He adds that the study authors next plan to explore the link between aromatic amine exposure and bladder, thyroid, and testicular cancer in pets.
Among the findings were that cats had at least triple the concentrations of aromatic amines in their urine as dogs, although the study authors say both greater exposure and differences in metabolism between the two species likely play a role in the concentrations of the chemicals found. Notably, cats do not break down many compounds as efficiently as dogs.
He adds that the results suggest that, aside from such direct exposures, pets are likely indirectly exposed. For example, past research has shown that a common flea control medication called amitraz can be broken down into an aromatic amine called 2,6-dimethylaniline by microbes living in animals digestive systems. This was the most common aromatic amine detected in the new study, accounting for almost 70 percent of those found in dogs and nearly 80 percent of those found in cats.
The study authors previous investigations have measured other hormone-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates, melamine, and bisphenols in pet urine. However, the new study, published online March 30 in the journal Environment International, is the first designed to explore pet exposure to aromatic amines in the household, according to Chinthakindi.
Called aromatic amines, the chemicals — found in tobacco smoke and in dyes used in cosmetics, textiles, and plastics — are known to cause cancer. Notably, the study revealed that tobacco smoke was not a major source of pet exposure, suggesting that the latter products were likely the main culprits.
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Ringworm From Pet Puppies and Kittens
Young animals are more likely than older dogs and cats to transmit this disease to people. Ringworm is caused by a fungus and gives people a scaly, reddened circular rash on the skin or a bald patch on the scalp. Some adult pets, usually cats, often don’t even show any ringworm symptoms. But you can pick up ringworm easily by touching an infected pet or even a pet’s blanket or towel. It’s also present in garden soil where cats and dogs may have done their business. If you get ringworm, you can use a topical antifungal ointment — one that contains miconazole, for example. In certain more serious cases, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal drug.
Prevention Tip: “The best thing you can do to prevent a ringworm infection is to wash your hands as soon as you pet your animal,” says Greg Nelson, DVM, diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and a staff member of Central Veterinary Associates in Valley Stream, New York. Also, he advises, wear gloves when you garden.
Most puppies and kittens are born with roundworms, Dr. Nelson says, which is why they should routinely be tested and treated. The eggs can survive for up to a month in a moist environment like sand or soil where a pet did his business. If you handle infected sand and then eat without washing your hands, you can swallow the eggs. In rare cases, someone infected with roundworm eggs can experience eye, heart, lung, and even neurological symptoms, Nelson says. Visceral toxocariasis, the illness that can result from roundworms, can be treated with antiparasitic drugs like albendazole or mebendazole.
Hookworms in a pet, usually dogs and cats, can be caused by several parasites. A person can get infected if the hookworm larvae from contaminated soil penetrate the skin.“This is the logic behind not permitting dogs on the beach,” Nelson says. The infection usually resolves on its own, or you may be given an antiparasitic treatment.
Tapeworms can transmit from fleas when a pet self-grooms and swallows an infected flea. A pet can then infect a person, though the risk is low. “If your skin comes in contact with the tush end of your dog, they are transmitted to you,” Nelson says about tapeworms. “You may have gastrointestinal symptoms and weight loss.” You’ll likely be put on oral medication.
Prevention Tips: You can prevent hookworm infections by not walking barefoot or sitting on contaminated soil or sand.The best way to avoid tapeworms is to control fleas in your home. Make sure that your cat or dog is on a flea and tick preventive medication. And be sure to have a new pet examined by a vet and treated for worms, if necessary. Clean up after your pet, placing all waste into a plastic bag and disposing of it in the trash can.
Apartment dwellers who aren’t allowed to have dogs and cats often decide to get a lizard, snake, or other reptile instead. As a result, the disease known as salmonellosis, caused by the bacteria salmonella, is becoming more common, Nelson says. Besides snakes and lizards, turtles and iguanas also harbor this bacteria. It doesn’t cause symptoms in the animal but can make humans very sick with diarrhea, fever, and cramps lasting about a week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against keeping a turtle at home if you have young children or elderly people in the household, because of the risk of salmonellosis.
Prevention Tips: Ask your vet to test your reptile once a year to make sure it doesn’t have salmonella. Wash your hands thoroughly every time you handle your pet or put something in their cage. Don’t clean out the reptile cage in the kitchen sink, where salmonella could come in contact with food and dishes, says Julio Lopez, DVM, of Studio City Animal Hospital in Los Angeles. And make sure the vegetables you buy to feed them are triple-washed. “If you feed your reptile broccoli, kale, or any other vegetable that is not thoroughly washed, it could have salmonella,” Nelson says. Also, if you take a child to a petting zoo, be sure she thoroughly washes her hands at the end of the visit.
Pet Urine Toxic
Dogs and cats may be exposed in their homes to a potentially toxic group of chemicals, with their discovery in the pets stool being a sign of health issues for humans living with them, a new study shows.
Called aromatic amines, the chemicals — found in tobacco smoke and in dyes used in cosmetics, textiles, and plastics — are known to cause cancer. Notably, the study revealed that tobacco smoke was not a major source of pet exposure, suggesting that the latter products were likely the main culprits.
Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the study identified eight types of aromatic amines in stool samples collected from dozens of dogs and cats. It also found traces of the chemicals in more than 38% of urine samples taken from a separate group of pets.
“Our findings suggest that pets are coming into contact with aromatic amines that leach from products in their household environment,” says study lead author Sridhar Chinthakindi, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Langone Health. “As these substances have been tied to bladder, colorectal, and other forms of cancer, our results may help explain why so many dogs and cats develop such diseases.”
He adds that the results suggest that, aside from such direct exposures, pets are likely indirectly exposed. For example, past research has shown that a common flea control medication called amitraz can be broken down into an aromatic amine called 2,6-dimethylaniline by microbes living in animals digestive systems. This was the most common aromatic amine detected in the new study, accounting for almost 70 percent of those found in dogs and nearly 80 percent of those found in cats.
The study authors previous investigations have measured other hormone-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates, melamine, and bisphenols in pet urine. However, the new study, published online March 30 in the journal Environment International, is the first designed to explore pet exposure to aromatic amines in the household, according to Chinthakindi.
For the investigation, the research team collected urine samples from 42 dogs and 21 cats living in private households, veterinary hospitals, and animal shelters in Albany, NY. They also collected fecal samples from another 77 pets living in the same region. They recorded all of the animals ages, breeds, and sexes. Then, the research team analyzed the samples for evidence of 30 different kinds of aromatic amines and nicotine.
Among the findings were that cats had at least triple the concentrations of aromatic amines in their urine as dogs, although the study authors say both greater exposure and differences in metabolism between the two species likely play a role in the concentrations of the chemicals found. Notably, cats do not break down many compounds as efficiently as dogs.
The investigation also showed little difference in aromatic amine exposure between animals that lived at home compared with those that lived in a shelter or those that were staying at a veterinary hospital. According to Chinthakindi, this highlights how commonly these substances appear and how difficult they are to avoid.
“Since pets are smaller and more sensitive to toxins, they serve as excellent canaries in the coal mine for assessing chemical risks to human health,” says study senior author Kurunthachalam Kannan, PhD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone. “If they are getting exposed to toxins in our homes, then we had better take a closer look at our own exposure.”
Kannan, also a professor in NYU Langones Center for Investigation of Environmental Hazards, cautions that it remains unclear what aromatic amine levels can be safely tolerated by pets, and so far, no limit has been set by regulatory organizations for their protection.
He adds that the study authors next plan to explore the link between aromatic amine exposure and bladder, thyroid, and testicular cancer in pets.