LA Times - Tale of a dog, a parasite and two women

[dogs4life]

This is rather a sad story of a woman who is suffering a severe tapeworm infection in her liver and now her whole body. She contracted the tapeworm as a young child and has been battling it ever since. Her story really hit home for me since I have a young daughter who handles her animals and other peoples animals on a regular basis and God only knows if we have come into contact with this parasite. I've been diligent about parasite control through nutrition, avoidance, monitoring stools and medication but I cannot count on every animal owner to do the same. This is a great article and sheds some light on why some people are not dog-friendly.

Happy Reading!

Tale of a dog, a parasite and two women
Los Angeles Times By Claire Panosian Dunavan, Special to The Times
January 21, 2008

This is the story of a dog-ophobe, a dog-ophile and the parasite that brought them together. The dog-ophobe (for want of a better word) is a patient. The dog-ophile is her doctor -- me.

My story is simple. At the end of the day, I look forward to two spaniels at home more than I do comfort food. Their wags are my Prozac, their snores my lullaby. So now you know where they sleep. Not under the bedcovers, but close.

By coincidence, my work also involves animals, but with a twist. I'm an expert in the parasites they occasionally transmit to humans.

Link To Original Article


Major Risk Factors:

Diffinative host (carnivores such as dogs, wolves & dingos) in close proximity to Intermediate host (Herbivores such as sheep, goats & swine). Oral-fecal transmission, mainly by human exposure to stools from infected canines. Children are more at risk because they will unknowingly handle infected animals, also toddlers and babies are more likely to come into close contact with egg casings on the floor or ground resulting in accidental ingestion of eggs. Feeding raw, untreated infected meat, organs and offal to companion animals will increase risk of infecting your dogs.

Prevention:

Basic hygiene, monitor your pets for tapeworm infections, prevent infestation or talk with your vet about prophylactic anti-cestode medication if you are at high risk for infection. If you choose to feed raw infected meats, organs or offal, please freeze for recommended times AND at recommended temperatures to kill the tapeworm. If you suspect your dog is infected please consult a vet for fecal examination, blood test (ELISA), prescription cestocide and/or nutritional support.

For more information on this parasite and similar parasites, you can search for the following keywords:

- Echinococcosis
- Echinococcosus epidemiology, inactivation, inactivity, infectivity, temperature and/or zoonosis
- Hydatid cysts
- Cystic echinococcosis or Echinococcus
- Alveolar echinococcosis or Echinococcus
- Cystic hydatid disease
- Tapeworm liver, lung or brain
- Echinococcus granulosus or E. granulosus
- Echinococcus multilocularis or E. multilocularis
- Echinococcus vogeli or E. vogeli
- Echinococcus oligarthrus or E. oligarthrus
- Cestocide

Related Links:

Claire B. Panosian
WHO | Cystic Echinococcosis and Multilocular Echinococcosis
Echinococcus granulosus - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Echinococcosis
Echinococcus granulosus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Echinococcus granulosus - Diagnostics for Parasitology
Division of Parasitic Diseases - Alveolar Echinococcosis Fact Sheet
Echinococcosis, epidemiology
Information to professionals - EurEchinoReg
Hydatids-Key text