Pets Health

 Over the years the tendency of keeping companion animals for pleasure, security and sports across the world has increased tremendously. Domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animal in human history. A dog is considered to be the man’s best friend. Watchman qualities of dogs have come in for a measure of recognition and strength in prevailing system of animal placements and ratings. A dog is just not a pet but very much treated like the part of the family. They act as companion, friend or even fashion accessory. The emotional value of the pet is much higher. A positive pet experience is highly beneficial to children. Taking care of a dog can help children develop social skills, build self esteem and self confidence. Healthy companion animals are significant in human-animal bond and may have a positive influence on family’s health. So, Owning of a pet can be a wonderful and rewarding experience for you and your family. Consequently, the pet industry is booming in India and abroad. But a family keeping a pet (dogs and cats) without proper health care may be exposed to variety of harmful parasitic infections during life time. To keep companion animal healthy and free of parasites, an optimum level of veterinary intervention is needed.

Zoonoses (the diseases shared by man and animals) can pose a serious threat to the families with unprotected pets and may put not only children, pregnant females and adults but also to the veterinarians and immuno-compromised individuals at greater risk. You share many things with your pet but certainly disease should not be one of them. Because of the wide publicity about emerging diseases like bird flu, mad cow disease and others, the veterinarians frequently receive the questions from the people about potential zoonotic diseases transmitted from dogs and cats. Of newly emerging and remerging infectious diseases, over 75% are of zoonotic origin. India has approximately 25 million dogs, (as per census 2002) with an estimated dog: man ratio of 1:36, while a survey in 2003 reported that about 17% house holds have a pet/domesticated dog. Dogs fall into four broad categories: pets (restricted and supervised); family dogs (partially restricted, wholly dependent); community dogs (unrestricted, partially dependent); and feral dogs (unrestricted, independent). About 80% dogs in India would fall into the last 3 categories. The societal change has driven the growth in pet population. The dog population is increasing by 26% per year. Increasing number of single executives and women and single child families or parent whose children have settled abroad kept pets. Mostly the pets are infected with parasites, if come in contact with people may transmit the disease and significantly interfere with the relationship between people and their pets.

 However, most pet owners are simply unaware of need to protect their pets and families from these parasites. There is urgent need for pet education and counseling. Every year, millions of dogs and cats are treated for internal and external parasitic infestations in Metropolitan cities in India. Recently, > 15,000 cases of dogs in a month have been registered for treatment purpose in veterinary clinics at GADVASU, Ludhiana. A zoonotic infection is caused by the transmission of round worms in the intestine of dogs and cats to people. Growing popularity of pets has resulted in wide spread contamination of the environment (soil) with hookworm and ascarid infective larvae and eggs. Principal risk factors for human disease include presence of dog in the house, geophagia and dirt eating habit (pica) of children .Children play habits and their attraction to pets especially dogs  put them at higher risk than the adults. A condition called VLM (Visceral Larva Migrans) develops in children; main organs affected are eye, lung, liver, and brain where infection can cause visual impairment, neurological and other tissue damages. Risk with cats is less due to their defecation habits. In another condition CLM (Cutaneous Larva Migrans), human gets infection through infective larvae either direct penetration of skin or through ingestion. The most common seen is of elders and children moving barefooted in the field or lawns or in the public parks or garden where dogs often defecate. Plumbers, gardeners and sunbathers are also most likely to suffer from skin manifestations. Hookworm eggs can develop into infective larvae in the soil as little in 5 days and ascarid eggs within 2 weeks depending on temperature and humidity. An ascarid female can produce >100,000 eggs per day contaminating the environment. Once they become infective, remain in the environment for years together. Most cases of human ascarid and hookworm infections can be prevented by practicing good personal hygiene, regular deworming of pets and keeping the children away from the areas that may be contaminated with feces. The regular veterinary care of pets is of utmost importantance.

 Ingestion of cat feces, raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables may transmit  toxoplasmosis in man. The populations at risk are pregnant females and the person under going immunosuppressive therapy. Once a pregnant female is infected, the child will be borne with many abnormalities like loss of vision, mental retardation, and loss of hearing. Her family has to bear the life long agony of rearing of an abnormal child. The pregnant females at times have miscarriage and still births. But owning a cat does not mean that you are infected with the disease. It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. However, precaution has to be taken that cat may remain indoors and is not fed raw or uncooked meat. Treatment of infected cat and proper disposal of the feces play a significant role in the elimination of the disease.

