A “zoonotic disease” is defined as a disease of animals shared by man. Several of these diseases cause more problems in immunosuppressed people, such as in the very young & very old, in pregnant women, for people with AIDS or those receiving chemotherapy. This article talks about some of the most common parasites which can be zoonotic.

Visceral larval migrans
Visceral larval migrans can occur in humans following infection by Roundworms, through the ingestion of infectious eggs. The eggs then develop into tiny larvae which can then migrate from the intestine to the eye, brain or other organs causing severe damage including blindness and in rare cases even death Luckily, the more severe cases occur very rarely in humans. Cutaneous larval migrans

Cutaneous larval migrans can be caused by several types of Hookworms. This parasite can infect people by penetrating their skin, causing a sometimes severe “itchy“ rash. Occasionally, they can migrate and affect other organs causing more serious problems.

Prevention of human infection
Almost every puppy and kitten is infected with parasites, especially Roundworms. Puppies are often infected before birth, while still in the uterus of the mother. Kittens, on the other hand, are not infected before birth but rather obtain the infection through their mother's milk. Infected puppies typically have a rough coat, “pot bellies“, bad breath, general failure to thrive, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. The best way to prevent Roundworm and Hookworm infestation in you and your pet is to deworm your pets, especially young puppies and kittens (and their mothers). Puppies and kittens should be dewormed periodically until they are four months old. After your pet is an adult, it is important to follow-up with Fecal Examination on a regular basis throughout your pet‘s lifetime. For housepets, this should be done at least once yearly and for dogs with an active outdoor lifestyle and for outdoor cats, at least twice a year. Also, because parasites may shed their eggs sporadically, one negative stool sample is not a 100% guarantee that your pet is parasite-free. In households where there are individuals who are at increased risk, many experts recommend deworming the pets in the house on a regular basis, sometimes as often as four times a year. Once an animal sheds an infected stool sample outside, the worm eggs can find their way into the soil and remain there for years and years, making re-infection highly possible. To prevent contaminating the environment, always pick up your pet's feces whether your animal is infected or not. Do not allow children to play in areas where infected pets or wildlife may have been. (Dogs which are on Interceptor® brand of Heartworm preventative have an extra level of protection against Roundworms, Hookworms, and Whipworms.) Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is the most common parasite infection worldwide. The most common source of infection to people is through undercooked or raw meat, especially pork. Many people are under the false assumption that cats are a major source of Toxoplasmosis risk, but this is simply untrue. Even when cats are infected with Toxoplasma (usually as kittens), they only shed the organism for a very short period of time (often less than a two-week period). Once the organism is shed in the stool, it is not able to cause infection for at least two or three days; this is why it is important to dispose of stools on a daily basis if you are worried about Toxoplasmosis. Good hygiene and common sense can reduce the risk of contracting Toxoplasmosis.

In order to decrease the risk:

• Cook all meat thoroughly
• Wash hands after handling raw meat and before eating
• Feed cats only high quality cat food
• Do not let cats catch and eat rodents
• Wear gloves when working in the garden
• Clean the litter box daily. If you are pregnant or immunosuppressed,
  ask someone else to do it and if this is not possible, wear gloves.