While it's hard to think your four-legged friends could bring anything but joy to your life, a vet has warned about a surprisingly grim fact that many pet owners might not know about.
It may seem tempting to quickly flush their poo down the loo - maybe you've run out of poo bags to dispose of them the right way, IDK - but this animal expert reckons that's one of the worst things you can do.
Ben, known as @ben.the.vet on TikTok, has amassed a huge following on the app as he provides pet owners with useful tips and tricks.
One of his biggest videos, released last year, is all about why not to flush animal faeces down the bog.
Advert
Sharing a letter from the local water company, Anglian Water, he revealed that the poo tends to contain harmful bacteria, and that these nasty bugs were even able to survive the high temperature of water processing plants.
Known as toxocara, this worm parasite is particularly worrying as it is zoonotic – meaning it can be transmitted to humans.
Those who are especially vulnerable include people with health issues, such as weakened immune systems, pregnant women and little children.
If you weren’t grossed out enough, the vet revealed the reason why this happens.
.webp)
“We don’t develop the adult worms in our intestines - but what happens is that we accidentally swallow the eggs (in poo particles) which hatch into larvae and these move around inside our bodies,” he told viewers.
According to the pet expert, people who have been exposed to toxocara can also have an infection known as visceral larva migrans – caused by the larva moving around the internal organs.
“Another form is ocular lava migrans where the larvae move to the eye and cause damage to the retina, potentially leading to sight loss,” Ben warned.
“There’s also evidence that exposure to toxocara in childhood can reduce cognitive development and IQ.”
Sounds... nasty.
But before you start putting your beloved pet up for adoption, just remember that this is incredibly rare and can mostly be avoided with good pet care.
“But worming your dog or cat regularly will reduce the chance of them shedding these eggs," Ben advised, stressing: "Don’t flush your dog or cat’s poo down the toilet."
Jess Hardiman