SEIU District 1199 New Connections Network

Ahh, summer: fresh-cut grass, birds in the trees, burgers on the grill, and of course, pesky parasites. With the advent of a new season, it's important to take precautions to prevent or treat parasite infestation in pets. Parasites not only affect our furry friends, but can be passed on to us.

What makes pets such a prime target for parasites? Animals provide the perfect living environment. Blood, sweat, and tears isn't just a rock band from the 60s, to the parasite, they're a three-course lunch. Pet hair also is a warm, protective environment and a means of transportation to another host.

The most common little buggers having a party at your pets' expense are ectoparasites--fleas, ticks and mites--which live on or burrow into their hosts' skin. Fleas are particularly pesky, since they not only infest your pet, but also can take over your home. The good news is that they're fairly easy to spot--you'll probably notice your pet's discomfort and scratching right off. You may even see fleas in his fur. Fleas are small (a little more than one millimeter), wingless, brown, and fast moving.

Some dogs and cats also can be allergic to fleas' saliva, which causes their skin to become inflamed. In addition, if the fleas carry pathogens, cats may easily become infected because they ingest about 50 percent of the fleas on their coats while grooming.

If your pet has fleas, your first thought might be to try an old-fashioned flea dip. But these dips can be highly toxic, inducing severe side effects like vomiting, fever, seizures, coma, and possibly death. Instead of dipping your dog or cat, you can easily apply a drop to your pet's skin that will kill fleas and prevent adults from laying eggs. Your veterinarian can suggest safe, effective products for your pet.

Another common parasite, especially during the summer months, is the tick. Ticks can be found looking for a free ride almost anywhere in most climates, though they prefer wooded, damp, and grassy areas before attaching themselves to your pet. Some tick bites may be harmless; others can cause anemia, skin damage, irritation, and hypersensitivity.

Some of the most common diseases transmitted by tick bites are Lyme disease, tick-borne fever, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. If untreated, these diseases can cause severe health problems and can be fatal.

So what are some of the signs of a tick-borne disease? Common symptoms of Lyme disease are arthritis, lameness, depression, and loss of appetite. Tick-borne fever can cause weakness, a cough, labored breathing, fatigue, and discharge from the nose or eyes. The symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever are similar to those of tick-borne fever. Or more generally, you may find that your pet isn't eating and is lethargic, depressed, and feverish. If any of these symptoms occur, it's imperative that you take your ailing buddy to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

The best preventative is to check your pet's skin and fur after spending a day in the woods, at the local lake, or even in your own backyard. If you try removing a tick the wrong way, though, you could hurt your friend. Don't try to burn it off with a match. The smell of the smoke won't make the tick loosen its grip, and the match could burn your furry companion. An alcohol swab rubbed or placed around the area may help loosen the kung fu grip of the tick. Using tweezers, grab the tick as close to the head as possible and slowly pull it out. If you flush the tick down the toilet before killing it, there is no promise that it won't crawl back up at an inopportune time. The best way to kill a tick is to place it in a sealed jar with alcohol.

Another critter to watch for is the mite. Lots of pet owners are familiar with ear mites. If you notice your pet scratching his ear intensely or biting himself, he could have ear mites. These pests also leave a brown or black crust on the outer ear.

Another type of mite is scabies. After burrowing into your pet's skin, scabies mites lay eggs. Once they hatch, the larvae feed on your pet's skin and release a secretion that causes severe itching. Take your pet to the veterinarian immediately if you suspect scabies mites, because they are highly contagious, and the excessive scratching they cause can lead to infections.

When treating mites, your best bet is to take your pet to your veterinarian rather than to try an at-home remedy or an over-the-counter medicine that may not be effective.

Almost all puppies and kittens have some type of internal parasite lurking in them, feeding on the blood and protein of its hosts. These parasites can affect your pet's ability to absorb nutrients, and without treatment, they can potentially damage the lining of the intestinal tract.

The most common internal parasites are tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms. Tapeworms can be passed onto your pet through fleas, which sometimes carry this parasite in its larval stage. Outside pets also can get them by eating infected rodents. If you find your pet is constantly licking his anal area, your best bet is to visually inspect the area and his stool for bits of tapeworm, which look like rice.

