Do Grasshoppers Carry Parasites?

My Corgis love to hunt down and eat grasshoppers (they are pretty bad around here this year). Last night my neighbor said that the boys could get parasites (worms) from eating grasshoppers. I have never heard of this before. I would guess they each eat about 12 a day. Anyone out there have the real scoop on this?? I can't ask my vet until tomorrow. I asked my boss who was a vet tech and he thought the only thing hoppers would do is maybe upset the tummy if they ate too many (got too full). So far neither of the boys has shown any sign of illness.

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Permalink Reply by christy fry on August 16, 2009 at 2:01pm

I don't think they could get worms from grasshoppers but then again I live in the northwest and can't even remember the last time I've even seen a grasshopper??

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Permalink Reply by Boo Buchheit on August 16, 2009 at 2:08pm

I could send over a few...million, LOL.

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on August 16, 2009 at 2:25pm

From what I can find online - it's fine. You just want to avoid letting them eat dead ones - they could be dead from pesticide and the dog could get secondary poisoning.

I bet it's FUN to watch though!

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Permalink Reply by Boo Buchheit on August 16, 2009 at 2:47pm

Thanks. It is fun to watch and I doubt they woudl be interested in dead ones...not as much fun. I don't use any pesticide in their yard and that is the only place they are eating them. Can't recall seeing any dead. Leo actually taught Randy how to nose around the edge of the yard to flush them out...it is too cute.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on August 16, 2009 at 4:36pm

My dogs LOVE June bugs but will also eat grasshoppers...I wouldn't worry about this unless like someone said they are dead due to being sprayed!

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Permalink Reply by Boo Buchheit on August 17, 2009 at 6:41am

According to some folks on another site..grasshoppers can cause tape worms. Obviously this is something I will talk about with the vet. I certainly don't want to boys to have worms of any kind.

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Permalink Reply by Linsey & Grissom on August 17, 2009 at 2:26pm

I wouldn't worry about a thing. My boys love to chase and devour them, and we have a million right now!
If you want to get down to the nitty gritty, your dogs can get worms by laying in the dirt and getting come on their lips! Anything can happen, but I think being worried about that is unneeded worry!
Their systems are pretty good at killing most nasty stuff that gets into them, which is good because mine would eat anything they can get their mouths on!

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Permalink Reply by Heather and Ella on August 17, 2009 at 5:13pm

On that "Bizarre Foods" show that Andrew Zimmern is always eating grasshoppers and other bugs, so I would think it would be fine for a corgi. My only concern would be any pesticides or an upset tummy from too many, like previously mentioned. Also if they are really big hoppers, you would want to make sure nothing got stuck in your dog's throats. Ella tried to eat a moth earlier today and the wings tickled her mouth so she coughed and spit it out.
With so many dogs in my neighborhood, I keep Ella on worm prevention all the time.
If the vet says that your dogs could get worms, you may want to do the worm prevention. Because trying to keep a bug away from a corgi is a losing battle.