September Edition 2012
New Clients
We wanted to take the time to welcome the following new patients to our
practice:
Sugar Rightmire
Maia Rudd
Sheba Buckmeier
Bentley Brinkworth
Cali Claxton
Mrs. Norris & Rolo Scott
Chief Corfield
Max Link
Tiger Lily Hosier
Athena Newcome
Chase Lipsitz
Lulu, Pinkie, & Roxie Vondeak
Jesse Shupe
Ora Kilpatrick
Giuseppe Francis
Dewey Dennedy
Carter Hajosch
Libby & Rocky Russell
Max Callahan
Mellow Sites
Commander Williams-Moore
Yeti Register
Miah Henrique
Jordan & Opie Moody
Peanut Small
Lucky Jones
Sam & Chloe Bernard
Precious Hamilton
Coco Powers
Mya Collins
Dixie Naval
Max Hayes
Mittens Andoll
Ace Hamilton
Special pricing for dental procedures in September!
Make your pet’s breath kissable fresh!
$20 off dentals done in the month of September.
More pets = more savings: $50 off two pets!
Zoonotic disease is any infectious disease that can be spread between humans
and animals. Although there are many zoonotic diseases, below are some of the
more common diseases you and your pet may encounter.
Bartonella
Many people have heard of “Cat Scratch Fever” but do not know exactly what it
is. “Cat Scratch Fever” is a disease in humans caused by a bacterial organism
called Bartonella henselae. This bacterium comes from fleas, and can be spread
by cats. Although dogs can be infected with other Bartonella organisms,
Bartonella henselae is primarily spread by cats. When a cat becomes parasitized
with fleas, the flea leaves behind “flea dirt” (flea poop) on the cat’s skin which has
the bacteria in it. Cats will commonly get flea dirt in their nails as they scratch at
the fleas. Once this dirt is in the nails, a single scratch can transmit Bartonella to
a person. Bartonella infection can cause red bumps, enlarged lymph nodes, and
fever. In normal people, the infection is usually cleared from the immune system
within a few weeks. In children, older people, or those who are immune
compromised, Bartonella infection can be much more serious, and if left
untreated, even fatal. Bartonella also has the potential to make cats sick. There
has been evidence to suggest that Bartonella may play a role in a painful oral
condition in cats called “stomatitis.” The good news is that a blood test is
available to see if your cat is at risk of harboring Bartonella. If a high level of
infection is detected, a three week course of antibiotics can be used to help the
cat clear infection. The best means of preventing Bartonella is to keep your cat
free from fleas.
Leptosporosis
Leptosporosis is a bacterial disease caused by leptospires bacteria. This
bacterium can infect wild animals, domestic pets, and humans. Although all
animals can be infected, cases of leptospirosis in cats are rare. Infected animals
shed the bacteria in their urine. It then gets into standing water and soil where it
can live for weeks to months at a time. Animals and people come in contact with
leptosporosis by drinking, swimming, or walking through contaminated water/soil.
Pets that live around standing water or in areas with a lot of wildlife are at
increased risk of encountering infection. Signs of infection can be nonspecific at
first and can include; fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, inappetance,
weakness and depression, stiffness and muscle pain. More severely the infection
can get into major organs (kidneys, liver, etc.) and cause life threatening illness.
Although leptosporosis can be treated with antibiotics, the disease can be very
serious and require hospitalization and supportive care. Any at-risk dogs should
be vaccinated for leptosporisis. In addition, care should be taken to avoid human
contact with animal urine especially in warm, moist environments areas where
wildlife frequent.
Toxoplasmosis
There has been a lot of discussion in the media lately about a “brain disease that
cats carry.” This disease is the protozoal parasite Toxoplasma gondii. There are
two forms of Toxoplasma gondii. One is the oocyts (eggs) that domestic cats
shed and the other is the tissue cyst that can be found in raw/undercooked meat
and unpasteurized dairy products. Most serious cases in humans come from
consuming undercooked/raw animal products rather than exposure to cats. Cats
that have the parasite may have diarrhea, or may be asymptomatic. Once
infected, they shed the oocysts in the stool for a limited window of time. This
shedding normally only occurs the first time a cat is infected and lasts about 1-2
weeks. It takes around 2 days for these oocysts to become infective to people, so
human risk is minimized when litter boxes are cleaned daily. In most human
cases the disease mimics a cold and can cause fever, malaise and swollen
lymph nodes. However, the disease can most notably be a risk to pregnant
women, as the parasite can cross the placenta and infect unborn babies. People
with compromised immune symptoms are at risk for more serious cases if
infected.
Rabies
Rabies is a rhabdovirus which is a serious disease that can infect mammals.
Wildlife is the most common reservoir of the virus, particularly raccoons, bats,
coyotes, skunks, and foxes. Rabies causes serious damage to the nervous
tissue and the brain that result in neurologic disease and death. Vaccination of
domestic animals has been the best means of preventing risk to humans. Any
person who is bitten by a wild animal or unvaccinated animal should seek
immediate attention from a physician. It is very important to keep pets current on
their Rabies vaccine to safeguard humans from this fatal disease.
Ringworm
Despite its name, ringworm is a term used to describe the skin infection caused
by a certain group of fungi (dermatophytes) and is not caused by a worm at all.
The name comes from the characteristic ring appearance seen in infected
humans. In animals, ringworm often looks like a dry, scaly patch of hair loss.
Some types of ringworm can be identified with a black light, but most of the time
a fungal culture is necessary to diagnose it. The fungal spores that cause
ringworm can live in the soil for long periods of time. Animals encounter them
from infected soil or a contaminated environment. Although any pet can pick up
ringworm, it most commonly presents a problem for young animals or immune
compromised animals. Ringworm can be treated with oral and topical antifungal
treatment, but deep cleaning of the environment is also necessary to prevent reexposure. People who develop suspicious skin lesions after exposure to an
animal with ringworm should consult a physician for treatment.
Intestinal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, giardia)
There are a variety of intestinal parasites that animals carry that can pose risk to
humans. Some of these parasites are more likely to cause disease in people
than others. If your pet is diagnosed with an intestinal parasite, it is best to
discuss the human risks with one of our doctors. In order to prevent exposure to
intestinal parasites, it is essential to wash your hand thoroughly after contact with
animal feces and to keep your pet current on heart worm prevention and routine
fecal exams. Heartworm prevention protects your pet against most intestinal
parasites.
MRSA
MRSA (pronounced múr·sa) is an abbreviation for “Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus.” This bug is a strain of bacteria that has become
resistant to common antibiotics. The bacteria can infect almost any tissue, but
skin and soft tissue infections are most common. This strain of bacteria has
gotten a lot of attention in human medicine, but it can also be carried by pets.
MRSA cannot be identified on a microscope— it can only be diagnosed through
a bacterial culture and sensitivity test. If MRSA is present in your household, it is
possible that your pets may be harboring it, although it is rare that they are the
original source of the infection. To be on the safe side, you should always wash
your hand thoroughly after contact with animals bodily fluid, saliva or sores.
The most important thing to remember is that if you have been in contact with a
zoonotic disease, contact your physician to discuss diagnosis and treatment.
We are now offering –
To the Fleming Island and Green Cove Springs areas.
For certain behavioral issues or for those that traveling to the vet is
not an option, we can now offer house calls. Please note: certain
conditions may require further diagnostic testing to be done at the
hospital. If you are interested in learning more, we would be happy to
discuss this as an option for you.
Please remember to give monthly
Heartworm prevention.
Plantation Animal Hospital
7165 Highway 17
Fleming Island, FL 32003
www.plantationanimalhospital.net
904-284-0087