Hookworms attach themselves to your pet's intestinal lining, causing bloody or dark diarrhea. Whipworms, which can be found in the large intestine, also can cause diarrhea. If you notice blood in your pet's stool, collect a sample to take into your veterinarian, because the worms and eggs are only visible by microscope.

Last, but of course not least, is the roundworm, which lives in the small intestine. These worms may cause vomiting and resemble strands of spaghetti in your pet's stool. They are easily transmitted to humans, especially children, and can cause serious human health problems, including blindness.

Collecting a stool sample each year and taking your pet to your veterinarian will help ensure that he is worm free. Most heartworm medicines now contain a preventative for whipworm, roundworm, and hookworm, so be sure to follow your veterinarian's recommended dosages.

In addition, pay close attention to your pet. If you notice your furry companion scraping his bottom on the carpet, scratching his ears, vomiting, passing diarrhea, turning up his nose at the food bowl, or just not being himself, take the hint that something is wrong and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. Parasites can be a problem any time of the year, but a few preventative measures will protect the health of all of your loved ones.

In 58 million American households pets are a source of joy and perhaps even the key to longer, healthier lives. However, pet-owning households with young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems need to be aware that their animals can play host to disease-causing microorganisms.

Humans are not likely to catch a disease through their pets, but in very rare cases it can happen. Fortunately, most of these diseases rarely occur in healthy individuals, are mild and can be easily treated. Others, like toxoplasmosis, can be far more serious. Diseases transmitted from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases usually live out their complex life cycles in animals, but sometimes cross into human bodies. Usually contracting a pet-borne disease requires very close contact with animals or their excretions, so zoonotic diseases can be avoided with common sense, cleanliness and regular pet examinations and vaccinations.

Children often put their hands in their mouths, providing an easy route for bacteria to travel into their bodies. For example, children who eat dirt are more susceptible to contracting zoonotic diseases. Children also are more susceptible to pet-borne illness because they carry fewer antibodies than adults do. The same holds true for puppies and kittens, making them more likely to carry disease than older dogs and cats.

Although the chances of getting a zoonotic disease from your pet are slim, these are some common pet-borne illnesses that can make people sick:

Salmonellosis--This bacteria generally makes its way into human bodies through contaminated food. The bacteria can be passed through animal *** and may cause symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhea and exhaustion.

Roundworms--Roundworm eggs and microscopic adult worms can be excreted in the *** of dogs and cats infected by the worms. Children may be at a higher risk for contracting roundworms because they play near pets or touch infected *** and put their hands into their mouths. Because of the risk to children, all cats and dogs should be taken to their veterinarians for regular fecal examinations. Also remember to cover all sandboxes when not in use to prevent children from contacting contaminated ***. Symptoms can include fever, cough, loss of appetite, weakness and lung congestion.

Cat Scratch Fever--This bacteria is usually transmitted from cats to humans through scratches. The bacteria is found on nails or claws and can cause high fever, loss of appetite, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. In otherwise healthy people, Cat Scratch Fever is usually mild and resolves itself. However, the bacteria caused by Cat Scratch Fever can be extremely dangerous or even fatal if left untreated in immune-compromised individuals. It's important for these pet owners to tell their doctors they own a cat. Young children should be sure to wash scratches thoroughly with soap and water.

Strep Throat--Though your pet is probably not the culprit bringing strep into your household each year, the possibility does exist. Recently, researchers have found that it's more likely that people are infecting their pets. In any case, keep your children from kissing, licking or exchanging food by mouth with their pets.

Ringworm--A fungal infection of the skin, hair or nails, ringworm starts as a rapidly spreading hairless, circular lesion. Humans can be infected through use of contaminated objects like hair brushes, towels or clothing or by contact with infected animals like cats, dogs, mice, rats and guinea pigs.

Scabies--Also called sarcoptic mange, scabies is a skin disease caused by itch mites which burrow under the skin. Scabies cause intense itching and scratching that can result in severe eczema. Humans can be infected through contact with infected animals.

The most effective way to prevent zoonotic diseases and ensure your good health is to ensure good health for your pets. This means taking your pet to the veterinarian for regular exams and vaccinations. Most pet owners find that by following their veterinarian's nutritional and health recommendations, their pets will lead happy, healthy lives with little risk of zoonotic infections.