| DID YOU KNOW, THERE IS OVER 39 DISEASES YOU CAN GET FROM ANIMALS. (MOSTLY FROM STRAY AND HOMELESS ANIMALS.) |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT A PERSON WITH A WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM OR A PREGNANT WOMEN'S FETUS CAN DIE FROM A DISEASE CALLED TOXOPLASMOSIS. FROM A CAT. STRAY OR YOUR OWN PET CAT !!! |
| ANIMAL DISEASES |
| A IS FOR ANIMALS, Z IS FOR ZOONOSES. BY CHARLOTTE GRAYSON MD CAN HUMANS GET DISEASES FROM ANIMALS? (YES)!! CATS AND DOGS ARE HUMANS MOST COMMON SOURCES OF DISEASE! THEY CAN COME FROM RATS AND FUZZY BUNNIES. THEY COME FROM PUPPIES AND KITTENS. THEY COME FROM STRAY AND HOMELESS ANIMALS. WHETHER THE ANIMAL IS A FRIEND OR A STRAY IT CAN CARRY DANGEROUS DISEASES. THERE ARE AT LEAST 39 IMPORTANT DISEASES PEOPLE CATCH DIRECTLY FROM ANIMALS. THERE ARE AT LEAST 48 IMPORTANT DISEASES PEOPLE GET FROM THE BITE OF BUGS THAT BIT AN INFECTED ANIMAL. AND THERE ARE AT LEAST 42 IMPORTANT DISEASES THAT PEOPLE GET BY INGESTING OR HANDLING FOOD OR WATER CONTAMINATED WITH ANIMAL FECES. WHY ANIMAL-BORNE DISEASES MATTER DISEASES PASSED TO HUMANS FROM ANIMALS ARE CALLED ZOONOSES. WHAT MAKE ONE OF THESE DISEASES IMPORTANT? TWO THINGS, SAYS ZOONOSES EXPERT LAWRENCE T. GLICKMAN, VMD, DRPH, PROFESSOR OF VETERINARY EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE,WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. GLICKMAN NOTES, ARE ANIMAL-BORNE DISEASES THAT ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE FAIRLY COMMON EVEN IF NOT OFTEN FATAL. CAT-SCRATCH FEVER, FOR EXAMPLE, INFECTS AS MANY AS 20,000 AMERICANS A YEAR. AND AN ESTIMATED 4%-20% OF U.S. KIDS GET ROUNDWORMS FROM DOGS AND CATS. DISEASES HUMANS CAN GET FROM CATS AND DOGS TOXOPLASMOSIS CATS ALLOWED TO ROAM OUTDOORS OR A STRAY OFTEN WILL PICK UP A PARASITE KNOWN AS TOXOPLASMA GONDII. MOST OF THE TIME, THE CAT WILL FIGHT OFF THE INFECTION BEFORE IT BECOMES CONTAGIOUS. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES CATS SHED EGG-LIKE FORMS OF THE PARASITE IN THEIR FECES. THAT'S WHY PREGNANT WOMEN, SMALL CHILDREN, PEOPLE WITH DAMAGED IMMUNE SYSTEMS, AND PEOPLE ON CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY SHOULD AVOID CLEANING CAT LITTER BOXES. USUALLY, A PERSON WHO GETS TOXOPLASMOSIS GETS VERY FEW SYMPTOMS. BUT WHEN A PERSON DOES GET THE DISEASE, IT CAUSES A FLU-LIKE ILLNESS AND OR MUSCLE ACHES AND PAINS LASTING FOR A MONTH OR EVEN LONGER. "A VERY SIZEABLE PROPORTION OF HUMANS --30-40% HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH TOXOPLASMOSIS, USUALLY BY EATING UNDERCOOKED MEAT," GLICKMAN SAYS. " MOST PEOPLE NEVER HAD A SYMPTOM OR HAD VERY MILD DISEASE. BUT IN PEOPLE (WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS) IT CAN BE FATAL. AND THE WORST INFECTIONS MAY BE IN PREGNANCY WOMEN. THE ORGANISM CAN GO TO THE FETUS AND, IF THE BABY DOESN'T DIE, CAUSE A LIFETIME ILLNESS." ROUNDWORM BOTH CATS AND DOGS SOMETIMES GET PARASITES THAT INFECT HUMANS. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON IS A ROUNDWORM. LEFT UNTREATED, NEARLY ALL PUPPIES AND KITTENS PICK UP THIS PARASITE. ITS EGG-LIKE FORM --THE OOCYST-- CAN SURVIVE FOR YEARS IN THE SOIL. WHEN HUMANS INGEST OOCYSTS, TINY WORMS HATCH IN THE JUT AND MOVE THROUGH THE BODY. