Many pet owners in Portland may be unaware that their pets can carry dangerous parasites capable of infecting people. Since I opened the Pearl Animal Hospital three months ago, thirty-four different pets within the Pearl zip code have tested positive for such parasites, including giardia, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and coccidia.
These parasites ordinarily live in the intestines of dogs and cats, but they behave differently and more dangerously in humans. For example: in humans, roundworm eggs release larvae that can migrate anywhere in the body, such as the eye, brain, liver, or lung, where permanent organ damage may occur. Hookworm infections cause intense itching and eruptive lesions on the skin and can also infect organs and tissues.
Living in a densely-populated, urban environment leads to more frequent and intense interaction among people and animals as compared to the suburbs, where pets are generally confined to their own yards. In Portland, particularly, we are fortunate to have many pet-friendly parks. However, because animals and humans share this green space, exposure to infectious diseases and parasites is more likely. To reduce health risks to animals and humans, we need to protect our valued green spaces from parasite contamination.
As a responsible pet owner, it is very important to remove pet feces promptly before parasite eggs are potentially introduced into the environment. If not disposed of, the waste from a single infected pet introduces millions of eggs into the environment.
The eggs remain viable for years in soil, on human shoes, on toys, or in standing water. Other animals then commonly acquire these parasites via a fecal-oral route, which means that they ingest parasite eggs disseminated from the feces of carrier animals via rain, insects, or the active migration of the larvae. Whether indoors or out, cats and dogs are always susceptible to a parasite infection due to their grooming behaviors and their way of exploring the world with their mouths.
Most cases of human infections can be prevented by practicing good personal hygiene and eliminating intestinal parasites from your pets through regular fecal examinations and de-worming. Children are more susceptible to infection based on their play habits, so parents should prevent children from playing in potentially contaminated environments where humans and animals share a space. In adults, infections can occur through incidental ingestion of infective larvae or through direct penetration of the skin.
When it comes to parasites, it is every pet owner's role to protect their pet's health, their own health, and the health of their neighbors.
Our thanks to Dr. Courtney Anders for this informative guest post.
Courtney Anders
Dr. Courtney Anders is a veterinarian and the owner of the Pearl Animal Hospital. She provides full-service veterinary care for cats and dogs at the hospital, which is located in the Pearl District's Pinnacle Building at 10th and Northrup.
