Keeping zoonotic diseases at bay

Pet owners need to ensure that pets are protected from parasites for the wellbeing of both animals and humans, writes Meera Murugesan

Be a responsible pet owner.

SO, you’ve just acquired a pet. Welcome to the club. Having a pet is a huge responsibility. It goes without saying that keeping your pet healthy and well cared for is crucial, not just for the animal but also for the wellbeing of your own family.

Today, cats and dogs are increasingly considered as part of the family and live in close proximity with people.

This means that effectively protecting our pets from parasites not only helps keep them healthy but it also benefits us ultimately when it comes to our health and that of the family, says associate professor Rebecca Traub, director and executive secretary of the Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites (TroCCAP).

TroCCAP is a non-for-profit public company whose mission is to independently inform, guide and make best-practice recommendations to veterinarians and allied health professionals for the diagnosis, treatment and control of companion animal parasites in the tropics and sub-tropics.

Speaking during a media roundtable on “Healthy Pets, Healthy People” recently, Traub stressed that pet owners can play an active role in protecting their pets from diseases.

This is done by keeping up with their annual check-ups with the veterinarian, staying up-to-date with vaccinations, and ensuring that they use effective and frequent protection against common parasites such as fleas, ticks and worms.

Dr Tawin Inpankaew, council member of TroCCAP, adds that zoonotic diseases can pose a risk to public health in many parts of the world.

Zoonosis is any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans.

“For tropical countries, the combination of warmer climates and enhanced parasite life cycles, among other factors, call for specifically developed parasite prevention protocols in order to effectively mitigate the infection pressure for all animals and the corresponding risk to public health,” says Dr Tawin.

For example, dogs and cats in the tropics need to be protected from ticks, fleas and heartworm all year round, unlike in temperate countries where the risk of infesta- Dr Tawin says zoonotic diseases pose a risk to public health in many parts of the world. Traub says pet owners play an active role in protecting their pets from diseases.

tion is seasonal.

Animals thus play an essential role in zoonotic infections in nature. Zoonoses have been recognised for many centuries, and over 200 have been described. They are caused by all types of pathogenic agents, including bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses.