Parasite Control Reloaded: Prevention and Control of Intestinal Worms

Pets enrich people's lives and enhance their well-being in many ways. The importance of the human-animal bond is well-accepted, and the varied benefits of pet ownership are well-recognized. Dogs and cats are found more often in homes with young children, who often have close contact with these animals. Wild animals such as raccoons are very common in urban and suburban areas, and canine infections with raccoon ascarids are possible. Some wild species, such as raccoons, skunks, kinkajous, and coatis, are bred in captivity and sold as exotic pets. Unfortunately, dogs, cats, and wild animals such as raccoons are commonly infected with parasites and other infectious agents, a number of which can produce mild to life-threatening disease in humans, particularly children. Parasitic agents would include a variety of protozoa, helminths and arthropods, some of which cross over to domestic pets from wild cycles. It is important to limit animal-to-human transmission of potentially harmful zoonotic parasites, and one of the best ways to do this is by practicing year-round parasite control.