and diluted TCP?)

OP posts:
Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:43

I've just been looking this up and have found 'hookworm' as something that can be caught from skin contact with dog poo. Does anyone know about this, and would something prevent it if I took it?

OP posts:
YDdraigGoch · 31/05/2013 23:44

You wouldn't get either worms or rabies from dog poo on your leg. You'd have to be bitten to get rabies, and to have eaten it to get worms.

Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:47

Ok, yes thanks, rabies I've now seen would be from a bite, which is good to know. Hookworm can enter through the skin apparently.

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 31/05/2013 23:48

Clean with diluted TCP if you like, use Sudocreme (I'd go for aloe vera, but each to their own) but I doubt the rash and the poo are connected. To get worms, you'd have to have a situation where the dog that poo'd had worms with eggs ready to be passed on (quite likely) and you'd have had to touch the poo (possible) and you'd then have to transfer the eggs on your hand to your mouth; very unlikely since you have a good handwash regime.

To get rabies, the dog would have had to have bitten you, it's not passed via poo.

I do think you're worrying too much about this. Do you generally have problems with anxiety?

CointreauVersial · 31/05/2013 23:52

Your skin is an amazingly good barrier against bacteria and infection.

Unless you had a cut or graze there I'm sure you'll be fine.

BriansBrain · 31/05/2013 23:52

Really?

Really?

Sorry but. Can't add anything more than the posts above and can't actually believe the op.

I'm a "everything is ok unless you have stopped breathing" parent though all 3 DC still alive and healthy

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 31/05/2013 23:54

Is hookworm common where you were visiting?

Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 31/05/2013 23:55

Yes, I'll clean with those things. I don't think it'll be worms, as my worry isn't so much that I'll have ingested anything, as I'm careful about handwashing, but it does seem possible that you can get skin infections through prolonged contact with poo.

Yes, I've been a bit cautious about my health since I was hospitalised with a life-threatening illness in my twenties. I don't mean that to sound dramatic, but I suppose it did make me aware of the risks of illness. I've got lifelong damage from that illness and now I have children I don't want to risk becoming more vulnerable.

However, I don't think my worry now is to do with health anxiety, I think it's fairly natural not to want dog poo rubbed into my skin over the course of a day. I feel really silly not to have noticed it earlier on.

OP posts:
Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 01/06/2013 00:00

That's great, thanks Cointreau, I was wondering how well the skin prevents infection.

Sorry it seems unbelievable to you, BriansBrain.

I'm not sure, OldLady - good idea to look it up.

OP posts:
zzzzz · 01/06/2013 00:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Zipitydooda · 01/06/2013 00:01

Blimey! Yes go to your GP but about the amount you have been worrying about such an insignificant thing not about the dog poo.

You've probably got a rash from examining and examining and prodding the area.
Sorry that sounds unsympathetic but it really sounds like you are suffering from extreme anxiety and obsessive thoughts. A bit of dog shit on me wouldn't even register on my worry scale and certainly wouldn't make me embarrassed, it's just one of those things, not pleasant but not a big deal really.

HotCrossPun · 01/06/2013 00:03

I think you are making too big a deal about this.

There was some dog poo on your trousers.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 01/06/2013 00:03

No, honestly I haven't been examining and prodding - I've been driving all day and have only just had the chance now the children are in bed to even look.

I'll go to bed shortly - thanks for all of the advice.

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 01/06/2013 00:04

It's understandable that you're a bit anxious, given your experience, but I honestly doubt there's a connection. Babies get thrush if exposed to too much poo/ too acidic a poo/ too long in a pooey nappy, but that's not what happened to you. Of course it's natural not to want any sort of poo "rubbed into your skin", even your own, but I do think you're worrying with no need to do so.

I hope it didn't totally spoil your holiday.

FannyFifer · 01/06/2013 00:07

It was a bit of dog shite, you washed it off, the end.

Original poster
VillaEphrussi · 01/06/2013 00:07

Thank you OldLady Thanks I do feel I've had a bit of a hammering over this one! We had a lovely holiday.

OP posts:
K8Middleton · 01/06/2013 00:08

Are you sure you didn't shit yourself? That would be embarrassing. A bit of doggie do-do isn't.

You might have a bit of irritation from something wet drying on your skin?