It feels like everyone in America has a family pet, as it's estimated that Americans own around 78 million dogs and around 85 million cats. They are our four-legged companions. But with new discoveries and understanding of diseases, it is believed that there are diseases that can be passed from animal companion to human.
How worried should you be?
“While anyone can become sick from pet-related infections, if you or someone you live with has a compromised immune system, you should talk with your doctor before getting a family pet,’ Dr. Jessica Stull, MD, an internist at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Texas, tells Newsmax Health.
Beyond just allergies caused by family pets, these diseases offer great health risk and can incredibly dangerous.
The Reason This Matters
Animals are everywhere, throughout our life and among us. Nearly everyone in America has had a pet in one way or another. Most of us come into contact with pets most days, and knowledge is power in cases like this.
A dog playfully nibbling on your hand could lead to a life-threatening disease.
There are many diseases that can spread like this, we are now going to discuss five of them.
The Diseases In Question
All five of these diseases offer serious health risks that can lead up to death so be careful and aware.
- Salmonella. Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tract of the body. The way most people understand it the transfer of salmonella is through raw, or undercooked food. But researchers have found that the bacteria can develop in the ingestive tract of house pets and then transfer to fur and or feces.
- Worms. Make sure to keep your dog's worm shots up to date because another transferable illness is worms. The fungal infection can spread just by washing or petting your animal as they are often transferred by fleas.
- Cat Scratch Fever. The CDC estimates that about 40% of all cats have the bacteria in their system and can transfer said bacteria through a playful bite or scratch.
- Lyme Disease. This disease, which originates from ticks, can severely impact human health from rash all the way to nerve and heart problems. Always keep a keen eye on animals for ticks. If found, ticks are very resilient creatures, use tick sensitive washing techniques for an extended period of time.
- Rabies. Rabies is a very dangerous disease that affects the central nervous and can be fatal in humans if left untreated. The disease can make animals very aggressive as well. It is spread by saliva but has a vaccine so keep your animals up to date on their shots.
Keep your pets and family safe by following health precautions.
