Many shelters house large dogs away from smaller animals.
Shelter veterinarians and animal care workers deal with many problems on a daily basis that the average clinician does not see. Overcrowded conditions, ailing and neglected animals, a lack of funding and, often, untrained and poorly-paid personnel cause dangers that may be preventable. If you are one of those workers, or are thinking of volunteering at your local shelter, learning what hazards to look for and avoid can keep you safe and injury-free.
Injuries to Shelter Animals
Injuries to animals confined in shelters typically come from other animals. When animals are confined in close proximity to other animals they don't know, in circumstances that are new and frightening, they become stressed and anxious. Fights between fractious, stressed dogs and cats lead to bite wounds, scratches, skin tears and, in the worst instances, death. The Humane Society of the United States recommends that shelters avoid the problem by housing dogs away from cats and other small animals, keeping known aggressors out of the general population, and by kenneling newly arrived animals away from those socialized and ready for adoption. Nursing mothers and their litters should be housed in an area away from the others to alleviate strain on the mothers.
Diseases in Shelter Animals
Ill animals kept in close proximity to healthy animals can readily transfer a number of contagious diseases unless shelter workers spot the symptoms and isolate the diseased members of the shelter population. The UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program names a number of these ailments including canine influenza, canine distemper, parvovirus, kennel cough, feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, intestinal worms and sarcoptic mange as being commonly found in the shelter environment. While many of these illnesses can be cured with proper veterinary treatment, some, such as canine distemper and feline leukemia, generally lead to the early death or humane killing of shelter animals.
Injuries to Shelter Workers
Bite wounds make up 49 percent of all animal-related injuries reported for worker's compensation claims by animal care personnel and veterinarians, say veterinarians Dennis McCurnin and Joanna Bassert in "Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians." In the course of their work, shelter personnel encounter many situations where bites may occur, even from animals that are normally not aggressive. A fearful dog or cat in unfamiliar and uncomfortable surroundings often reacts defensively out of stress. Unintentionally inflicting pain in the course of examining the animal, restraining it, or administering medical care can provoke a bite. Because of the bacteria found in animal mouths, bite wounds become infected and many workers end up on antibiotics or hospitalized.
Zoonotic Diseases in Shelter Workers
Zoonotic diseases pass from animals to humans, and shelter workers, because of the largely unknown medical histories of shelter animals, can be particularly susceptible. A few of these diseases include coccidia, Giardia, sarcoptic mange, ringworm and rabies, all of which, except rabies, can be avoided by practicing routine hand washing. Many shelters recommend that their workers receive pre-exposure rabies and tetanus vaccines. Dr. Lila Miller, Sr. Director of the ASPCA, reports that most of the 200 known zoonotic diseases are not seen in a normal shelter environment, but she recommends that susceptible workers take specific precautions. Pregnant workers should not clean litter boxes because of the risk of contracting Toxoplasmosis, and any worker that gets bit or scratched should receive prompt medical attention. Disinfection of working surfaces, cages, floors and walls keeps contamination to a minimum.
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