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Healthy pets equal healthy families

By Dr. Tracy Acosta, McClatchy Newspapers, Source: MCT News Service

As a veterinarian, I consistently emphasize the importance of regular physical examinations for all dogs and cats from the young age of 6 weeks through the pet's entire lifetime.

Prevention is a proven cornerstone of veterinary medicine that has prevailed through the years. As a small animal veterinarian, I also realize the importance of keeping my patients healthy and parasite free because of the connection to the healthy human family. Two of the top concerns when dealing with families who have dogs or cats of any age is the prevention of intestinal parasites and external parasites both which have zoonotic disease potential. Remember, zoonotic disease is one which can be transmitted from animals to humans. However, to put every pet owner at ease, all of these can be prevented with some basic care and guidance from your veterinarian and their health care team.

Intestinal parasites, specifically, roundworms and hookworms are two health concerns that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourage veterinarians to play an important role in pet owner education and in prevention in each and every dog and cat, so that together we can all lessen the chance of zoonotic disease altogether.

Regarding dog and cat health and prevention of intestinal parasites, this requires each pet to be regularly checked for them by doing a simple examination of their fecal material. Every puppy and kitten should have their fecal material checked at each and every visit for their vaccination series regardless of whether they were purchased from a private breeder, adopted from an animal shelter or were given by a family friend.

Even, if at the first set of puppy or kitten vaccinations the fecal examination was negative, it should be checked each subsequent visit, because the life cycle of each intestinal parasite is different and the pet may not be passing eggs at any one time, thus possibly rendering a false negative result.

My job requires recommending regular fecal examinations, providing proper deworming protocols for every life stage and advising owners on proper treatment and precautionary measures necessary.

Note that puppies, kittens, pregnant and nursing animals are considered to be at highest risk. So, consult with your veterinarian on which protocol is best. For pets, possible routes of transmission for these intestinal parasites include transplacental, transmammary, ingestion from the environment and skin penetration from the environment.

Possible routes of transmission for hookworms and roundworms for people include ingestion of eggs from fecal material or contaminated soil; and skin penetration, even through intact skin. For humans, people at risk include children who play in contaminated areas and workers who crawl under buildings such as plumbers and electricians.

So, your mother wasn't lying when she told you to wear your shoes when you went outside to play. The Southeast and the Gulf Coast states do seem to have a higher prevalence in both pets and humans due to the favorable climate, but humans everywhere should take the same precautions, regardless.

Humans contract roundworms through oral ingestion of infective eggs from the environment. Once the eggs hatch they release larvae that migrate anywhere in the body, which is referred to as visceral larval migrans. Organs that are commonly affected are the eye, brain, liver and lung, where permanent damage can occur. Humans become infected with hookworms via ingestion of infected larvae or through direct penetration of the skin. Hookworms then migrate through the skin and this condition is called cutaneous larval migrans.

Either infection involving a human, whether it is from roundworms or hookworms, can be quite serious. However, as of now, neither condition is a reportable syndrome to the CDC, so exact numbers are not known. Approximately 3,000 to 4,000 cases are investigated by the CDC annually. As far as I am concerned, one case is too many since these are preventable conditions.

So, for me I recommend regular fecal examinations for all ages of dogs and cats; I promote routine prophylaxis for dogs and cats; I educate all pet owners on the importance of picking up and disposing of all pet feces on a regular basis; and I recommend keeping children away from areas that may be contaminated with pet feces and teaching children the importance of washing their hands before eating.

An easy and reliable way a majority of pet owners provide routine prophylaxis throughout a pet's life is by giving them a monthly heartworm preventive that combines an intestinal parasite preventive as well.

This is one reason why the CDC now highly encourages all dogs and cats throughout the United States to receive monthly heartworm prevention year round. Even though many areas during the harsh winter months have a much lesser chance of contracting heartworm disease from mosquitoes and do not necessarily have to take heartworm prevention year round as they do in the Southeast and Gulf States areas, the zoonotic potential of intestinal parasites still exists and is a real concern.

Remember, intestinal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms in pets, serve as a zoonotic threat. With good and established protocols aimed at prevention and treatment from your veterinarian, you can ensure that both your pet's and your family's health will be parasite free. For additional information, you can visit the CDC at: www.cdc.gov.

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(Dr. Tracy Acosta, is a veterinarian at Biloxi Animal Hospital. If you have questions for this column, write to South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, 20005 Pineville Road, Long Beach MS 39560 and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.)

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