Pets & Your Health

B.P. Homeier

Pets can be great friends. They're good listeners, they encourage you to exercise, and they're always on your side when you argue with your parents. But, like people, pets can carry infections, and sometimes these can be transmitted to people. Keep reading to find out how you and your pet can stay infection free.

How Do Pets Spread Infections?
Some illnesses that pets get - such as feline leukemia, FIV, and heartworms - can't be transmitted to people. But pets can carry certain bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can transmit infections to people. Infections from animals can be particularly dangerous to babies and young kids, pregnant women, elderly people, and people whose immune systems have been weakened by illness or disease (such as cancer or AIDS).
Zoonoses (pronounced: zoo-uh-no-seez) is the name for infections that can be passed from animals to humans. People get zoonoses when they are bitten or scratched or come into contact with an animal's waste products, saliva, or dander (flakes from hair, feathers, or skin).
Pets may also get ticks and fleas in their fur, and these insects can carry diseases - like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever - that may make humans sick.

Dogs and Cats
It's hard to believe that your canine companion or feline friend could be guilty of anything other than sleeping too much, but sometimes cats and dogs can pass infections on to humans.

• Campylobacter (pronounced: kam-pie-lo-bak- tur) infection is one type of infection dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, and certain farm animals can transmit to humans. Campylobacter is a bacteria that can live in the digestive systems of animals. People who come into contact with Campylobacter bacteria can experience unpleasant side effects like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. Campylobacter infections most often happen when a person eats contaminated (infected) foods, such as undercooked meat or unpasteurized milk. Campylobacter can also be transmitted to people when they come intocontact with an animal's feces (poop) or water that has been contaminatedwith the bacteria. Campylobacter infections are contagious, which means they can be passed from person to person, especially among members of the same household. Doctors usually treat people who have a Campylobacter infection with antibiotics.
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• Bartonella henselae is the bacteria that causes what is known as cat scratch disease. A person who is bitten or scratched by a cat (or more commonly a kitten) that has been infected with the bacteria may develop swollen and tender lymph nodes, fever, headache, and fatigue - although only about one third of the people who are infected get symptoms of cat scratch disease. Usually, the cat doesn't show any symptoms at all, so you won't know if it is infected. The symptoms of cat scratch disease usually disappear without treatment, but sometimes a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection. Cat scratch disease is not contagious from person to person.
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• Dogs with fleas may have tapeworms, also known as Dipylidium caninum, which they get from swallowing fleas when they groom themselves. Fleas can carry tapeworm eggs that grow into an adult tapeworm once they're in an animal or person's system. Little kids are especially at risk of getting tapeworm if they swallow an infected flea. People who have tapeworms may notice tapeworm pieces in their poop. (Pieces of tapeworm can look like grains of rice.) Doctors can give people medications to get rid of a tapeworm infection.
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• Toxocariasis (pronounced: toks-o-kuh-reye- uh-sus) is an illness that is caused by worms that live in the intestines of dogs and cats. The eggs from the worms are passed to humans through the feces of dogs and cats. People who do not wash their hands frequently may accidentally eat the tiny eggs of these worms, which then hatch and develop in the digestive system. Babies and younger children who often put things in their mouths are particularly at risk of getting toxocariasis. Although pets can carry the worm eggs, most people get toxocariasis through soil. People with toxocariasis may notice symptoms such as fever, cough or wheezing, abdominal pain, rash, or enlarged lymph nodes. There are pills that can treat most forms of toxocariasis.
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• A person gets toxoplasmosis (pronounced: toks-o-plaz- mo-sus) by having contact with a parasite found in cat feces or undercooked meat. Signs and symptoms of this infection include swollen glands, fatigue, muscle pain, fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and rash. Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous in pregnant women because it can cause severe problems for the fetus, including vision problems and mental retardation. Pregnant women should avoid all contact with litter boxes, especially those used by cats that go outdoors.
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• Ringworm, also called tinea (pronounced: tih-nee-uh), is a fungal infection that can appear anywhere on a person's body. People can get ringworm from touching infected animals such as dogs, cats, and rodents - as well as from touching the infected skin of other people with the condition. Ringworm causes itchy circular rings anywhere on the skin (even the scalp) that continue to grow if not treated. Doctors use an antifungal cream to treat ringworm.
  

Birds
Even if pet birds are kept in cages, they can sometimes pass certain infections to people. Fortunately, getting infections from birds is rare, especially if you are young and healthy.

