Let me give you a real life scenario…I was talking to a man
over the weekend that stated “I don’t believe in taking my cat to the
veterinarian.” My counter was “is your
cat up-to-date on her rabies vaccine?”
Now, if you’ve read my bio you may be thinking this is my 15+ years in
the veterinary/animal industry speaking…well it is and it isn’t. Here’s the rest of this man’s circumstances…
This gentlemen is in his 60’s, is primarily homebound and is
susceptible to illness due to current health conditions and he lives in a very
rural area. Although it is not common
for a bat to get into his home he did admit it wasn’t impossible. So here’s a few concerns
1.
His cat is not rabies vaccinated and although it
does not have access to outside, bats are commonly found in the area.
2.
For the cat to receive the rabies vaccine, it is
first examined for illness. Concerns for
disease transmission do not just include rabies, but also cat scratch disease (CSD,
bartonellosis) and the transmission of intestinal parasites are some other
zoonotic (disease that can be transmitted from animals to people) concerns. If bats can get into the home, chances are
rodents and other small disease carrying critters that are found out in rural
areas are able to get into the home as well.
Apparently this gentleman’s physician did not recommend for
his cat to have regular veterinary visits.
Yet again, here’s a situation where the two medical professions are not
working cohesively.
When I go into an exam room to take the vitals of my four
legged patient, acquire information from the client and discuss recommended
vaccines and other services I find it imperative to inquire about the health
status of all those in the household. A
common question from pet owners is “What vaccines (or tests) do you think my
pet needs?” I explain there are core
vaccines that are recommended for pets based on age and socialization
(example. Those that are taking their
pets to the groomer or a trainer) however there are additional vaccines that
can be recommended if any of these groups of people are in the home, help clean
a litter box and/or visit frequently
·
Children (especially children five and under)
·
Elderly
·
Pregnant woman
·
Persons with compromised immune systems
I do not ask the pet owner specifically what their diagnosis
or condition is however I explain that recommendations are altered if there is
someone in the home with any of those considerations. Note: in the veterinary field we do not document or
ask specific information about health conditions to protect the personal information
of the client. I could write a book
on these concerns, so I’m making an attempt to cut it short however I do want
to mention something else…
I’ve mentioned the concerns of a pet with a zoonotic disease
sharing with its human caretakers, but there is another reason why keeping our
pets healthy is imperative. There are
many diseases pets can carry that do not affect people (example. Parvovirus, feline leukemia or FeLV,
distemper, etcetera), however if they contract an illness, just like us, it
weakens their immune system making them more susceptible of picking up other
illnesses, including those that are zoonotic.
It’s not uncommon, for example, for a puppy that has successively
defeated parvovirus to soon after develop ringworm (or other fungal infection)
or mange. When a pets immune system is worn
down or is in a constant state of flux, other ailments or conditions can
develop that can place us at risk. It is
crucial for both animal and human medical professions to work unified in
keeping patients, clients and the community safe and as free from illness as
possible.
Going back to the gentlemen I spoke of early in this entry, here’s
a man, in his 60’s, homebound, he has a weakened immune system with an unvaccinated
cat with an unknown health status (because it does not see the
veterinarian). This is an accident
waiting to happen. Human health
professionals should be recommending to anyone that is elderly, those with
weakened immune systems, pregnant women and those with children in the home (or
that frequently visit) to take their pets to the veterinarian. Just as those in the veterinary professional
that diagnoses pets with zoonotic disease or parasites should be recommending the
pet owner (or family members) to seek medical attention and to recommend vaccinations,
service and products that will protect pet owners from developing a transmissible
disease. It may take a village to raise
a child, but it takes a task force of doctors, nurses, veterinarians and
credentialed veterinary technicians to keep a community healthy.
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