Reflections on compliance

We all love to make sure things don't negatively happen to use, don't we? We fill up our gas tank before we run out on the road, we change the oil (or have it changed:-)), we grocery shop before we run out.... especially for dog and cat food.

We know our pets will not let us rest if we don't have their food when they need it.

But what about other medical conditions? Do we really put the 'appropriate' concern for the disease thready that is posed. On the human side, I think about West Nile Virus. Did you know that in all of 2009 fewer people died from West Nile than children drowning in a bucket with water in it?

But we don't hear about the dangers of mop buckets, and partially filled bath tubs, do we?

My point is with dogs and cats checking for intestinal parasites - yes poop patrol! This is not a very glamorous topic, but important. Why?

Lets go back to the West Nile cases. In 2009, there were fewer West Nile cases reported to the CDC in Atlanta than the number of cases of Visceral Larval Migrans causing blindness in the eye of a human. In fact about 700 people in the United States each year will be diagnosed with this permanently blinding disease. The CDC

You may ask - so? What has one incident to do with the other?
Visceral Larval Migrans is caused by Roundworms which people accidentally ingest.

I know what you are thinking - there is no way I could ever eat a roundworm egg - that is from poop!!!!
Gross.

But here is how it happens.

• Your dog or cat unknowingly has roundworms. You can not see the worms. in 1 in 10 cases, the roundworms are visible in the 'poop' but 9/10 the worms stay in the dog or cat's body.
• After the dog or cat uses the potty, they clean themselves. We have all seen it. It is gross, but they do it.
• You come home from work or shopping for their food, and your pets greet you and the door... you bend down to pet them, and love on them. They greet you the way cats and dog do, by 'kissing' you.
• You lick your lips as you go to get a glass of water, or other ice cool beverage from the refrigerator. :-)
• And you have unknowingly just received some of those roundworm eggs.

So how to I prevent this from being a problem in my house?

Easiest thing to do is to have your pet's stool (poop, BM, #2, sh#*) checked by your veterinarian at least once a year. Your Doctor may recommend more frequent checks, or 'strategic deworming' if

• you or someone in your house is taking medicine for anti rejection for organ transplant.
• someone in your house is taking chemo follow up - or has taken such medicine and is in remission for their cancer
• you or someone in your house routinely puts things in their mouth that your pet is licking or chewing on. (like my children who put everything in their mouths when they were less than 4)
• Any other condition for which your human doctor says you should avoid stress.

In these cases, the pet's stool should be checked 3 times a year, and at least one strategic deworming per year that is staggered with the 3 stool samples. All of these are summaries of the full CDC and CAPC(Companion Animal Parasite Control council formed by the CDC) and are available here for you to see.

Of course, if you have additional questions, you can call our office at 699-6443.