Table of Contents

Some parasitic diseases that can be contracted when raising pets

Pets are often kept as dogs, cats, birds, mice, etc., but the most popular are dogs and cats. Like humans, animals also carry pathogens and can transmit those pathogens to people living with them. Some parasitic diseases that humans can get from keeping pets are:

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati

Humans are accidental hosts, due to swallowing worm eggs in soil or water contaminated with cat or dog feces or swallowing worm larvae when eating undercooked cat or dog meat.

When people swallow toxocara worm eggs, when they reach the small intestine, the eggs hatch and release larvae, the larvae penetrate the intestinal wall and move to the liver. From the liver, the larvae migrate through the circulatory and lymphatic systems to other tissues such as the lungs, abdominal organs, eyes, etc., causing damage to the internal organs.

Some parasitic diseases that can be contracted when raising pets

Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense

People are often infected by contact with soil and sand in the outdoor environment contaminated with dog and cat feces containing infective larvae (filariform larvae). The larvae penetrate the skin, usually in the skin of the hands and feet, and migrate in the subcutaneous tissue.

The larvae can survive for weeks, sometimes even months. In some cases, the larvae can escape into the bloodstream and travel to the lungs, causing Loeffler’s syndrome.

Dipylidium caninum

Adult worms live in the small intestine of dogs and cats. Old tapeworm segments are passed in the feces or crawl out through the anus. Eggs are released when the tapeworm segments contract or when the tapeworm segments are crushed. Eggs are released into the environment or adhere to the hair or around the dog’s anus. Fleas such as Ctenocephalides canis, Ct. felis, Pulex irritans swallow the intestine, the 6-hooked embryo will develop into a tailed larval cyst (cysticercoid).

Toxoplasma gondii

Humans become infected by swallowing cyst eggs or pseudocysts found in undercooked meat, or in the milk, blood, or urine of infected cats. Entering the host’s intestines, sporozoites in cyst eggs or pseudocysts are released to parasitize cells of the reticular, brain, and muscle systems, becoming new active forms. In host cells, they actively reproduce by dividing into two to produce new generations, rapidly increasing the population, invading new cells, causing the acute form.

How to prevent parasitic diseases transmitted by pets

For people:

– Promote and educate to raise awareness of personal and community hygiene, especially for dog and cat owners; protect the environment from being contaminated with dog and cat feces.

– Hygiene and epidemic prevention: clean the environment, especially areas with dog and cat feces, indoor areas and children’s play areas. Develop a good personal hygiene lifestyle: wash hands before eating or preparing food, do not eat raw vegetables without washing thoroughly or uncooked dog and cat meat.

For pets:

– Bathe regularly with pet-specific shampoos to remove worm eggs, flukes and other external parasites from the fur.

– Deworm dogs and cats. For puppies and kittens, deworming should be done from 3 weeks of age, repeated 3 times 2 weeks apart and then every 6 months.

– Do not keep wild animals of unknown origin.

The above information is for reference only, please follow ASIAPATA for more useful information about pets.

Further Reading:

Pet Knowledge, Popular Pets

Parasitic Diseases That Can Be Contracted When Raising Pets