Expert Discusses Hydatid Disease In Humans, Dogs

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1942, Page 7

Expert Discusses Hydatid Disease In Humans, Dogs

Belief expressed at the monthly meeting of the Whangarei County Council that hydatid tablets issued with dog licenses had been responsible for the deaths of dogs instead of ridding them of infection'led a representative of the “Northern Advocate” to interview Mr. T. H. Hankin, Government veterinarian at Whangarei, on the subject of hydatids and the effect of the disease and the remedy on dogs. “It is unfortunate that county coun-

cillors should raise the question of the advisability of regularly dosing country dogs as they are the animals that are mainly responsible for the spread of hydatid disease in human beings and livestock,” Mr Hankin said- “'From the pastoralists’ point of view, if hydatids could be eliminated from sheep it was estimated that the value of lambs and sheep slaughtered would be enhanced at least sixpence per head, providing it could be guaranteed that their livers were sound.

How Disease Is Spread “Hydatid disease in human beings is due to swallowing the eggs of a certain tapeworm which lives in the intestines of dogs,” Mr Hankin stated. “The dog becomes infected through eating hydatid cysts that occur particularly in the lungs and livers of sheep, but if human beings swallowed any of these cysts they would not be affected, with hydatids or tapeworms'. Thus it is seen that the dog, as it were, occupies a key position regarding the hydatid project. If the tapeworms can be eliminated from the dog or the dog prevented from eating hydatid cysts in sheep the menace of hydatid disease in human beings will disappear. “With that idea in view arecolin is issued with dog licenses and by law it is illegal to feed raw offal from sheep to dogs, but if the offal is boiled all aanger of infection is removed." Content Of Tablets Mr Hankin explained the content of the tablets issued with dog licenses in an effort to eliminate hydatid disease. The peculiar position was that dog lovers were concerned about worms in their animals and would go to no end of trouble in dosing them to expel the parasites, he said. One of the favourite drugs for this purpose was areca nut which, taken in its crude j form, was uncertain in quality. Research ultimately had succeeded in extracting the active principals of areca nut in the form of arecolin, the principal part of the tablet issued with dog licenses. By dosing their dogs with this preparation owners could know that the effective part of areca mb had been retained. Arecolin was a poison although not a deadly one and, in addition to having a lethal effect on tapeworms, had a purgative action on dogs, giving rise to contractions of the intestines. Before dosing a dog with arecolin it was advisable to give the animal soft food so that the intestines would have suitable matter on which to contract. Mr Hankin continued. Individual Peculiarities Like all animals, individual dogs had individual or inherent peculiarities and rarely one of them might suffer untoyvard consequences when dosed with arecolin. The importance of hydatid control, however, and the dire results caused in the human subject when infected with the disease should always be borne in mind and it was therefore very necessary that dogs, sheep-dogs in particular, should be dosed regularly according to instructions given.

Regarding pet dogs kept by townspeople. Mr Hankin said that the dosing of such animals was rather for the benefit on the animals to get rid cl" the worms as the nature of the food given was hardly likely to lead to the spread of hydatids. Nevertheless the owner should remember that it was possible for pet dogs to become infested with the particular tapeworm responsible for the spread of hydatids in human beings and in handling the animals were the risk of humans contracting the disease.

Points To Remember

“It is to be impressed on the public that the object of issuing arecolin with dog licenses is primarily to eliminate the means of infection to human beings and therefore dog owners who refuse to use the medicine provided are selfish, foolish and perhaps criminal in not doing their utmost to deal

with a disease that may infect innocent beings, especially children, through their thoughtless neglect,” Mr Hankin continued, giving the following lour points to be remembered: — 1. The drug is efficient. 2. It is very potent and should be given according to directions. 3. Animals should be given soft food for 12 hours before dosing. 4. Evacuations should be gathered up and burnt.

Reverting to the question of dogs dying, allegedly through dosing with arecolin, Mr Hankin said that as he had mentioned previously occasionally individual dogs might exhibit somewhat alarming symptoms hut no deaths of dogs due to the use of arecolin had come under his notice. If any dog owner should suspect that death of a dog was directly due to the use o\ arecolin he would be pleased lo investigate the case fully.