Parasites jumping species

[walmich]

Is it possible for intestinal parasites to jump species of animals. My concern is that any tortoises that I may purchase could possibly infect my dogs. Lets say while I was cleaning an outdoor pen or enclosure my dogs got in with me. Could they pick up any of the worms or parasites from the tortoise droppings?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes

 

[Millerlite]

I don't think so, I know illnesses can't be passed from one to the other parasites I feel like some can some cant,

 

[tortadise]

Yes, it is called zoonotic diseases. Typically it has to be ingested for the other animal or host to become infected with said parasites. Hook, flat, round, whip, pin, worms, coccidias, salmonella, and I am sure their are more that fall under that classification of zoonotic diseases. Best thing to do is always practice great bio-security, and hygiene. Wash your hands before, and after handling the tortoise, hides, water bowls, substrate etc.. I use latex gloves most of the time. Also a good option, and highly recommended one too, is get your tortoise screened, Fecal, blood panels(CBC), PCR, x-ray, physical exam, so on.

 

[walmich]

Thank you all. That is good information. My bassethound although cute and cuddly is not all that bright. He is a poop eater. So extra care would be a must in clean up and containment. Thanks Wally

 

[Redstrike]

Parasites and pathogens are generally pretty host-specific. With parasites, thousands of years of coevolution has honed their abilities to go relatively unnoticed in a host (the sign of a good parasite). It's possible, but unlikely that tortoise parasites are going to be effective at parasitizing mammals. Like-wise a round-worm fish parasite is likely unable to utilize an avian host. It does happen though and this is usually pretty catastrophic on the novel host. Parasites like Malaria are a good exception to all this, it attacks birds and mammals.

It is much more likely that similar genera are invaded with new parasites. A Russian tortoise may contract a new parasite from a leopard tortoise and have difficulty dealing with the novel parasite. Ungulates of the northeast are a good example of this. White tailed deer carry brain worm. Snails are the primary host and they consume deer feces contaminated with brain worm eggs. The deer then eat the snails while browsing on grasses and the worms migrate from their guts into the brain cavity of the host. In Maine, we historically had moose and woodland caribou. Once we began logging old growth forests, deer shifted their distributions into Maine, bringing brain worm with them. Woodland caribou are now extirpated and moose are put down every year when they contract brain worm. The worm fails to remain between the novel hosts skull and brain and bores right through the brain tissues. Closely related animals can transmit parasites, but the hosts can't always survive the novel parasite as they did not coevolve with it.

As Kelly has astutely pointed out, pathogens (viral and bacterial) can mutate quickly and may be able to jump taxa (called "disease emergence"). Zoonosis can be difficult for pathogens, but it is very possible.

 

[walmich]

Would there be a difference if the tortoise were wild caught as compared to captive breed?