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE FEVER, COUGHING, ASTHMA, AND OR PNEUMONIA. ONCE IN A WHILE, THE TINY WORMS ENTER THE EYE AND SCAR THE RETINA. THIS RESULTS IN PERMANENT PARTIAL VISION LOSS."SOME 750 TO 1,000 KIDS GO BLIND FROM EACH YEAR WITH ROUNDWORM INFECTION (OF THE EYES) PASSED FROM DOGS THROUGH FECES TO CHILDREN,"GLICKMAN SAYS" ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER IS A DISEASE CAUSED BY THE BACTERIUM RICKETTSIA RICKETS II WHICH IS CARRIED BY TICKS. PEOPLE USUALLY START HAVING FEVERS AND FEELING NAUSEOUS ABOUT A WEEK AFTER BEING BITTEN BY A TICK, ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE DO NOT REMEMBER HAVING HAD A TICK BITE. A FEW DAYS AFTER THE FEVER BEGINS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER OFTEN HAVE A RASH, USUALLY ON THEIR ARMS OR ANKLES. THEY ALSO MAY HAVE PAIN IN THEIR JOINTS, STOMACH PAIN, AND DIARRHEA. SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH THIS DISEASE ARE VERY SICK AND HAVE TO GO TH THE HOSPITAL. SALMONELLOSIS THERE IS MANY KINDS OF ANIMALS CAN PASS SALMONELLOSIS TO PEOPLE. USUALLY, PEOPLE GET SALMONELLOSOS BY EATING CONTAMINATED FOOD, SUCH AS CHICKEN OR EGGS. HOWEVER, ANIMALS CAN CARRY SALMONELLA AND PASS IT IN THEIR FECES (STOOL). THEREFORE, PEOPLE CAN ALSO GET SALMONELLOSIS IF THEY DO NOT WASH THEIR HANDS AFTER TOUCHING THE FECES OF ANIMALS. REPTILES (LIZARDS, SNAKES, AND TURTLES) , BABY CHICKS, AND DUCKLINGS ARE ESPECIALLY LIKELY TO PASS SALMONELLOSOS TO PEOPLE. DOGS, CATS , BIRDS ( INCLUDING PET BIRDS), HORSES AND FARM ANIMALS CAN ALSO PASS SALMONELLA IN THEIR FECES. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER HANDLING ANY ANIMALS !! HOOKWORM CAN ANIMALS TRANSMIT HOOKWORM INFECTION TO ME? YES, BUT NOT DIRECTLY. PUPPIES AND KITTENS ARE ESPECIALLY LIKELY TO HAVE HOOKWORM INFECTIONS. ANIMALS THAT ARE INFECTED PASS HOOKWORM EGGS IN THEIR STOOLS. THE EGGS CAN HATCH INTO LARVAE, AND BOTH EGGS AND LARVAE CAN THEN INTO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU ACCIDENTALLY EAT OR HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH CONTAMINATED DIRT. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CAN HAPPEN IF A CHILD IS WALKING BAREFOOT OR PLAYING IN AN AREA WHERE DOGS OR CATS HAVE BEEN (ESPECIALLY PUPPIES OR KITTENS). DO NOT WALK BAREFOOT OR TOUCH SOIL WHERE HOOKWORM IS COMMON OR THERE IS LIKELY TO BE FECES (STOOL). RINGWORMS RINGWORM IS A SKIN AND SCALP DISEASE CAUSED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FUNGI. RINGWORM ON THE SCALP USUALLY MAKES A BALD PATCH OF SCALY SKIN. PEOPLE WITH RINGWORM ON OTHER PARTS OF THEIR SKIN CAN YOU HAVE A RING-SHAPED RASH THAT IS REDDISH AND MAY BE ITCHY. THE RASH CAN BE DRY AND SCALY OR WET AND CRUSTY. CAN ANIMALS TRANSMIT RINGWORM TO ME? YES, MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANIMALS CAN TRANSMIT RINGWORM TO PEOPLE. RINGWORM IS TRANSMITTED FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH AN INFECTED ANIMAL'S SKIN OR HAIR. DOGS AND CATS, ESPECIALLY KITTENS OR PUPPIES, CAN HAVE RINGWORM THAT CAN BE PASSED TO PEOPLE. COWS, GOATS, PIGS, AND HORSES CAN PASS RINGWORM TO PEOPLE TOO. PEOPLE CAN ALSO GET RINGWORM FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR PERSONAL ITEMS. TAPEWORM YOU CAN USUALLY TELL IF YOUR PET HAS A TAPEWORM. THE WORMS CAN SOMETIMES BE SEEN CRAWLING NEAR THE ANUS OR ON THE SURFACE OF A FRESH BOWEL MOVEMENT. PROGLOTTIDS CONTAIN TAPEWORM EGGS." THESE EGGS ARE RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN THE PROGLOTTID DRIES OUT. THE DRIED PROGLOTTIDS ARE SMALL (ABOUT 2 