Risk Factors/ Prevention

Enteric Disease:

Enteric Bacteria

General/ Transmission:Salmonella and Campylobacter are two bacterial agents that can be transmitted to workers from dogs. Healthy animals, usually young of age, often carry and transmit salmonella. Animals with diarrhea are often carriers as well, and can transmit the bacterial agents to humans.

• Transmission to animal workers is by fecal to oral route.
• Disease in Humans: Diarrhea is the main clinical sign noted in humans.
• Prevention: The best method of preventing transmission is for the worker to wash hands frequently with soap and water. Employee must wash hands after handling dogs and before eating or drinking. Eating and drinking should be off limits in the animal facility. Wearing latex gloves and lab coats, uniforms or scrubs will also help cut down on transmission to worker. When in contact with diarrhea, wearing a surgical mask will help prevent oral exposure.

Enteric Protozoa

General/ Transmission:Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis are highly infectious protozoal parasites of dogs. Young animals with diarrhea are usually the source of transmission to employees.

• Transmission to workers is by fecal or contaminated water to oral route.
• Disease in Humans: Diarrhea is the main clinical sign noted in humans. Immune compromised individuals are especially at risk with Cryptosporidiosis infections.
• Prevention: The best method of preventing transmission is for the worker to wash hands frequently with soap and water. The employee must wash hands after handling dogs and before eating or drinking. Eating and drinking should be off limits in the animal facility. Wearing latex gloves and lab coats, uniforms or scrubs will also help cut down on transmission to worker. When in contact with diarrhea or when spray washing dog runs, wearing a surgical mask will help prevent oral exposure.

Rabies

General/ Transmission:Rabies is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal. A rabid animal may present with neurological signs, be aggressive or lethargic and depressed. A bite wound that draws blood needs to be immediately washed with soap and flushed. The employee needs to contact health services to inform of injury and pursue medical evaluation immediately. Any suspect animal that bites an employee must not be euthanized, but rather will be held for quarantine on campus.

• Disease in humans: Rabies is a very serious; often times fatal disease in human cases that go untreated. Any suspect animal that bites an employee must not be euthanized, but rather will be held for quarantine on campus. The employee needs to contact health services to inform of injury and pursue medical evaluation immediately.
• Prevention: Minimize contact with a biting animal and their saliva by not working alone, wearing latex gloves, and wearing lab coat or scrubs. Other ways to prevent a dog bite are to request sedation or use a muzzle for potentially stressful or painful procedures.

Parasites

General/ Transmission:Roundworms (ascarids) and hookworms are canine intestinal parasites known to produce serious visceral larval migrans in infected people. Young children are most at risk, but adults with poor hygiene are at risk too. Heavy parasite burdens in the dog leads to increased chance of transmission to the employees. Transmission occurs through skin contact and the fecal to oral route.

• Disease in Humans: The disease in humans presents as serious visceral larval migrans, with young children tending to be most at risk.
• Prevention: The risk can be minimized, by having a good veterinary care program, with a routine deworming/ fecal analysis schedule for the dogs. Good sanitation practices are important. The employee should thoroughly wash hands after handling dogs. Wearing latex gloves and lab coat or scrubs is also recommended. Proper cleaning practices will also help reduce chance for contamination if present.

Ringworm (Dermatophytosis)

General/ Transmission:Ringworm is a fungal infection of dogs that has the potential to be transmitted to humans. The transmission is through direct contact with the dog or hairs from the dog. Any dog with evidence of hair loss, crusty, and red skin must have a veterinary evaluation.

• Disease in Humans:Employees in contact with dogs with these clinical signs need to monitor for any dermatologic abnormities and contact health services if noted.
• Prevention:The best method of preventing transmission is for the worker to wash hands frequently with soap and water. The employee must wash hands after handling dogs and before eating or drinking. Eating and drinking should be off limits in the animal facility. Wearing latex gloves and lab coats, uniforms or scrubs will also help cut down on transmission to worker.

Allergies

General/ Prevention: Several factors help reduce the potential for allergy problems with dogs. Caretakers, when working with animals should not wear street clothes. Uniforms, scrubs or at least a lab coat should be worn. Clothes worn while working with dogs should not be taken home to launder. Surgical masks are somewhat effective against skin contact and some inhalation of allergens, but a respirator maybe a better option for some employees. Latex gloves should be worn to reduce skin contact.

Clinical Signs in Humans: Evidence of allergies (sneezing, itchy eyes, skin irritations, etc…) needs to be brought to the attention of the employee supervisor or occupational health and safety official.

Noise

General/ Prevention: Noise induced hearing loss can be a problem with barking dogs. The simplest approach to prevention of hearing loss in this environment is through the proper use of protective devices such as earplugs or mufflers.

Physical Injury

General/ Prevention: Bite wounds inflicted by dogs are a real risk and have the potential of leading to a serious bacterial infection. Non-socialized dogs tend to be the ones to be most wary of due to their lack of human interaction and being easily startled and frightened. Dogs most apt to bite are aggressive or fearful dogs. Any bite wound that draws blood needs to be immediately washed with soap and flushed. The employee needs to contact health services to inform of injury and pursue medical evaluation.

Ways to prevent this type of injury are for employees to not work alone with potential aggressive or fearful dogs. Other ways to prevent a dog bite are to request sedation or use a muzzle for potentially stressful or painful procedures. It is also important that new employees be properly trained as to the handling of these animals.