Deadly Diseases You Can Catch From Your Pet

Fox News ^ | June 18, 2008 | Jessica Ryen Doyle

[Zakeet]

Pets can serve as wonderful companions – and owning one certainly has many physical and mental health benefits.

However, with the summer months upon us, it is likely your pets will be spending more time outdoors, leaving them prone to zoonotic diseases – diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

A Corpus Christi, Texas, man and his daughter spent weeks in the hospital because of a diseased cockatiel bought from a PetSmart store, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the man’s family.

[Snip]

The following are common diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans:

• Parasites Internal parasites such as hookworms or roundworms can produce larvae, which can migrate through the human's body and go through various body organs, including the eyes or skin. External parasites include fleas and ticks.

• Rabies Transmitted through the saliva of an animal, vaccines are available. Take precautions when you are around strange animals that could bite.

• Ringworms A fungus that lives on the skin of dogs and cats, the spores can be transmitted from the body of the animal to the human through direct contact.

• Psittacosis This is a bacterial infection that is frequently transmitted by birds. Usually, a bird with psittacosis will be asymptomatic. By the time a person has developed the disease, he or she will have respiratory flu-like symptoms. People might not realize their illness is life-threatening until it has already affected major organs like the heart, liver or kidneys.

• Salmonella An intestinal bacteria that’s also carried through feces, particularly in reptiles and amphibians. Parents should discourage young children from handling frogs and snakes.

• Leptospirosis This is a bacterial infection transmitted by handling infected urine and then touching your mouth.

[Zakeet]

Now you Freepers know why Bubba gave away Socks and had Buddy "Arkancided" by a hit and run driver.

[Nashvegas]

We once had a 3 month stretch where we kept catching strep. It just happened that we were talking to a vet, and he said Dogs could be carriers of strep.

We put our dog on a course of antibiotics, and the strep infections in our house went away too.

[RoseofTexas]

Bookmarking for future reference!

[CowboyJay]

And the word of the day is...

zoonotic

[wbill]

Good to know. But a lot of unnecessary panic here as well.

My toddler will tell you "Don't pick up snakes!". Also, "Don't put your hands in the toilet!". I think that puts him smarter than about half the people in America, alone. And he still has a ways to go, yet. :-)

[Mashood]

“by handling infected urine then touching your mouth.”
Hmmmmm.

[Orange1998]

Vets usually find the problems in the owners. One is Mange, a dermatologist will misdiagnose it but a vet will not.

[Calvin Locke]

The then-wife got a cat, in part to harass me. I had a fear of catching schizophrenia from the cat, in addition to a lot of the other things listed, especially the insects.

One night, that dang cat brought a bird into the house. So, I had to catch the bird, then thoroughly vacuum the place, including the furniture, from all the frickin' down and feathers.

[vetvetdoug]

I read about the Petsmart cases of Psittacosis (Orinthosis) that infected numerous individuals. It was a case of poor quarantine and handling by the company and the supplier.

IMHO, you are more likely to catch a death causing disease from a grocery store selling tomatoes or fruit, in a physicians' office, or having sex than from a dog, horse, cow or cat. I wouldn't recommend having sex with a dog, horse, cat or cow...that's dangerous too.

[Marie]

btt