Can my pet infect me with an illness?
by Lenda | May 5, 2020 |
Avian flu, mad cows, swine flu … we have had a time when it seems that there are a lot of serious diseases that animals can infect us with. These types of diseases that can be transmitted to people are called zoonoses . In reality, this has always happened (plague, yellow fever and cholera are also spread through animals), but these last diseases make us look inside our house and ask ourselves , can our pets get any disease?
The answer is yes. There are several diseases that can be transmitted to us , basically by touching or eating food or water contaminated with animal feces and also by insect bites if they have previously bitten an infected animal. They can be viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases . Some of the most frequent are salmonellosis, rabies, cat scratch fever, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis , ringworm, intestinal parasites (including tapeworm), and scabies.
Some of them hardly involve any discomfort , but others can be very serious . Therefore, although the benefits of having a pet far outweigh the risks of contracting any of these diseases, it is necessary to maintain hygiene habits and some precautions :
– Wash your hands with soap and water after collecting or touching their feces , and be especially careful with cleaning when your pet has diarrhea.
– Take your pet to the vet regularly and keep his vaccination record up to date.
– Avoid rough games with your cat, so as not to get accidental scratches.
– If your dog or cat bites you , even if it is playing and superficially, wash the area carefully with soap and water.
– If you have been playing or petting your pet, wash your hands, especially if you are going to eat or prepare food .
– Keep your area clean . Don’t forget to clean your litter tray daily (and of course, wash your hands well afterward).
– Do not allow your pet to drink water from the toilet (believe it or not it is a fairly widespread habit).
– Use insect repellents, mosquito nets or wire mesh at home .