Roundworm-A Serious Zoonosis

A RAW WORLD

"I'm interested in raw land and trees and fresh air and rivers and lots of animals around them."

Kent McCord

Animal Doc AM Multi-Media with Dr. Don DeForge

04September2012

"The American Veterinary Medical Association's House of Delegates has approved a policy that discourages feeding raw or undercooked animal-source protein to cats or dogs unless the food has been subjected to a process that eliminates pathogens." [Drew Andersen-VPN-September 2012]

The controversy of feeding raw meats to dogs and cats or what are called raw meat diets will continue.  Raw diets are growing in popularity as "fad diets" as pet owners seek to return their pets to a more natural diet that simulates what carnivores ate before domestication.

Link Welborn, DVM and former AAHA President states, "While raw food diets are becoming increasingly popular among pet owners, there is a growing body of information showing that these diets pose a health risk not only for the pets that consume them but to their owners as well."

Researchers from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine documented a raw diet being fed to two cats which led to a Salmonella infection and death of both cats.

The American Animal Hospital Association states that Salmonella infection in humans can come from direct and indirect contact with infected pets and/or direct contact with contaminated food.

Salmonella infection can be acquired by humans in contact with pets that are infected by:

• Pet Grooming
• Food Preparation
• Scooping of Litter
• Cleaning food and water bowls
• Cleaning Litter Boxes or Changing Litter
• Petting Infected Pets

There are many other bacterial pathogens in raw meats besides Salmonella.  

Feline Toxoplasmosis is a very serious zoonoses.
A zoonosis is a disease that can be transmitted from animals to people or, more specifically, a disease that normally exists in animals but that can infect humans. There are multitudes of zoonotic diseases.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council states:

Feline Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important zoonotic parasites dealt with in veterinary medicine. It is caused by a two-host coccidian, Toxoplasma gondii, for which cats are the only known definitive hosts.

Prevention

• Prevention is only accomplished by eliminating exposure.
• Prevent hunting activity by cats (e.g., keep cats indoors).
• Avoid feeding raw or undercooked meat or viscera to cats.
• Feed cats only commercially prepared diets.
• Because oocysts require at least 24 hours to become infective, remove fecal material from litter boxes daily. This is especially important when introducing a new cat to a household with other cats. Using disposable litter pans can help.
• Disinfecting litter boxes is very difficult, since sporulated Toxoplasma oocysts are resistant to most household disinfectants. Cleaning with scalding water or steam is most effective, but must be done carefully to avoid burns in human caretakers.

 Discuss the NUTRITION of your pet with your veterinarian today.

Make sure the can or bag of food that you feed your pet states: Association of American Feed Control Officials [AAFCO] Complete and Balanced.  It it does not have an AAFCO Adequacy Statement on the bag do not buy the food.  Again, discuss AAFCO with your Local Doctor of Veterinary Medicine [LDVM].

Go to the Internet and seek a listing of Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition [DACVN].  Set up a consultation with the closest Diplomate to go over what you are feeding and what the experts say is the best.  For the good of the companion you love become a "proper nutrition advocate" for your pet by making dietary changes to assure proper growth and health through all stages of life.

Dr. Don DeForge
Animal Doc AM  Multi-Media
Silver Sands Veterinary Center
SilverSandsVeterinary.com
DoctorDeForge@yahoo.com
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04September2012