Clean Up After Your Dog.

We all know that the poop fairy doesn't actually
exist. So why do some dog owners feel it's
acceptable to leave their dogs poo for someone
else to either clean up or tread in? It takes a
second to do and is your responsibility if you
want to own a dog. A British toddler called
Aimee made news across the country as she fell
in dog mess and lost partial sight in her eye
from suffering from toxocariasis. Keep Britain
tidy then started to advertise the image of a
fairy carrying a poop bag on billboards, phone
boxes and bus stops across the country.

So What is Toxocariasis?

Toxocariasis (or visceral larva migrans) is a
condition when the common parasites of dogs and
cats infect the human system. It is the larvae
of parasitic worms, that live in the intestines
of dogs and cats. A lot of the time it can go
undiagnosed and doesn't cause problems, but if
it does the eyes may become affected. The
warning signs are, skin becoming swollen around
the eyes, vision decreasing or a cross-eyed
appearance. If toxocariasis is left it can go on
to cause vision problems and retinal damage.
Sometimes the symptoms don't show, but if they
do, they can appear as a fever, loss of
appetite, abdominal pain, swollen glands ,
coughing or wheezing, enlarged spleen or liver
and a rash that can look similar to hives.
Children especially at risk are those who are
under ten, don't wash their hands, like to put
things in their mouths, or those whose families
have pets. After entering the body, the eggs
hatch into larvae that penetrate through walls
of the digestive tract and may move to a child's
liver, lungs, eyes, and elsewhere. Experts in the
United States estimate that about 20% of dogs
pass Toxocara eggs into their stool. In Great
Britain, 24% of soil samples taken from public
parks contained the eggs. Toxocariasis isn't
contagious and so can't be passed from person to
person.

How to Stop Children From Being Exposed to
Toxocariasis:

The best way to prevent children from catching
toxocariasis is to have your pet regularly de
wormed at the vets, especially puppies up to six
months old. Get kids used to washing their hands
when they've been playing with animals and their
individual pets. Also make sure children
understand that a dog or cats play area is not
for them and vice versa with kids sand boxes.
Ensure that you frequently wash your toddlers
hands and discourage them from putting their
hands in their mouths. Another tip is to carry
wipes and anti bacterial gel with you if you're
at the park with your pet.

The eggs of the toxocara worm take up to two
weeks to hatch and become active, so there are
no health risks to you from immediately clearing
up after your dog as long as you use sensible
hygiene precautions.

So, in short, if you own a dog, be aware of how
dangerous it can be for a child to fall into the
dog mess you can't be bothered to pick up!

----------------------------------------------------
Alex KellyAs a pet and website owner, my articles
are based on issues I feel are important for
fellow animal lovers.Pet Promenade has
everything you will need for the furry member of
the family. From pet food, dog leads, grooming
equipment and bird cages.With over 5000 pet
products, at competetive prices, it's worth
paying us a visit at
http://www.petpromenade.co.uk/

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=201784

>