MM), HARD AND YELLOWISH IN COLOR AND CAN SOMETIMES BE SEEN STUCK TO THE HAIR AROUND THE PET'S ANUS. CAN I GET A TAPEWORM FROM MY PET YES, FOR A PERSON TO BECOME INFECTED WITH TAPEWORMS HE OR SHE MUST ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOW AN INFECTED FLEA. MOST REPORTED CASES INVOLVE CHILDREN. THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT INFECTIONS IN PETS AND HUMANS IS THROUGH FLEA CONTROL. A CHILD WHO IS INFECTED WILL USUALLY PASS PROGLOTTIDS ( OR WHAT APPEARS AS RICE) IN A BOWEL MOVEMENT OR FIND THEM STUCK TO THE SKIN AROUND THE ANAL AREA. RABIES RABIES IS A DISEASE CAUSED BY THE RABIES VIRUS. IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS OR EVEN A FEW YEARS FOR PEOPLE TO SHOW SYMPTOMS AFTER GETTING INFECTED WITH RABIES, BUT USUALLY PEOPLE START TO SHOW SIGNS OT THE DISEASE 1 TO 3 MONTHS AFTER THE VIRUS INFECTS THEM. THE EARLY SIGNS OF RABIES CAN BE FEVER OR HEADACHE, BUT THIS CHANGES QUICKLY TO NERVOUS SYSTEM SIGNS, SUCH AS CONFUSION, SLEEPINESS, OR AGITATION. ONCE SOMEONE WITH RABIES INFECTION STARTS HAVING THESE SYMPTOMS, THAT PERSON USUALLY DOES NOT SURVIVE. THIS IS WHY IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER RIGHT AWAY IF ANY ANIMAL BITES YOU, ESPECIALLY A WILD ANIMAL CAN I GET RABIES FROM ANIMALS? YES, MANY KINDS OF ANIMALS CAN PASS RABIES TO PEOPLE. WILD ANIMALS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO CARRY RABIES, ESPECIALLY RACCOONS, SKUNKS, BATS, FOXES,AND COYOTES. HOWEVER, DOGS, CATS, CATTLE (COWS) OR ANY WARM-BLOODED ANIMAL CAN PASS RABIES TO PEOPLE. PEOPLE USUALLY GET RABIES FROM THE BITE OF AN INFECTED ANIMAL. MANY ANIMALS, SUCH AS DOGS, CATS, AND HORSES ARE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES, BUT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS WASH ANY BITE THOROUGHLY AND CHECK WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ABOUT WHAT TO DO IF ANY ANIMAL BITES YOU. LYME DISEASE LYME DISEASE IS A BACTERIAL DISEASE CAUSED BY BORRELIA BURGDORFERI. WITHIN 1 TO 2 WEEKS OF BEING INFECTED, PEOPLE MAY HAVE A "BULL'S-EYE" RASH WITH FEVER, HEADACHE, AND MUSCLE OR JOINT PAIN. SOME PEOPLE HAVE LYME DISEASE AND DO NOT HAVE ANY EARLY SYMPTOMS. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE A FEVER AND OTHER "FLU LIKE" SYMPTOMS WITHOUT A RASH. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS, THE BACTERIA MAY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE BODY OF AN INFECTED PERSON. THESE PEOPLE CAN GET SYMPTOMS SUCH AS RASHES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY, PAIN THAT SEEMS TO MOVE FROM JOINT TO JOINT, AND SIGNS OF INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART OR NERVES. IT THE DISEASE IS NOT TREATED, A FEW PATIENTS CAN GET ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS SWILLING AND PAIN IN MAJOR JOINTS OR MENTAL CHANGES, MONTHS AFTER GETTING INFECTED. CAN I GET LYME DISEASE FROM ANIMALS? YES, BUT NOT DIRECTLY. PEOPLE GET LYME DISEASE WHEN THEY ARE BITTEN BY TICKS CARRYING THE LYME DISEASE. TICKS THAT CARRY LYME DISEASE ARE VERY SMALL AND CAN BE HARD TO SEE. THESE TINY TICKS BITE MICE INFECTED WITH LYME DISEASE AND THEN BITE PEOPLE OR OTHER ANIMALS, SUCH AS DOGS AND HORSES, PASSING THE DISEASE TO THEM. FOR OTHER DISEASES THAT HUMANS CAN GET FROM ANIMALS PLEASE VISIT : THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES www.cdc.gov |
| HOME |
| CONTACT US |
| CAT CARE |
| DOG CARE |