For example, children are at risk for infection if they play in areas that may contain infected feces, (such as dirt piles and sandboxes), where they pick up the larvae on their hands. While direct contact with infected dogs and cats increases a person's risk for roundworm infection, most infections come from accidentally eating the worm larvae or from larvae that enter through the skin. Roundworm infections are zoonotic diseases, meaning that they are animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans. As the larvae move through a pet's body, young animals may develop serious respiratory problems such as pneumonia. Because roundworms live in the small intestine, they steal the nutrients from the food pets eat, which can lead to malnutrition and intestinal problems. What are the health risks to pets and people? Puppies and kittens are the most prone to roundworm infection. Infected female cats cannot infect their kittens before birth, but can pass on the infection through their milk when kittens are nursing. Infected female dogs may pass the infection to their puppies before birth or afterwards when they are nursing. Your pet can pick up the infection by eating infected soil, licking contaminated fur or paws, or by drinking contaminated water. Animals with roundworms pass the infection to other animals when the worm eggs develop into larvae and are present in the animal's feces (droppings). What are roundworms and how are they spread? Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasite in dogs and cats in the world. You can help prevent the spread of infection by always cleaning up your pet's droppings immediately. Good hygiene and sanitation reduce the chances that your pet will infect people or animals.Prompt treatment of internal parasites lessens your pet's discomfort, decreases the chances of intestinal damage, and decreases the chance that your pet will infect humans or other animals.See your veterinarian if your pet has diarrhea, weight loss, increased scooting, a dull coat, or if you see worms under its tail, in its bedding, or on its stool.Common single-cell parasites are coccidia and Giardia. The most common worms are roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. Most internal parasites are worms and single-celled organisms that can exist in the intestines of dogs or cats. From the AVMA brochure, revised March 2010
0 kommentar(er)
