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 Over the years the tendency of keeping companion animals for pleasure, security and sports across the world has increased tremendously. Domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animal in human history. A dog is considered to be the man’s best friend. Watchman qualities of dogs have come in for a measure of recognition and strength in prevailing system of animal placements and ratings. A dog is just not a pet but very much treated like the part of the family. They act as companion, friend or even fashion accessory. The emotional value of the pet is much higher. A positive pet experience is highly beneficial to children. Taking care of a dog can help children develop social skills, build self esteem and self confidence. Healthy companion animals are significant in human-animal bond and may have a positive influence on family’s health. So, Owning of a pet can be a wonderful and rewarding experience for you and your family. Consequently, the pet industry is booming in India and abroad. But a family keeping a pet (dogs and cats) without proper health care may be exposed to variety of harmful parasitic infections during life time. To keep companion animal healthy and free of parasites, an optimum level of veterinary intervention is needed.

Zoonoses (the diseases shared by man and animals) can pose a serious threat to the families with unprotected pets and may put not only children, pregnant females and adults but also to the veterinarians and immuno-compromised individuals at greater risk. You share many things with your pet but certainly disease should not be one of them. Because of the wide publicity about emerging diseases like bird flu, mad cow disease and others, the veterinarians frequently receive the questions from the people about potential zoonotic diseases transmitted from dogs and cats. Of newly emerging and remerging infectious diseases, over 75% are of zoonotic origin. India has approximately 25 million dogs, (as per census 2002) with an estimated dog: man ratio of 1:36, while a survey in 2003 reported that about 17% house holds have a pet/domesticated dog. Dogs fall into four broad categories: pets (restricted and supervised); family dogs (partially restricted, wholly dependent); community dogs (unrestricted, partially dependent); and feral dogs (unrestricted, independent). About 80% dogs in India would fall into the last 3 categories. The societal change has driven the growth in pet population. The dog population is increasing by 26% per year. Increasing number of single executives and women and single child families or parent whose children have settled abroad kept pets. Mostly the pets are infected with parasites, if come in contact with people may transmit the disease and significantly interfere with the relationship between people and their pets.

 However, most pet owners are simply unaware of need to protect their pets and families from these parasites. There is urgent need for pet education and counseling. Every year, millions of dogs and cats are treated for internal and external parasitic infestations in Metropolitan cities in India. Recently, > 15,000 cases of dogs in a month have been registered for treatment purpose in veterinary clinics at GADVASU, Ludhiana. A zoonotic infection is caused by the transmission of round worms in the intestine of dogs and cats to people. Growing popularity of pets has resulted in wide spread contamination of the environment (soil) with hookworm and ascarid infective larvae and eggs. Principal risk factors for human disease include presence of dog in the house, geophagia and dirt eating habit (pica) of children .Children play habits and their attraction to pets especially dogs  put them at higher risk than the adults. A condition called VLM (Visceral Larva Migrans) develops in children; main organs affected are eye, lung, liver, and brain where infection can cause visual impairment, neurological and other tissue damages. Risk with cats is less due to their defecation habits. In another condition CLM (Cutaneous Larva Migrans), human gets infection through infective larvae either direct penetration of skin or through ingestion. The most common seen is of elders and children moving barefooted in the field or lawns or in the public parks or garden where dogs often defecate. Plumbers, gardeners and sunbathers are also most likely to suffer from skin manifestations. Hookworm eggs can develop into infective larvae in the soil as little in 5 days and ascarid eggs within 2 weeks depending on temperature and humidity. An ascarid female can produce >100,000 eggs per day contaminating the environment. Once they become infective, remain in the environment for years together. Most cases of human ascarid and hookworm infections can be prevented by practicing good personal hygiene, regular deworming of pets and keeping the children away from the areas that may be contaminated with feces. The regular veterinary care of pets is of utmost importantance.

 Ingestion of cat feces, raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables may transmit  toxoplasmosis in man. The populations at risk are pregnant females and the person under going immunosuppressive therapy. Once a pregnant female is infected, the child will be borne with many abnormalities like loss of vision, mental retardation, and loss of hearing. Her family has to bear the life long agony of rearing of an abnormal child. The pregnant females at times have miscarriage and still births. But owning a cat does not mean that you are infected with the disease. It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. However, precaution has to be taken that cat may remain indoors and is not fed raw or uncooked meat. Treatment of infected cat and proper disposal of the feces play a significant role in the elimination of the disease.

Hydatid disease is of tapeworm origin and found in dogs. In humans, it affects the organs by putting pressure on it resulting into organ failure. Man gets infection by ingestion of eggs through contaminated soil. A few infections like cryptosporidiosis, giardiosis and external parasites can not be ignored either and precaution should be taken accordingly.

 Health Tips to protect you and your family

Wash your hands well after contact with pets. Do not allow your kid to eat dirt or soil. Do not stroll in the park bare- footed. Wear shoes in public parks. Dog and cat waste quickly disposed off from the areas where children-pet play. Pregnant females and immuno-deficient persons to take extra care. Eat only well cooked meat Wash fresh fruits and vegetables to eliminate contamination. Chop meat separately. Get fecal examination of pets done regularly by a vet (2-4 times in a year for parasites). Deworm dog or cat as per vets’ recommendations.

The writer is Professor and Head of Veterinary Parasitology Department at GADVASU, Ludhiana, India

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