WELCOME FUTURE DOCTORS TO…
The Infectious Disease Ward!
In This Month’S ISSUE:
DOG germs!
The golden retriever you love so very much comes bounding up towards you, its floppy paws covered in mud and river water. You lean down to hug him, and in return he licks your face, rubs against your bare skin, and barks obnoxiously in your ear. These signs of affection are cute until their claws start to dig in and make a gnarly looking tear in the skin on your bare arms. Now, it’s less cute and more worrying.
Yes. You should at least worry a little.
Not worried in the slightest? Keep on reading, folks, then you really will want to get Mr. Cuddles vaccinated, his nails clipped, and his poo bags handy with some plastic gloves. A little scratch is all it takes for you to get some awful parasite that makes you go blind (I’m not kidding, it’s a thing.) Spoiler alert: after you read this, you might look at Feefee or Fido just a little differently.
EVER WONDER WHAT NASTY BUGS MAY BE catching a ride on your pup?
Without a doubt, dogs are among a favorite for most people. They’re loyal, loveable, cuddly, and pretty much everything most people aren’t.
Need proof?
They aren’t called man’s best friend for nothing. But, your furry friend could still hurt you in ways the poor thing can’t even control. Consider the following fungus that many people mistake to be a worm.
Disease: Ringworm
Background Info: I’m pretty sure I’ve written an article on ringworm before. It’s gnarly and definitely no fun. If you don’t want it, your pet likely doesn’t either.
According to www.vcahospitals.com, "’Ringworm’ is the common name given to a fungal infection of the superficial layers of the skin, hair and nails. Ringworm infections can occur in humans and in all domesticated species of animals. The name comes from the classical appearance of the round, red, raised 'ring' marking the boundary of inflammatory lesions in people infected with the disease. The common name of ringworm is somewhat misleading, in that it is not an infection caused by a worm, and the infected areas are not always ring-shaped. The fungi responsible for ringworm infections belong to a specialized group known asdermatophytes, so the medical name for this disease is dermatophytosis.”
Symptoms and Diagnosis: It already sounds like a lovely disease. It’s the friend you don’t want to come over, and sadly sticks around until you find a nice way to send it on its way.
So to start, how do you know you have it? In dogs, the disease pretty much speaks for itself. Hairless red splotches will appear on their coat. These marks are usually itchy and rash-like, and are potentially even painful. While it is true that ringworm has a distinct look about it, your vet may decide that eyeballing it just isn’t good enough for a diagnosis. They may take a fur and skin sample to observe under a microscope, or even send a sample to a lab.
Transmission: www.peteducation.com says, “Ringworm can be transmitted by direct (skin to skin) contact with an infected animal, or contact with an item that is contaminated with the spores. The spore can be on infected grooming equipment or brushes, in a contaminated boarding facility or kennel, or in the environment where an infected animal has visited.” Ergo, your dog sniffs the butt of another dog, your dog gets ringworm and you get the medical bills.
For you, snuggling with the infected is not the greatest way to stay healthy. If you really feel the urge to pet Mr. Cuddles, be sure to wash your hands afterwards. Clean up wherever your dog may have rolled around on, such as blankets and carpets so that you don’t come into contact with the fungus. And, finally, don’t share your hairbrush. (Or, come to think of it, your toothbrush. Read further about roundworms for information why not.)
Treatment: Usually when it comes to ringworm, you’ll want to do a combination of treatments. Peteducation says that “Most small, isolated lesions on healthy dogs and puppies will heal on their own within 4 months. In more severe cases, several different treatments are used. For isolated lesions, the area around the lesion should be thoroughly clipped down close to the skin. Care should be taken when clipping not to irritate the skin, as this may promote spreading of the infection. The lesions can then be treated topically twice a day with an antifungal medication. Popular topical treatments include miconazole cream, Lotrimin cream, or 1% chlorhexidine ointment. For more severe or more generalized lesions, in addition to clipping and topical treatment, antifungal shampoos or dips can also be beneficial. A 0.5% chlorhexidine shampoo, 2% miconazole shampoo, ketoconazole shampoo, lime sulfur dips, or 2% chlorhexidine solution that are applied every 2 to 4 days have all been used effectively.
Another treatment option is to use oral antifungal agents. Historically, griseofulvin was the drug of choice. Ketoconazole, and most recently itraconazole, have been used successfully. These products all have to be given for several months, and because of their potential toxicity, must only be used under close direct veterinary supervision. Griseofulvin should not be used in breeding or pregnant animals.”
Roundworms are not the same thing as Ringworms!
You can get roundworms from just about any pet, but for now we’ll focus on just dogs.
Disease: Roundworm
Background Info: According to www.petsandparasites.com, “Roundworms are the most common of the parasitic worms found inside a dog. Almost all dogs become infected with them at some time in their lives, usually as puppies. Roundworms may be contracted in different ways, making them easy to spread and hard to control.” So, what are they? Roundworms are spaghetti like worms that hide inside an animal’s intestines. They feed off the blood and tissue inside the intestines, which later leads to things such as weight loss, blood loss, and several other complications.
Symptoms and Diagnosis: www.vcahosptials.com says, “In puppies, clinical signs such as stunted growth, potbelly, and recurrent diarrhea are a good indication of roundworm infection. Definitive diagnosis is made by microscopic examination of the dog's feces.” In adult dogs, you would look for generally the same thing. As far as people go, dogs and humans have rather similar symptoms. According to https://umm.edu, signs to look for are, “Cough, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea, blood in the stool, weight loss, fatigue, and presence of the worm in vomit or stool.”
Transmission: The most common way to spread roundworms between two animals and to people is through dirt. For example, your dog decides to poo in a sandbox, then your child decides to play in that sandbox only to put their hands in their mouth five minutes later, there’s a good chance they will get roundworm. If it is spread between animals, the transmission is similar. Your dog gets into an infected animal’s poo, they might ingest the worms.
Treatment: Vcahospitals.com in regards to treatment says, “Treatment is simple and effective. There are many safe and effective preparations available to kill adult roundworms in the intestine. Many heartworm preventives contain medications that are effective against intestinal roundworms help prevent future infections. Some of these preparations only the adult worms and do not affect migrating or encysting larvae.” There are plenty of deworming processes your dog can go through. Sources also recommend simply getting your dog worm checked periodically. There are other treatments veterinarians might recommend, should you find out your dog has roundworms.
Tune in next month for: Hookworms, your cat, and you!
Sources:
"Ringworm Infection in Dogs." WebMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
"Ringworm in Dogs." VCA Animal Hospitals. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
"Ringworm - Signs, Diagnosis and Treatment." Vetwest Animal Hospitals. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
"Ringworm in Dogs." Ringworm in Dogs. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/roundworms/
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/roundworms-dogs
https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/roundworms
