We all adore our furry companions, and they are great for our mental and emotional well-being, but scooping poop may not be the most glamorous part of owning a dog. Disposing of those “little surprises” they leave behind can be a messy and unpleasant task. Some leave that waste in parks, streets, or yards, expecting that it will get decomposed. Other methods that pet owners use are composting, burying, or flushing it instead of putting it in the bin. But those are all no-nos, as per a veterinarian reported Lad Bible.
Both cat and dog poop contain pathogens, and flushing those little surprises could actually do more harm than good. Explaining the same, a veterinary surgeon named Ben recorded a video and shared it on TikTok, revealing exactly why pet owners should not dispose of their pets’ waste down the loo, and the reason will leave you scratching your heads.
According to the media outlet Lad Bible, a UK-based medical expert begins explaining, “This is the FAQ section of the Anglican Water website. Can we flush dog or cat poo down the toilet?”
Giving an answer to all the queries with a scientific reason that might gross you, Ben stated, “They say no, you cannot flush any type of animal faeces down the toilet. This is because of the presence of toxocara, a worm parasite, in animal faeces. Toxocara is tolerant of harsh conditions and high temperatures found in the final stage of processing used water.”
Elaborating further, Ben said that the reason toxocara is a worry is because we can pick its zoonotic up, and children are particularly susceptible. He then went on to say that unfortunately, human beings are described as an ‘immediate host’ for the parasite, which can be transmitted through contact with animal faeces.
The UK-based medical expert then explained that we shouldn’t worry as we can’t develop adult worms in our intestines. Instead, we accidentally swallow the eggs through the poo particles, which hatch into larvae, and these move around human bodies.
Ben continued by saying that research has shown links between the parasite causing reduced IQ and cognitive development in children.
However, we can all breathe a (slight) sigh of relief, as the vet informed us that this is ‘thankfully rare’ in the UK. He also revealed that worming one’s pet is the best way to prevent this from happening.
The clip has amassed more than 4,00,000 views and pet owners took to the comment section to share their take. The share pulled mixed emotions from users after finding out about this shocking truth, reported Lad Bible.
A Tik Tok user commented, “Why is this not more advised? I have been doing it for a year or more. Since I am having one cat and then adding another and now a dog.”
Revealing their relief at finding this out, another viewer wrote, “I used to send ‘surprises’ in the house down the toilet, but no more!”
“My cat’s litter is flushable,” a user added expressing their shock.
“I had a vet tell me this once. I used to do it when my dog had accidents but after he told me about it, I stopped immediately,” shared a user.
Expressing his shock, an individual wrote, “I have had dogs and cats my entire life, I am actually traumatized about the number of people saying flushing their pet’s waste down the toilet is a regular routine.”
Another revealed, “My dad is blind in one eye due to Toxocara. Apparently from his mum gardening while pregnant with him and coming into contact with cat poo.”
Are you aware of this risk?
Comments
0 comment