Zoonotic Potential – in your backyard?
Spring is just around the corner, soon the birds will be singing, the days will grow warm again and we’ll be playing fetch in the yard or at park with our dogs. As refreshing as the warmer weather and the dog park sound, the outdoors can be a potential risk to your pet, and even to you. As bubbles are not readily available for us to put our pets in or live in ourselves, what are we to do? Know the risks, and how to deal with them.
Today, I want to talk about intestinal parasites. More specifically, roundworm. Roundworm is an intestinal parasite which can infect our pets, and it is a zoonotic potential for people.
Transmission: Fecal material left behind on a walk, or in the yard is where it all begins. Like many intestinal parasites, transmission occurs when our pets come into contact with fecal material of an infected animal, and then ingest remnants of feces containing eggs. For our pets, this usually occurs though routine grooming. For us, this can occur due to inadequate sanitation of hands after pooper-scooping or after activities such as gardening.
Prevention: We’ve all heard that ‘prevention is the best medicine’. However, this can prove difficult because the reality is; our pets are likely going to contract parasites at some point in their lives. Puppies and Kittens can be born with them, they pick them up everywhere. Although puppies and kittens are at higher risk of contracting a roundworm infection, adults are also at risk.
Tips to avoid transmission to your pets, other animals and to people:
Gardens, sand boxes, dog parks etc. are all places that we commonly think of as higher risk areas for contracting roundworm. I’m not suggesting that you let your garden grown wild and un-landscaped, or have your children play inside for the first 8 years. I’m suggesting some tips to help lower the risk to others.
Gardening gloves
A simple precaution help to protect your hands from exposure. As gardeners seem to be more than well aware, cats and other animals often use our gardens and sand boxes as an outdoor location to do their business.
Sand box covers
Also commonly mistaken for a giant litter box. Covering sandboxes limits access while you aren’t there to monitor unwanted visitors. Children, are care free and aren’t aware of potential risks from Fluffy and Fido. They are also less likely to think about the things that have become second nature to us, such as hand-washing prior to meal time.
Cleaning up after our pets
One of the ‘ten commandments’ of dog park etiquette. If everyone cleaned up after their pets (both dogs and cats) on a daily basis, the risk of contracting roundworm would decrease dramatically.
Treatment
So what happens when one of our doctors or technicians phones and says that the fecal analysis we did today while Fido was in for his annual exam and vaccines, is positive for roundworm? No need to panic just yet, if prevention is not already on board, a de-wormer will be chosen by the veterinarian. De-wormers are available in a variety of forms. Tablets, liquids, topical treatments to apply to the skin, and even chewable tablets are all available for our pet.
If you are concerned your pet may have worms, or you would like more information, your veterinary team is best equipped to help you choose a safe and effective prevention, or treatment plan. Here, at the Village Veterinary Hospital, we are happy to help you out. Don’t hesitate to stop in, phone us, email or even book an appointment online with a veterinarian.