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Chapter 1 Index
A. General Information
about the well child examination B. Nutrition Issues
C. Sleep Issues
D. Dental Issues
E. Anticipatory Guidance
--Discipline: Normal
Toddlers
--Discipline: To Spank
or Not to Spank
--Toilet Training: or Once Upon a Potty
--Reach Out and Read
--Anticipatory Guidance: Other Items to Ask
Birth – 6 years of age
--Smoking: Adverse
Effects on Children
--What’s New in Car Seats in 2002
--Water Safety: Prevention and Treatment of
Drowning
--Common Accidents
--The Problems Associated with Walkers
--Toys: Choosing Safe Toys - Playing is Learning |
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Cats and Dogs: Medical Issues
Introduction: There are millions of cats and dogs in this
country; their positives greatly outweigh their negatives. Involvement with
pets greatly improves organic and psychiatric illnesses. However, we do need
to be aware of some of their problems:
I. Diseases Transmitted by Cats:
| Name of Problem |
How Transmitted |
Treatment |
|
Toxoplasmosis |
Ingestion of eggs shed in feces |
Pyrimethamine and Sulfadiazine;
folinic acid |
|
Yersinia pestis |
Flea bites, direct contact |
Aminoglycosides, tetra. |
|
Cat Scratch disease |
Bartonella henselae |
Rifampin, Septra, Cipro |
II. Disease Transmitted by Dogs
| Name of Illness |
How Transmitted |
Treatment |
|
Rabies |
Saliva after bite; can be on claws |
HRIG 1/2 wound; 1/2 IM Vaccine
days 1,3,7,14,28 IM |
|
RMSF |
Tick bites |
Tetracycline, Chloramphenicol |
|
Leptospirosis |
Contact with dog urine |
Penicillin - high dose x 7 days |
|
Echinococcosis |
Ingestion of eggs shed in feces |
Debated |
III. Diseases Transmitted by Both Cats and Dogs:
| Name of Illness |
How Transmitted |
Treatment |
|
Ringworm |
Direct Contact |
Griseofulvin, topical |
|
Visceral Larva Migrants |
fecal-oral route |
Thiabendazole |
|
Campylobacter Jejuni |
direct contact or contaminated food |
Erythromycin |
|
Salmonellosis |
Direct Contact/Contaminated food |
None/antibiotics |
|
Pasteurella Multocida |
Bites, scratches |
Augmenting |
|
Cryptosporidium |
person-person; water |
no definitive treatment |
|
Allergies |
Airborne |
remove animal, spray rugs with tannic acid |
Dog Bites: Fatal dog bites account for 18 deaths a year in
the US (Pediatrics 96;97:891-895) About half occur to children less than
four years of age.
Breeds responsible for deaths: Pit Bull (accounts for up to 67% of the
deaths), Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Husky, Malamute, Wolf and Wolf
crossbreeds, and a few each for Doberman, Chow, Great Dane, St Bernard and
Akita. Safest are the retrievers, English Sheepdog.
Recommendations: Make sure parents are aware of good breeds
around children. Also:
- have dog sterilized to reduce aggression; don’t play aggressive games
with the dog
- never leave infants or young children alone with the dog
- teach new dogs proper training and socialization when entering a
household
- never run from a dog and scream or give direct eye contact to a dog:
this is aggressive.
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