Could Deworming Pets Fuel Resistance?
As a veterinarian working in companion animal medicine, Dr. Chiara Switzer knows that her profession widely recommends treating dogs and cats routinely with drugs to prevent infestations of heartworm and intestinal parasites.
The approach is meant not only to keep the pets healthy but to minimize the risk of animals transmitting parasites to their human families — a compelling consideration, Switzer says. At the same time, she worries that this highly touted regimen might do harm in the long run.