Lifestyle
Pets and Parasites
Cute, fuzzy and furry make up what we call “man’s best friends”. They help reduce stress and in turn help improve our health but man’s best friends also have companions of their own– microscopic creatures that often times cause harm to not only pets, but also to their owners.
The common favorites–puppies and kittens–are more likely to be infected with ascarids and hookworms. These worms and their eggs are usually transmitted through your pet’s poop. The worms can be seen with the naked eye so they’re easier to spot, but the eggs are a different story. The eggs are microscopic in other words, we can’t see them and sometimes, they can get into anything that comes in contact with your pet’s poop. Once taken in by humans, these eggs then travel to and hatch in our intestines where they multiply and cause a variety of diseases.
There are a lot of easy ways you can do to prevent the spread of parasites from your pet to you.
1. Have your pet checked – having your pet checked by a vet will help you know beforehand whether your pet has or is susceptible to parasitic infections so that you can take precautionary measures.
Have your pet checked by a vet to help you know beforehand of any susceptible parasitic infections, fore precautionary measures. (Image credit: www.examiner.com)
2. Wash your hands – especially after touching pets. Hand washing is a simple yet a very effective method in reducing the spread of not only parasites but also bacteria and viruses.
3. Handle poop properly – as much as possible, wear gloves when handling poop and dispose of poop properly. Also household areas that came in contact with the poop should be disinfected.
4. Handle food properly- both yours and your pets. Since the mode of transmission of parasites is through ingestion– taking in food– proper measures should be taken when preparing food.
Diseases transmitted from animals are called zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases can be caused by parasites and can cause various symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle aches, and fever. Sometimes infected persons experience severe symptoms that can be life-threatening. So, people with compromised immune systems should be especially aware of contact with animals that could transmit these infections. (Adapted by Daryll Arcayan)
Photo above: The common favorite pets in the house–puppies and kittens–are more likely to be infected with ascarids and hookworms that can pose a threat to the owners’ health. (Image credit:blogs.scientificamerican.com)
