How to Avoid Catching Common Diseases in Pets
Pets are lucky that they are (usually) cute because people are willing to do anything to keep them happy, healthy, and comfortable. Sure, it’s your favorite chair, but it’s also your dog’s favorite chair, and as soon as he looked you in the eye and sighed, you gave up and let him get it. Such things.
But another part of having a pet is understanding the potential risk of getting sick from picking up something from your dog, cat, or bird. A recent article in Real Simple describes some of the most common pet-borne diseases and describes the steps you can take to avoid getting sick.
Roundworms and hookworms
Yes, roundworms and hookworms are very common in pets, which is why Sally Haddock, M.D., founder of St. Mark’s Veterinary Hospital in New York, says we must take both conditions seriously to prevent an outbreak in our homes. …
Haddock highlights the need to thoroughly disinfect your home to prevent it from spreading. “You want to vacuum and discard the vacuum bag,” Haddock tells Real Simple. “We usually advise people on the floor to apply one part bleach to ten parts aqueous solution to try and kill spores.”
Toxoplasmosis
Found in undercooked meat , this single-celled parasite can cause symptoms in pregnant women and immunocompromised people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . It is most often passed from animal to person when people come into contact with their pet’s stool. Although both dogs and cats can contract this parasitic infection, it is more common among cats, according to a 2019 article in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science .
“Stool can get on you when you clean the litter box or pet the cat because they can have microscopic pieces of stool clinging to them, especially if they have diarrhea,” Haddock explains, “and then it sticks. on the skin and dries. ” This is why it is so important to regularly change your cat’s litter box (Haddock recommends doing this daily) and always wash your hands after touching your pet (and obviously after any contact with his feces).
Psittacosis
Some poultry – especially parrots, macaws, cockatiels, and budgerigars – can be infected with a type of bacteria called Chlamydia psittaci . It can also attack live poultry such as chickens, ducks and turkeys. These bacteria can spread to humans, causing a condition called psittacosis, which is usually accompanied by flu-like symptoms.
Along with the usual advice to wash their hands immediately after touching a bird, Haddock recommends that people clean the birdcage twice a day so the bird has no chance of hardening. Hard bird droppings are bad news, she said, because when birds flap their wings, “the bacteria turns into aerosols.” No thanks.