Worms and Germs Blog : Animal Health & Diseases : University of Guelph : Ontario Veterinary College : Zoonotic Diseases : Guelph, Hamilton, Ontario

Knowing how to properly handle a rabbit is very important for rabbit owners. If done incorrectly, the handler, the rabbit, or both could be injured. A rabbit's powerful hind legs and flighty nature (being a prey species) are a dangerous combination. Even though rabbits may not do so intentionally, the nails on their hind feet can inflict serious scratches (rivaling those of any cat or dog) if they are trying to get away.  Rabbits can break their backs simply by struggling against improper restraint because of the amount of force they can generate with their hind legs.

Knowing the basics about how to handle rabbits safely and correctly can greatly reduce risks to both the handler and the animal.  Click on the image below to see a video by Dr. Erin Harrison of the Ontario Veterinary College Avian & Exotics Service about some tips on approaching and handling rabbits safely.

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Back in the 1980s, Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs were a popular fad pet.  These stout little oinkers are still out there, though they're not quite as popular as they once were.  Potbellied pigs are cute (at least to some people... to each their own!), supposedly quite smart, and can even be house trained/litter trained.  As with any new pet though, it's very important to do your research before going hog-wild and getting yourself a pot-bellied pig.  Talk to your veterinarian about what your pig will need in terms of medical care - vaccines, deworming, spay/neuter, hoof trimming, tusk trimming... Because they are uncommon pets, some veterinarians may not be comfortable treating a pig.  Make sure you ask ahead of time so you know to which veterinarian(s) in your area you can (and will!) take your pig.

We recently received a question about vaccination of pot-bellied pigs.  Just like dogs, in some areas pigs need to be licensed by the city, and certain vaccines are required in order to obtain a license.  In this particular case, pigs are required to be vaccinated against rabies, swine erysipelas and leptospirosis.  Regular visitors to this site are no doubt familiar with the issues around rabies and why it's important to vaccinate for this deadly disease.  (More information about rabies is available on the Worms & Germs Resources page and in our archives.)  Swine erysipelas is a systemic bacterial infection caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathia, which can rarely cause a skin infection known as erysipeloid in humans.  This is not to be confused with human erysipelas, which is a skin infection caused by various species of Streptococcus (particularly Streptococcus pyogenes). 

But the question was about leptospirosis vaccination in pot-bellied pigs.  Pigs are susceptible to infection by Leptospira interrogans, just like dogs and people, and if infected a pet pig would be equally capable of shedding the bacterium in its urine and potentially transmitting the disease.  The issues around requiring vaccination of pigs for leptospirosis are very similar to those around making leptospirosis a "core" vaccine in dogs.  More information about this is available in the Worms & Germs post entitled "Should all dogs in Ontario be vaccinated for leptospirosis?"  A pet pig would likely be exposed to the same serovars of Leptospira as a dog kept in the same area, typically by coming in contact with urine from infected wild animals such as raccoons and skunks when they go outside.  However, the risk of exposure for a pig that rarely or never leaves the house would be extremely low compared to a pig that has outdoor access.  Another important consideration is whether or not the pig vaccine is against the same serovars that a pet pig, instead of a commercial pig, might encounter.  This will also vary depending on in what area the pig lives.  The Leptospira servoars pomona and bratislava are actually host-adapted to pigs.

It is also important to vaccinate an animal with vaccines that are labeled for use in its own species.  Vaccinating a pig with a vaccine meant for dogs could have unpredictable results - it may increase the risk of an adverse reaction, or it may not adequately stimulate an immune response, thereby leaving the pig essentially unvaccinated.  Your veterinarian can discuss the pros and cons of vaccination in your pet with the available vaccine products.

More information about leptospirosis is also available on the Worms & Germs Resources page.

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Pseudorabies is suspected of being the cause of death in a small number of dogs in Florida. The name "pseudorabies" can cause confusion and concern because of the significant risks associated with rabies in animals and subsequent exposure of people. Pseudorabies is actually caused by a type of herpesvirus, which is completely unrelated to the lyssavirus that causes rabies.  The name of the disease probably came from the neurological signs that the causative herpesvirus can cause in some animal species. Pigs, including wild pigs, are the primary reservoir of this virus, and it is highly contagious within this species.

Dogs are also susceptible to pseudorabies infection, but people are not. Disease in dogs is rare but is typically fatal, causing neurological disease and death over a few hours to days. There is no vaccine to prevent pseudorabies in dogs - the best control measure is to prevent contact between dogs and pigs, particularly wild hogs.

