Pulse - December 2024 - 18

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
A Cockroach's Revenge
Christopher A. Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
" Do you need any heartworm preventive today? "
" Nah. My pet doesn't need it. "
" Heartworm is a deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes. "
" We don't have mosquitoes. "
" Mosquitoes are all over California. "
" My pet is indoors, and, besides, we live in a gated community. "
Does this conversation sound familiar? I've rarely sold any preventive
based on preventing heartworm disease. In fact, pursuing these discussions
has often led to diminished rapport with clients.
Some in the medical community evaluate the lower heartworm
prevalence in Southern California as not worth preventing. This can be
understandable when high-incidence states like Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
and Georgia have elevated canine cases, as seen in 2023 with
44095, 10871, 8183, and 9161, respectively. CAPC data shows the last
decade (2013-2023) averaged only 3213 dog cases per year in California.
Is the fight worth it?
There are at least 3213 reasons per year. But what if most of these are
traveling dogs? Even if all these cases were infected outside California,
we, as veterinary professionals, have a duty to protect them. Since the
test was performed locally, we could assume many of these pet owners
place their pet's wellbeing in the hands of their Californian vet. This
trust underscores the importance of our role in preventing heartworm.
These numbers also do not include the many dogs who were not
tested. And cats, did we mention cats? While the CAPC numbers are
much lower, we know that feline diagnosis is challenging, and many are
not tested. Most heartworm-competent mosquito species will feed readily
on both cats and dogs.
While most third-stage larvae in a cat fail to reach adulthood, they
still generate disease. Thus, we could extrapolate thousands of more reasons
to recommend heartworm prevention.
Where do cockroaches enter? They are one of my secret, now, not so
secret, weapons in the war against parasites.
Enter the exam room non sequitur.
" Does your cat ever eat bugs? "
" Oh, sure. He's a bug-eating machine. "
" I ask this because the records indicate your pet isn't on heartworm
prevention. I love that these preventives cover many intestinal parasites
- many of which are contagious to people. Many bugs, beetles, and cockroaches
can transmit zoonotic parasites to your pet. To protect you and
all your family, furry or not, from parasites, I recommend we start your
pet on prevention. What do you think? "
Based on my experience, I have found that this approach has led to far
greater success. While not all pet parents admit that their cat eats bugs
and while all cats do not eat them, this sobering scenario helps open the
discussion for heartworm prevention.
Where's the complete list of potential suspects? Despite all the scientific
knowledge we've obtained, many parasite life cycles remain
enshrouded in mystery. Making things worse, cockroaches serve as both
intermediate and paratenic hosts.
18
The intermediate list
typically includes members
of spirurid nematodes, acanthocephalans,
and arthropod
pentastomes. Many of these
may seem unfamiliar as the
group members typically
parasitize birds,
reptiles,
rodents, and primates. A few
like Physaloptera praeputialis,
Physaloptera rara, and Moniliformis
moniliformis infect
dogs and cats.
A study looking at zoonotic enteric parasites identified cockroaches as
potential vectors for Bayliscascaris procyonis, Dipylidium caninum, Toxoplasma
gondii, Mesocestoides lineatus, Toxocascaris leonine, Toxocara canis,
and Toxocara cati. The full list includes more than a dozen US potential
zoonotic risks through cockroaches and can be read in the Patel study.
This cockroach theory seems to work better at convincing the parents
of felines than canines. A meta-analysis of more than forty thousand soil
samples across forty countries supports the idea that 21% of soil from
public locations may contain Toxocara eggs, a zoonotic disease.
" Where does your dog like to go for fun? " This opens the door for
discussing this study on soil. Further discussion on visceral and ocular
toxocariasis helps detail the importance of parasite prevention.
Often, the description on how close parasites, leptospirosis, and
rabies live in our modern California world, leaves friends and pet owners
asking me how to avoid these risks.
The response: " I want your pet to be at risk for parasites and leptospirosis.
This means your pet is leading a full, happy dog life. If a dog is not
at any risk of these pathogens, your pet is not hiking, going to daycare
or boarding, not visiting the beach, and your backyard is so sterile that
squirrels don't even want to walk upon it. Even for indoor cats, Nature's
Grubhub provides parasites a plenty through bugs. Our world is full of
parasites and pathogens. Reasonable precautions, vaccines, and prophylactics
allow us to live here with low risk of disease. "
Cockroaches are gross; now, knowing what lies in the soil, dirt is
also gross. Yet, this is life. Articulating this in an exam room could help
reduce the number of pets that contract parasites. P
References:
Bowman, Dwight D.. Georgis' Parasitology for Veterinarians E-Book (p. 250, 870).
Elsevier Health Sciences. Kindle Edition.
Fakhri, R.B. Gasser, A. Rostami, C.K. Fan, S.M. Ghasemi, M. Javanian, M. Bayani,
B. Armoon, B. Moradi, Toxocara eggs in public places worldwide - A systematic
review and meta-analysis, Environmental Pollution, Volume 242, Part B, 2018,
Pages 1467-1475,ISSN 0269-7491, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.07.087.
Patel A, Jenkins M, Rhoden K, Barnes AN. A Systematic Review of Zoonotic Enteric
Parasites Carried by Flies, Cockroaches, and Dung Beetles. Pathogens. 2022 Jan
13;11(1):90. doi: 10.3390/pathogens11010090. PMID: 35056038; PMCID: PMC8778527.
DECEMBER 2024
PULSE
https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.07.087

Pulse - December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pulse - December 2024

Chapter Meetings & Calendar
President’s Perspective
Pulsepoints
SCVMA Profile
Practical Pathology
FEATURE STORY
UC Davis Update
Updates
Tools for Success
Industry Insights
AVMA Diplomates
Resources
Disease Table
From the SCVMA Office
Pulse - December 2024 - Cover1
Pulse - December 2024 - Cover2
Pulse - December 2024 - Chapter Meetings & Calendar
Pulse - December 2024 - 2
Pulse - December 2024 - President’s Perspective
Pulse - December 2024 - Pulsepoints
Pulse - December 2024 - 5
Pulse - December 2024 - 6
Pulse - December 2024 - 7
Pulse - December 2024 - SCVMA Profile
Pulse - December 2024 - Practical Pathology
Pulse - December 2024 - FEATURE STORY
Pulse - December 2024 - 11
Pulse - December 2024 - 12
Pulse - December 2024 - 13
Pulse - December 2024 - 14
Pulse - December 2024 - UC Davis Update
Pulse - December 2024 - Updates
Pulse - December 2024 - Tools for Success
Pulse - December 2024 - Industry Insights
Pulse - December 2024 - AVMA Diplomates
Pulse - December 2024 - Resources
Pulse - December 2024 - Disease Table
Pulse - December 2024 - 22
Pulse - December 2024 - 23
Pulse - December 2024 - 24
Pulse - December 2024 - 25
Pulse - December 2024 - 26
Pulse - December 2024 - 27
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Pulse - December 2024 - 39
Pulse - December 2024 - From the SCVMA Office
Pulse - December 2024 - Cover3
Pulse - December 2024 - Cover4
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