06/09/2026
🚨 Toxic Hammerhead Worms back in Ontario! 🪱(update: Also QC, BC, and NS)
What pet owners (and garden lovers!) need to know 👇
Hammerhead worms — alien-looking flatworms with a distinctive shovel-shaped head — have been recently spotted in parts of Ontario. They may look fascinating, but these worms are highly toxic and dangerous to pets, wildlife, and even humans!
⚠️ Why They’re a Threat:
They release a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (yes, the same as pufferfish!).
This can cause illness if touched or ingested by pets or children.
They prey on beneficial earthworms and disrupt local ecosystems.
🐾 Pet Safety Tips:
Don’t let pets sniff or eat unknown worms in the garden or on walks.
Wear gloves if you need to remove one — never touch it with bare hands!
Dispose by sealing in a bag with salt, vinegar, or rubbing alcohol.
📍 If you think your pet may have come in contact with one, call your vet ASAP.
Symptoms of ingestion or contact may include violent vomiting, lethargy and weakness, drooling and foaming at the mouth, swelling of the mouth, head shaking, and neurological signs such as disorientation, unsteady gait and / or muscle tremors. This is a medical emergency.
Stay informed. Stay safe. Let’s keep our furry friends out of harm’s way 💚
Info credit to: Cornwall Animal Hospital —