• Pseudorabies is rare in dogs, but the disease is very serious so efforts should be taken to reduce the risk of infection.
• Preventing contact between your dog and pigs in areas where pseudorabies might be present is important. This includes preventing contact with pig carcasses. If pseudorabies might be in your area and you're in search of the next "hogzilla" (see picture) leave your dog behind or keep it away from the pig.
• Signs of pseudorabies may be indistinguishable from signs of real rabies. Extreme caution should be used when handling any animal with neurological disease that could have rabies.  In Canada, and animal suspected of having rabies must also be reported immediately to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).  More information about rabies is available on the Worms & Germs Resources page.
• Pseudorabies does not exist in Canada, and it is a reportable disease in this country.  It has also been eradicated from many parts of the US.  However, the disease still occurs in many countries all over the world.

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I spent some time the other night looking at different internet pet pharmacy sites. (Yes, I know that sounds strange, but it was interesting and sometimes appalling.) It's well known that you can buy virtually anything over the internet. Pharmaceuticals are no different. There are numerous online pharmacies that offer drugs for animals. Some are presumably highly reputable companies that do what they are supposed to do: dispense drugs only with a valid prescription from a veterinarian, dispense only drugs that they can sell legally, and ensure that everything they sell is of appropriate quality.

However, it's clear that not all pet pharmacies are equal. Most state that a prescription is required, yet it is unclear how many actually follow this requirement. Some will have their own veterinarian write the prescription (which is illegal because the vet would not have a valid relationship with you and your pet, and would not have examined your pet). Some sites offer products that members of the general public cannot legally obtain or possess in most areas, like rabies vaccine. Virtually all the sites offered a wide range of antibiotics. Few had information about the origin of the products or shipping issues to other countries.  Import regulations are very important because, for example, an individual cannot legally import vaccines into Canada.

Certain things raised some big red flags on some sites:

• No indication of where the pharmacy is geographically. (I'm sure this is because if they don't say they are from a particular country, then it is less likely that the regulatory authorities in that country will look at them.)
• No information about shipping issues.
• No clear statement about how they verify valid veterinary prescriptions.
• Offering a very wide range of drugs, including things like rabies vaccine and narcotics which are not legally obtainable by the public.
• No contact information.

An article from the FDA also has some good points to consider.

Online pharmacies are very much a "buyer beware" situation. The last thing you want is to buy important drugs like antibiotics online and not be certain that you are actually getting the real thing. Counterfeit drugs have been obtained from some of these websites.  If you're treating your pet with an ineffective "fake" antibiotic, your pet's infection will only get worse, and your pet may develop more severe complications.

If you are going to use an internet pharmacy, do some research first, and talk to your veterinarian (you'll need a prescription from him/her anyway).

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Most of the infectious disease topics that we've covered on Worms & Germs involve bacteria or viruses. Fungal diseases (other than ringworm) are often overlooked because they are less common, and because they tend to be more of a concern in certain areas only. However, when fungal infections occur they can cause serious problems.

Blastomyces dermatitidis is a dimorphic fungus (meaning it can exist in the form of a mold or a yeast) that lives in the soil in some areas. It is more common in wet, sandy, acid soils that have a high organic content.  Animals (and people) can become infected by exposure to the mold form of the fungus in the soil. If the fungal spores are inhaled, it can result in severe pneumonia. Blastomycosis (infection with Blastomyces) can be difficult to diagnose and very difficult (and expensive) to treat.  So while blastomycosis is rare in general, it is still an important disease, especially in areas where it is more common.

Recently, a study was published in the journal Medical Mycology (Chen et al, 2008, 46: 843-852), regarding blastomycosis in dogs in Tennessee. This was a case-control study that compared dogs with blastomycosis to dogs that did not have the disease. Here are some of the results:

• Male dogs were 2.7 times as likely to be affected as females.
• Working and sporting dogs were at higher risk (4.6 and 6.2 times as likely, respectively).
• Dogs 2-4 years of age were at highest risk.
• Close proximity to water was also a significant risk factor for infection.

In Ontario, blastomycosis seems to be most common around Georgian Bay. In the US, it is more common in central and northern states, with most cases reported in Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Arkansas.

Blastomycosis can also occur in people, but blastomycosis cannot be transmitted from dogs to humans (or between any animal species). Only the mold form of the fungus that lives in the soil is infectious.

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The weather outside is frightful (at least up hear in Canada!) - it’s getting colder, the weatherman now warns us about “flurries” instead of “showers”, there’s frost on the cars in the morning, and we’ve all had to start putting on those extra bulky layers before leaving the house in the morning. There's lots of grumbling about the oncoming winter weather. Let’s take a look at the silver lining though – people who live at more northern latitudes often don’t appreciate what a few months of cold weather does for us!

Insects in particular, including mosquitoes, ticks and others that transmit various diseases, are almost entirely inactive outdoors when it’s cold outside. Many insect species can’t even survive Canadian winter weather, which is why they are only concerns in more southern climates. For example, the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which can transmit many diseases including canine babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF, which can also be transmitted to people), doesn't exist in Canada except on dogs that have travelled to the south.  The cold weather also helps keep heartworm in check through mosquito control - the prevalence if heartworm in North America decreases dramatically the farther north you go.  Bacterial pathogens are often good at surviving in the cold, but many are killed by freezing, and even if they can survive, it is almost impossible for bacteria to grow and multiply in the cold. Winter provides a reasonable knock-down effect for a lot of pathogens and parasites that often thrive in the outdoor environment during the summer months.

