Vet Views: Get your pets tested

By Dr. Lisa Silk, owner and primary veterinarian at Isla Veterinary Clinic

Guam is known for its beautiful weather, however, with the heat and humidity, come particular health issues for our furry friends who spend most of their lives outdoors.

Dr. Lisa Silk urges the community to get their pets tested.

The ASPCA came to Guam and estimated that there are over 16,000 stray dogs and even more stray cats on our island. These animals in our streets and jungles also hold special consideration as reservoirs for diseases.

These diseases get spread through fighting, passed from mother to babies, and through pests such as ticks and mosquitoes which then infect our pets and even ourselves! The most prevalent disease that is spread across species is intestinal worms and blood-borne parasites such as tick disease organisms and heartworm from mosquitoes.

Both cats and dogs are susceptible to contracting heart worm from the bite of one infected mosquito. Mosquitoes bite a dog infected with heartworm. The insect carries the immature stage of heart worm in its mouthparts and infects other dogs with a simple bite. There is no way to tell that your pet has been infected until they are tested at a veterinarian’s office, or begin showing signs of heart failure. By that time, it may be too late to save their lives. Luckily heartworm is not contagious to humans and is easily preventable. Prevention works by killing the immature stages of heartworm before they reach the heart and become adults.

Intestinal parasites are also spread to our pets and potentially humans. They do so through infested feces of cats, dogs, and loose chickens. Not only can our pets become sick, but we are also potential hosts for hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, coccidia, salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium. All of these parasites causes bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss.

Children and young animals are the most susceptible due to immature immune systems. The only way to prevent this is to pick up any and all stool seen around the yard and disinfect the area immediately.

The next biggest issue on Guam is tick disease. The stray animals harbor many tick diseases such as ehrlichia, anaplasmosis, and babesia. Ticks will bite an infected animal, jump off, and then give the organism to the next host it bites. Hosts can be dogs, cats, or humans. Tick disease can be easily missed by owners, especially if no ticks are seen on their pets.

These diseases can affect the entire body and can cause liver, kidney failure, and even paralysis if left untreated. The only way to diagnose tick disease is by running blood tests. Diagnosing tick disease in people is much harder. It can present as “flu” symptoms in humans. You may not realize you have been infected.

As we go through this month, I urge everyone to get their pets tested, treated if necessary, and to keep pets on monthly preventions. I also encourage our government to be more proactive in taking care of the thousands of stray animals on Guam. It is an unhealthy situation for all of us.

Reference:

ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Retrieved from https://www.aspca.org/about-us