• Cryptococcosis (pronounced: krip-tuh-kah- koe-sus) is one infection that people may get from birds. People who inhale organisms found in bird droppings, especially from pigeons, may get this disease. Cryptococcosis can cause serious illness such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and pneumonia. People with weakened immune systems from illnesses such as AIDS or cancer are at particular risk of getting cryptococcosis. It's very unusual that a healthy person will get it. Cryptococcosis is a type of fungal infection, so doctors treat it with antifungal medications.
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• Psittacosis (pronounced: sih-tuh-ko-sus) , also known as parrot fever, is passed to people when they have contact with infected bird feces or with infected dust in birdcages. The birds that typically carry the organisms that cause the disease are parrots, parakeets, and macaws, especially birds that have been smuggled into the country. A person who has developed psittacosis may cough, vomit, and have chest pains, fever, and chills. Doctors treat psittocosis infections with antibiotics.
  

Reptiles
Most reptiles carry the bacteria Salmonella (pronounced: sal-muh-neh- luh) on their skin. People who pick up Salmonella bacteria after touching reptiles (like lizards, snakes, crocodiles, and turtles) can become seriously ill. Reptiles also can shed Salmonella in their feces, so people can become infected by touching a reptile's cage or other contaminated surfaces. Salmonellosis causes symptoms such as severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and chills and can also infect the blood. Antibiotics can be used, however, they are not always necessary.

Other Animals
Even tiny creatures such as hamsters, gerbils, and other rodents can carry diseases that may be harmful to your health.

• A very rare - but potentially serious - condition is lymphocytic choriomeningitis (pronounced: lim-fuh-sih- tik kor-ee-oh-meh- nun-jye-tus) , or LCM. This infectious condition is caused by a virus and involves swelling of the brain and spinal cord. Humans become sick with LCM from inhaling the infected urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents or by handling the body fluids of an infected person or animal. A person who has LCM may have fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. Infected people are usually treated with hospitalization and rest. Fortunately, it's extremely rare that a person will get LCM from pets that have always lived indoors.
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• Rabies is a severe illness caused by a virus that's carried in saliva. Rabies is passed to humans through the bite of an infected animal. Animals that may carry the rabies virus include raccoons, bats, skunks, coyotes, foxes, and wolves. Pets like dogs and cats usually only get rabies if an infected wild animal bites them. Although rabies is a serious illness that can cause brain damage and death, cases of rabies in humans are rare, thanks to pet immunization requirements. Domesticated pets, like dogs, should always be immunized (vaccinated) against rabies to decrease the possibility of infection.
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• Tularemia (pronounced: too-luh-ree- mee-uh), also known as rabbit fever, is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularenis, which is carried by animals like mice, squirrels, and rabbits. Humans can get tularemia by handling infected animals, inhaling the bacteria in animal urine or feces, or through tick or fly bites. Within a few days after exposure, a person may develop symptoms such as skin ulcers, swollen lymph glands, headache, sore throat, and muscle pain. Tularemia is treated with antibiotics. It is rare and is almost never caused by pets that have always lived indoors.
  

Keeping Yourself and Your Pet Healthy
Pets are popular. As many as six in 10 families have some type of pet, and numerous studies prove the health benefits of having pets, such as reduced stress. For some people, pets can be real lifesavers: companion animals help the blind and people with certain health conditions to live fulfilling lives.
It's important to choose the right pet for you - and to consider your health needs. For example, if you're allergic to dog and cat dander but still want a pet, a snake, lizard, or turtle can be a good option. But in families with young kids, dogs and cats can be a better choice because reptiles can easily make little kids sick.
As in all things, washing your hands often - especially after you touch, feed, or clean up after a pet - is the best way to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of infection. Use warm, soapy water and be sure to scrub under your fingernails every time you wash. In addition to washing afterward, you can protect your health even further by wearing gloves while cleaning animal cages or cat litter boxes. And if you wash your pet in the kitchen sink or bathtub, always disinfect it with bleach immediately afterward (the sink or tub, that is, not the pet!).
There are also a few other things you can do to keep yourself and your pet healthy. For example, it's not a good idea to share your food with your pet. Human food (like chocolate) can make animals sick. Never feed your pet raw meat because it can carry germs that cause serious illness - both for you and your pet. And as funny as it can be to see your dog or cat drinking from the toilet, don't let pets do this. It's bad for your pet's health - not to mention your own if your pet comes up and gives you a big lick on the face afterward!
Finally, some animals aren't pets. As tempting as it can be, don't take in a wild animal as a pet because it may be infected with diseases that could make you or your family sick. Instead, call an animal rescue group that is trained in helping sick or abandoned animals. And for your own protection, avoid touching strange animals or animals that appear sick.
(AAFP)