Of course, microbes and insects can still survive in the same environments where we do over most of the winter – indoors, where it’s nice and warm. So it’s still important to do things like wash your hands after handling your pet and before you handle food. And, as always, come spring we’ll have to be prepared for the return of all those worms and germs as we venture back to our favourite warm-weather outdoor activities.

In the meantime, grumble though we may, try not to give old man winter too hard a time – a few months of freezing temperatures isn’t all bad afterall.

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It's that time of year again - we're coming up on flu season, and the ads on the radio and the television are out, encouraging everyone to get their "flu shot," (aka influenza vaccination).  Influenza isn't just a problem in people - it is a very versatile group of viruses that can infect many different species of animals. 

Equine and swine influenza viruses cause serious problems in horses and pigs, respectively.  Last year there was a massive outbreak of equine influenza in Australia.  Because Australia was previous free of equine influenza, most of the horses there had never been vaccinated against the virus.  Therefore the entire population was very susceptible to the disease and it spread very quickly.  The outbreak has since been brought under control.  A previous Worms & Germs post talked about an outbreak of canine influenza in dogs in Chicago IL this past summer.

Equine and canine influenza (and usually swine influenza) cannot be transmitted to people.  However, there are some strains of influenza that can cross species.  The most well-recognized one is certainly avian influenza (bird flu), which caused outbreaks in a number of Asian countries in 2004.  Although people are much less susceptible to avian influenza than birds, the H5N1strain has caused significant illness and fatalities in people.

A lesser known fact about influenza is that pet ferrets are very susceptible to the virus, including human strains.  This is part of the reason ferrets are often used as animal models of the disease in research studies.  Signs of the flu in ferrets are similar to what you'd expect to see in people - fever, sneezing, runny nose and lethargy.  A pet ferret can both transmit to and catch the flu from a person.  Unfortunately for the ferrets, there is no available vaccine for the flu in these animals.

Lucky for us, people can be vaccinated against influenza.  Most people are still far more likely to get the flu from another person than from any kind of animal.  Getting your flu shot is the best way to help prevent yourself from getting the flu, and spreading it to others.  However, it's important to remember that no vaccine is 100% protective, so it's still important to take a few common-sense precautions, like washing your hands frequently, and sneezing/coughing into the crook of your arm, not into your hands.  (And watch out for sick ferrets!)

There is lots of information about influenza and flu vaccine available on the web, including some of the links in this post, and also on the CDC Influenza (Flu) website.

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Raccoon latrines are a major source of eggs of the raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis.  Accidental ingestion of large numbers of eggs from these latrines can lead to a disease known as visceral larval migrans.  The most severe forms of this condition are known as ocular or neural larval migrans, which are damage to the eyes or brain/spinal cord (respectively) due to the roundworm larvae migrating through the body tissues.  The disease is very rare, but the consequences are very severe.  Previous Worms & Germs posts have discussed Baylisascaris and larval migrans in more detail.

Raccoons tend to form latrines - areas where they will return to deposit stool repeatedly.  In some ways this is handy, because it means you generally don't find raccoon stool all over the place.  On the other hand, the latrines themselves contain large amounts of stool, and along with that are large numbers of Baylisascaris eggs, not to mention bacteria and sometimes fungi.  So it is important to recognized latrines, particularly when they occur near your house, garden, or anywhere children may play.  Raccoons like to used flat, raised areas for latrines, such as roofs, decks, woodpiles, fallen logs or even large rocks, just to name a few.

Cleaning up raccoon latrines warrants some special precautions in order to avoid swallowing the roundworm eggs and to avoid spreading them around.  Recommendations include:

• Wear rubber gloves, and always wash your hands thoroughly when you are done.
• Wear disposable overboots, or rubber boots that can be scrubbed and disinfected.
• Wear an N-95 rated particle mask if you are cleaning up a latrine in an enclosed space, such as an attic or crawl space.
• Thoroughly wash your clothes with soap and hot water when you are done, and dry them completely.

Follow this link for detailed information on how to clean up a raccoon latrine.  A few of the more important points about dealing with these latrines include the following:

• Avoid stirring up dust.  Misting the area with water first can help with this.
• Double-bag and carefully dispose of any garbage/debris you remove from the area.
• Most chemicals will not kill roundworm eggs.  Removing the eggs is usually the best option, but extreme heat will also kill eggs instantly.  Flaming contaminated areas can be effective, but contact your local fire department about local regulations and safety precautions before attempting to flame a latrine site.

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