But animals and pets can spread infections to humans, especially kids. So if you're thinking about buying a pet, or already have one, it's important to know how to protect your family from infections. Like people, all animals carry germs. Illnesses common among housepets — such as distemper, canine parvovirus, and heartworms — can't spread to humans. But pets also carry certain bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can cause illness if transmitted to humans. Humans get these animal-borne diseases when they're bitten or scratched or have contact with an animal's waste, saliva, or dander.
These diseases can affect humans in many ways. They're of greatest concern to young children, infants, pregnant women, and people whose immune systems have been compromised by illness or disease.
Infants and kids younger than 5 years old are at risk because their immune systems are still developing, and some infections that might make an adult just mildly sick can be more serious for them.
But you don't have to give up your family's furry friends either. Pets can enrich your family life, and taking a few precautions can protect your kids from getting sick. Protecting your family from pet-related infections begins before bringing a pet home. For instance, reptiles and amphibians should not be allowed as pets in any household with infants and young children. Also consider the health and age of your kids before getting a pet. A pet that would require frequent handling is not recommended for any immunocompromised child such as a child who has HIV , has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, or uses prednisone frequently.
Kids with eczema should probably avoid aquariums. Reptiles including lizards, snakes, and turtles and amphibians including frogs, toads, and salamanders put kids at risk for:.
Handling and caring for rodents — including hamsters and gerbils — as well as fish can place kids at risk for:. If you're adopting or buying a pet, make sure the breeder, shelter, or store has a good reputation and vaccinates all of its animals.
A reputable breeder should belong to a national or local breeding club, such as the American Kennel Club. Contact the Humane Society of the United States or your veterinarian for information about animal shelters in your area. As soon as you choose a family pet, take it to a local veterinarian for vaccinations and a physical exam.
Don't forget to routinely vaccinate your pet on a schedule recommended by your vet — this will keep your pet healthy and reduce the risk that infections will spread to your kids. You'll also want to regularly feed your pet nutritious animal food ask your vet for suggestions and provide plenty of fresh water. Avoid feeding your pet raw meat because this can be a source of infection, and do not allow your pet to drink toilet water because infections can be spread through saliva, urine, and feces.
Limit young kids' contact with outdoor pets that hunt and kill for food because a pet that ingests infected meat may get an infection that can be passed to people. Watch kids carefully around pets. There are several parasitic diseases that can be transmitted from dogs to humans. Many of them are present in the feces of an infected dog.
They include:. Additionally, leptospirosis is a bacterial infection you can get from contact with the urine of an infected dog. Some illnesses can be passed through direct contact with an infected dog or contact with a contaminated surface. Although unlikely, doing things like sleeping in the same bed with your dog could increase your risk for these infections:.
There are several strategies you can use to avoid passing illnesses back and forth with your pet:. There are some illnesses you can potentially pass to your dog, causing them to become ill. These include things like salmonellosis, MRSA, and ringworm.
These are often spread through close contact, or contaminated feces or urine. There are things you can do to help prevent spreading illnesses between yourself and your dog. If your veterinarian has diagnosed your dog with one of the illnesses listed above and you feel you may have been exposed, reach out to your own doctor to determine if you need to schedule an examination.
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Fortunately, only very small numbers of pet owners pick up diseases from their pets each year, usually from bites, scratches or contact with their faeces. However, while this is unlikely these can be serious illnesses. Pets play a central role in many of our lives and deserve the very best in care and attention. Remember all pets, not just dogs and cats, can carry diseases without having any symptoms themselves.
This bacterial infection of the gut is easily transferred from the faeces of infected dogs and cats to their human owners. One of the leading causes of bacterial gastroenteritis , it causes stomach pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, as well as fever in people. Often no special treatment is needed other than plenty of fluids and rest. But in severe cases antibiotics may need to be prescribed. These bacteria are also found in raw meat, undercooked poultry, untreated water and unpasteurised milk.
It can be extremely infectious, particularly where there is an infected family member or group of children, so caution is advised. The infection can range from mild to severe and symptoms include fever, diarrhoea which may be bloody , nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Just follow the NHS advice for treating food poisoning. However, children under five, pregnant women, the elderly and those who have weakened immunity are all at higher risk of developing the infection and having severe symptoms.
Be particularly careful around these people. The soft tissue infection pasteurellosis usually develops in humans following dog or cat bites, scratches or licks. If untreated this can quickly develop into a serious infection, with added complications such as abscesses, septic arthritis and osteomyelitis.
It can also lead to meningitis, eye infections, and even respiratory tract infections in those who are already susceptible. Cat scratch disease CSD. CSD is another bacterial infection that can affect human pet owners. The condition is caused by the Bartonella henselae bacteria and is usually caught from cats often kittens when they bite or scratch. It can also be spread via saliva if an infected cat licks an open wound or your eyes. Prevention The best way to reduce or eliminated your risk of contracting zoonotic diseases from your dog is simple and boils down to hygiene and common sense.
Here are some more specific suggestions: Make sure illness in your pet is addressed. If your dog IS sick, wash your hands after handling him or her. Keep your dog clean! Bathe him or her regularly; doing so will allow you to more closely examine your pooch for signs of illness, especially skin lesions and rashes. De-worm your pup. Broad-spectrum de-wormers can also prevent roundworms and other parasites.
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