Why worms and other transmittable diseases matter

The benefits of keeping a pet, whether furry or feathered, are well known. However, if you're a pet owner or thinking about becoming one, you need to consider that these trusted companions can also present some very real health risks. In addition to giving affection, the millions of household cats, dogs, birds and other small animals can impart diseases to their owners as well. When it comes to cats and dogs, worms are the most widespread threat to both animals and humans.

One of the most common worms is roundworm, a parasite that is carried most often by nursing dogs and their puppies, and less often by cats. Scientists estimate that virtually all puppies have roundworm.

Because children like to play in the dirt, they are more vulnerable to picking up roundworm. The disease is transmitted through contact with a dog's faeces or soil contaminated with it when larvae or eggs can attach themselves to the body and may be ingested as eggs or migrate through the skin as larvae. Symptoms of roundworm in humans are fever, headache, cough, and poor appetite.

So prevalent and well established is roundworm in our pet population that roundworm-free puppies can only be obtained by raising several generations in isolation or repeatedly administering high doses of drugs that rids the pregnant mother dog of intestinal worms.

Ringworm is a skin disease caused by a fungus, not by a worm, as the name would imply. Dogs, horses, cows, and most commonly cats pass the disease on to humans. Longhaired kittens seem especially prone to ringworm. The fungus infects cat hair, and a human can contract the disease by petting the kitty. Ringworm in dogs is usually seen as circular scaly patches with broken stubs of hair within the ring, or completely bald, dry and scaly. This is in contrast to the more variable appearance in cats where there may be no signs at all, or only a few broken hairs around the face and hairs. Generally older cats are more likely to be carriers. Dogs on the other hand are less infective than cats.

Ringworm can be diagnosed by exposing the animal to a Wood's lamp, an ultraviolet light in which the infected hairs look green. This method is not “fool proof”, as some of the fungal species causing the disease do not fluoresce, although Microsporum canis responsible for 98% of cases in cats is fluorescent. The veterinarian caring for the pet should prescribe treatment for ringworm.

In humans, infection usually occurs on exposed parts of the body, particularly the scalp, appearing as an inflamed, scaly lesion. Iodine-based soap or anti-fungal drugs cure the problem in humans.

Approximately one-quarter of the world's population is infected with hookworm. The most significant problems appear related to intestinal distress and anaemia, in both humans and animals. Blood loss results from the parasites sucking blood from intestinal capillaries. The presence of pale gums, diarrhoea, or weakness in dogs might suggest the need to specifically determine the animal's red blood cell count. Some dogs experience significant weight loss, bloody diarrhoea, or failure to grow properly with hookworm infection.

Skin irritation and itching can be one of the common signs of a heavily infested environment. The larvae burrow into the skin and cause the dog a great deal of itching and discomfort.

There are several very effective drugs that will kill hookworms. These are given by injection or orally and have few, if any, side effects. However, these drugs only kill adult hookworms. Therefore, it is necessary to treat again in about 2-4 weeks to kill any newly formed adult worms that were larvae at the time of the first treatment.

A blood transfusion may even be necessary in the case of severe anaemia.

Since a dog's environment can be laden with hookworm eggs and larvae, it may be necessary to treat the area with a chemical to kill the eggs and larvae. Some chemicals are safe to use on grass.

It is wise to adopt a regular deworming programme for your pets – at least every six months. Consult your veterinarian for advice.

Visit www. petwise.co.za and read more about pet nutrition and pet care. You can also learn about reliable manufacturers in the pet food industry, who are also members of the Pet Food Industry (PFI) Association.