Well, we are all happy when our dogs lick our faces when they see us after a long day and we laugh out loud when we catch our cats getting stuck in different items inside our house, and of course, we love to spend time with them and play their favorite games. The truth is that they are just like our kids and we would do anything to make them happy. 

However, did you know that they can also bring some serious diseases that could be harmful to you and your family? But if you talk to your veterinarians about possible disease transmission, they could help you avoid the risk of getting sick. 

So, don’t worry because you can prevent it! Even though there are some health risks that come with having an animal in your home, it doesn’t mean that you should abandon them or not adopt one at all, because you can still have a pet, but you have to be more careful with your hygiene (which means to wash your hands properly) and to vaccinate them (and your vet will know what are your pets’ needs). 

“Zoonotic diseases (zoonoses) are those that can be transmitted between animals and people,” explains Christa Gallagher, BSC, DVM, an assistant professor of public health and epidemiology at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. “Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can transmit harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi to humans.”

In fact, people who have a weak immune system, children and the elderly are at high risk of contracting a bacteria or virus from animals. This is why it is very important to vaccinate your pet or go to veterinary consultations often when you decide to adopt one. 

So, here are certain diseases that you can get from your pet! Read on for more info!

Toxoplasmosis

According to Dr. Gallagher, “toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma Gondii) is a parasitic infection in which cats are the main source of infection.” 

This disease doesn’t usually cause any obvious symptoms in healthy adults, but it can adversely affect the health of pregnant women and people who have a weak immune system. Symptoms in humans include flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and tender lymph nodes. But according to some studies, around 40 million people could live with toxoplasmosis without even knowing it or having other major complications. 

What you can do to prevent it? Well, you have to make sure that the cat litter is clean and change it once a day ( especially if there’s a woman pregnant or someone already sick). Moreover, do not forget to wash your hands properly after cleaning the litter box and before and after playing with your cat. 

Nevertheless, pregnant women should stay away from the litter box. Cats that usually live indoors are less likely to contract this disease. Just like humans, there are many cats that have no symptoms, except kittens that may have diarrhea.

Rabies

Rabies is a disease that causes inflammation of the brain in humans and animals. In general, rabies can lead to death or other severe complications. The incubation period of the virus is between one to three months, but it depends on your body structure. According to some studies, this virus can be passed when an infected animal bites or scratches a human or other animal. 

The virus can also be spread when infected saliva comes into contact with an animal or human’s eyes, mouth, or nose. It is said that dogs are usually responsible for the spreading of this virus because they interact with humans more often than other creatures, but you can find this disease in bats, rodents, and raccoons’ as well.  

Symptoms in humans include fever, violent movements, headache, insomnia, anxiety, partial paralysis and hallucinations, and animals can feel uncontrolled excitement, fear of water, paralysis, and loss of consciousness. Unfortunately, in some cases, these symptoms lead to death. 

“The disease is most commonly contracted through a bite, although potentially it could be transmitted through a scratch as well,” says Gary Richter, MS, DVM, a veterinary health expert with Rover.com. “Although human exposure to rabies from a dog is uncommon, it’s worth noting since rabies is almost 100 percent fatal if the person is not treated immediately after exposure.”

If you want to prevent it, all you have to do is to vaccinate your pet as often as possible and don’t hesitate to see your veterinarian as many times as necessary.

Salmonella

There are many people who are afraid of getting salmonella from precariously prepared food, but you should be aware that you can get this disease from your pet as well. Salmonella is a bacteria that can be passed from animals to humans and from humans to humans. 

These bacteria cause gastrointestinal problems, such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, but in many cases, people can recover without using antibiotics. Generally, animals don’t show any symptoms. 

“This infection can also be caused by the bacteria that live on the skin of pet reptiles,” warns Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles. The largest carriers of salmonella are reptiles, but this disease can also be found in chickens, hedgehogs or dog food. 

So, if you already have a reptile as a pet or want to adopt one, you should wash your hands properly after touching and feeding them. Moreover, you should avoid touching other objects until you wash your hands.

Leptospirosis

“Leptospirosis is a bacteria that is shed in the urine of infected animals. Our pets can contract this infection from ground water that is contaminated by infected wildlife. Though this infection does require contact with infected urine, it’s much easier than you may think to inadvertently come in contact with your pet’s urine,” says Johanna Reel, NHV Natural Pet’s in-house registered veterinary technician.

Signs and symptoms can be mild, such as headaches, muscle pains and fevers, and severe, such as bleeding in the lungs (also known as severe pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome) or meningitis. Rodents are the most common animals that spread this virus. Nevertheless, in the case of animals, some of them show no symptoms at all. 

Also, this disease occurs frequently in low-income households, because people use low quality water that is infected with Leptospirosis. So, all you have to do is to vaccinate your beloved furry friend and avoid swimming in poor water that could be contaminated with animal urine.

Toxocariasis

Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease from the larvae of Toxocara roundworms that can be spread through the feces of the dogs, cats and foxes. Humans contract this bacteria by ingestion of embryonated eggs from different contaminated sources, such as soil, undercooked meat, unwashed vegetables. 

You should wash your hands properly after cleaning your pet’s waste and use special equipment for that, such as plastic gloves and disposable shovels. Also, you should always wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them and make sure that your meat is cooked properly. 

“Be careful to use gloves or a plastic bag or shovel to clean up doggy poop, and wash your hands well afterward,” said Dr. Shainhouse.

How do you know if your pet suffers from Toxocariasis? Well, if you notice symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, bloody stool or worm in the feces, you should take your pet to the vet as soon as possible. 

“Humans contract roundworm infections by oral-fecal transmission, but the worms tend to end up in the lungs, which can present as shortness of breath and hives/itch, abdominal pain, bloody stool,” explains Dr. Shainhouse.

Tapeworm

According to specialists, tapeworm infection is a disease caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with tapeworm eggs or larvae. In general, these larvae will develop into adult tapeworm into your intestines and this phenomenon could lead to intestinal infection. 

“While you can contract this by eating undercooked pork, you can also contract this from an infected pet,” explains Dr. Shainhouse.

Fortunately, there are many cases of people who suffer from intestinal tapeworm infections that show no symptoms at all and won’t present complications. However, symptoms could include nausea, weakness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. 

You can contract this virus by eating or drinking something that is contaminated with feces from an animal that suffers from this disease. These feces contain microscopic tapeworms eggs that will arrive in your intestines and will develop into larvae. These larvae can migrate from your intestines and will attack your lungs and other vital organs. 

So, in order to stay safe, you should try to wash your hands as often as possible and don’t neglect vet consultations as well.

Pet scabies (mange)

There are two types of scabies: human scabies and pet scabies also known as mange. So, mange is a type of skin disease caused by parasitic mites. So, pet scabies can cause some discomfort in humans but they can’t live on human skin or cause severe complications. 

“In pet scabies, the animal is the only viable host for the mite, meaning the mite only lives on the pet,” said Dr. Shainhouse. “However, the mite can jump off of the pet, bite the human owner, then jump back home (aka, the pet’s skin).”

How to protect your pet and your household from this disease? Well, you have to keep your dog away from other animals that have scabies and go to the vet if you see something strange in their behavior or skin irritations. 

Symptoms in pets can include exaggerating itching, rash, blisters, and sores and humans will notice a temporary itching and skin irritation.