Parasites Pose Threat toโ Pet Health in Puerto Rico – and Humans
San Juan, Puerto rico – Veterinary professionals in Puerto Rico are alerting petโค owners to the dangers of intestinal parasites, emphasizing that these organisms can severely compromise animal healthโ and pose a risk of transmission to humans. The College of Veterinary Doctors of Puerto Rico (CMVPR) is urging preventativeโ measures and โขregular veterinary check-ups to combat the issue.
These parasites live in the gastrointestinal tract of pets and feed โฃon their nutrients, potentiallyโค causing significantโข health โproblems if left undetected.All types can affect humans.
How Infections Occur
Pets can become infected through various routes, including ingesting eggs or larvae found in โขcontaminated soil, water, or the feces of other animals. Transmission can also occurโ via infected fleas, consumption of โraw meat or infected animal remains, or from mother to puppy during pregnancyโค or lactation.
Symptomsโ of parasitic โคinfection vary depending onโข the type โขofโฃ parasite and the severity of the infestation. Common signs include:
* Diarrhea (sometimes with blood or mucus)
* Vomiting
* โ Weight loss
* โ Dilated abdomen (notably in puppies)
* Lethargy or weakness
* Visible worms in stool or aroundโฃ the anus
* Itching or โdragging of the butt (“scooting”)
Notably, some animals may carry parasites without โexhibiting โany outward symptoms, still posing an infection risk to other pets and humans.
Treatment and Prevention
Treatment typically involves oral or injectable dewormers prescribed by a veterinarian, โฃalongsideโฃ specific antiparasitics for protozoan infections.โฃ Vector control, such as flea prevention, and follow-up stool โanalysis to confirm โparasite elimination are also crucial.
The CMVPR stresses that prevention is paramount. This includes consistent deworming schedules โtailored to the animal’s age and lifestyle, maintaining good hygiene in the pet’s environment, preventing consumption of potentially contaminated materials, and โregular veterinary examinations – even in the absence of visible symptoms.
For further data, โcontact the College of Veterinary โขdoctors of puerto Rico atโ 787-520-0237 or visit their Facebook pageโ at www.facebook.com/CMVPR or Instagram โคpageโค cmveterinarios_puertorico.