Hydatid disease is of tapeworm origin and found in dogs. In humans, it affects the organs by putting pressure on it resulting into organ failure. Man gets infection by ingestion of eggs through contaminated soil. A few infections like cryptosporidiosis, giardiosis and external parasites can not be ignored either and precaution should be taken accordingly.

 Health Tips to protect you and your family

1. Wash your hands well after contact with pets.
2. Do not allow your kid to eat dirt or soil.
3. Do not stroll in the park bare- footed. Wear shoes in public parks.
4. Dog and cat waste quickly disposed off from the areas where children-pet play.
5. Pregnant females and immuno-deficient persons to take extra care.
6. Eat only well cooked meat
7. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables to eliminate contamination.
8. Chop meat separately.
9. Get fecal examination of pets done regularly by a vet (2-4 times in a year for parasites).
10. Deworm dog or cat as per vets’ recommendations.

 

The writer is Professor and Head of Veterinary Parasitology Department at GADVASU, Ludhiana, India

Watch the video related to pet health dog

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Help answer the question about pet health dog

Dog health question: Anyone had a pet with similar symptoms?
First: I've already taken him to the vet twice, and have now been referred to a specialist, who I'll be seeing tomorrow.

He's a 60+ pound beagle/blue tick coon hound mix, neutered with all of his shots.

His first episode was in late October. He began swallowing or gulping repeatedly and loudly, and had slight muscle tremors. I do not know if this happened after a lot of exercise, but we had recently gotten a new dog and they were playing in the backyard. On this day there were also a lot of wasps out (which he's never learned not to bite at despite being stung before, no adverse effects), a few sticks they'd pulled out from beneath the deck, and since she'd had some fleas, he had recently been given a round of a permethrin-based spot on flea medication.

His voice changed over the winter and his whines/growls became very strained and high pitched, though he could still bark normally. In January he had another episode following some intense running around. More swallowing repeatedly, but no muscle tremors. He was pacing urgently and desperate to go outside and eat grass. When he was inside, he tried to eat a cloth comforter tag. He eventually threw up bile. He would also stand there drooling, something he never does, and he was hungry but didn't want to eat his hard food until I'd moistened it.

His third episode was last Friday, again after some intensive activity. Started with swallowing again, then pacing and desperation to go outside. He was staring at his food, so I gave him some wet food, but he eventually threw up food and bile. He normally doesn't snore but he did that night.

He also has clear nasal discharge and his gums are usually somewhat pale, though right now they look pink. When the vet checks his throat right under his ears, he starts coughing.

He's had x-rays taken of his throat and chest, nothing abnormal. He's going to get an endoscopy tomorrow.
Also: his appetite and thirst are fine. He eats and drinks well and has no problem with hard food when he is not having an episode. At least, if it hurts him, he shows no indication of it. He's gained five pounds between January and March.
Oh yeah. When he's not having an episode, which usually lasts for about a day, he seems perfectly fine and happy.
He's three years old. He had muscle tremors the first time but not since and shows no signs of lethargy or anything. Even in the midst of an episode, he's alert and energetic.

I have no idea what kind of x-ray they did beyond what areas were done.
He's been on a different food for a month.

Little curious how it could possibly be an allergy when the only thing that sets it off is exhaustive activity of some kind, and in all three cases he had something very exciting going on.

First time was after new puppy, second after first time to the park in a while due to winter weather, third time was after company was over.

His heart and lungs were fine on x-ray, he has no exercise intolerance, and he's as energetic and alert as ever.

Also, his voice has since changed back to normal, and the third episode was not as bad as the second, which was not as bad as the first.

Is it at all possible the permethrin is still stored in his body and when he's super excited/energetic, it's released and he has another reaction to it?

Permethrin toxicity includes his symptoms, but it seriously has been months since the one time I used it. I disposed of it away after his first episode so he hasn't gotten into it since.

About Author

Prof Prayag Dutt Juyal -
About the Author:

Prof Prayag Dutt Juyal is Head of the department of veterinary parasitology at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and animal sciences University ( GADVASU ), Ludhiana India.He is leading researcher in the field of veterinary parasitology and Vice president of Indian Society of Parasitology and General secretary of Indian association for Advancement of veterinary parasitology.

Tags: BC, Chilliwack, dog, food, parasitic diseases, people, pet, pets, Recall

This entry was posted on Monday, March 29th, 2010 at 1:23 pm and is filed under Pet Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.