You let your dog lick your face and allow your cats to share your blanket. While you ignore the fact that all these habits can affect your health badly. According to the latest research by The Ohio State University, pets can cause multiple health problems to their owners such as skin problems, fever and other numerous problems in the list. Are you still sceptical about it? Don’t be! Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report says, that there are number of people who have lost their lives in their middle ages, all because of the diseases they caught from their pets. Skin plague is one of the common diseases owners catch from their pet and Bull terrier is one of the most disease causing dogs, suggests the report.
No study has ever specified the probability of animals causing diseases to animals. It is difficult to track sources of the illnesses caused, says Ph.D. –Jason Stull. The risks are low but it is still there! You can’t really get off with it. For owners to protect themselves, they must keep their pets clean and at a distance while they urinate or poop.
There are five common diseases that you may catch from your pet. These diseases are more common than rabies. Here’s the list:
- Stomach Bugs: A germ called Campylobacter jejune is often caused by the pets you own. This is a type of bug that enters and causes stomach pain, vomiting and nausea. It spreads through animal’s poop, urine or vomit. If a person gets exposed to the animal’s excretion, the germ inadvertently passes out in our mouth and then to stomach,” says Stull.
- Cat Fever: Scratch fever is often caused by cats when they sink their nails in your skin. It passes on the germ known as Bartonella, a bacterium responsible for causing swollen lymph nodes and high fever. People definitely don’t smear their hands on their animal’s waste, but this bacterium is also found in flea’s poop and cats are all exposed to floor and flea’s poop. So if your cat gets it, you’re next to get it.
- Skin and stomach parasites: Cryptosporidium and Giardia duodenalis are the kinds of bacteria that lives in dog’s and cat’s faeces! So before you clean their litter tray, hold a scooper and a bag. Don’t forget to wear disposable gloves!
- Meningitis: This is one disease that affects brain and its functionality. A lot of women say that they first experienced urinary incontinence and high fever while not knowing that they are containing meningitis. A bacterium known as Pasteurella multocida incubates in the mouth of cats and dogs and passes onto you while licking. If you don’t want to get affected, avoid face smooches. Stull says, infected person sometimes pass their stool unconsciously, and this malfunctioning is alarming!
- Ringworms: This is a fungus caused by pets. This is not a bacteria but a fungus that occurs in small and itchy circles on your skin. Cats and dogs are the most common culprits of carrying ringworms but once your pet has it, there is nothing that could save you from having it. Vaccination can keep your pets from containing it but if they have, take them to the doctor to protect them from severe itching and pain.
Before you keep any pet, learn a few tips to protect yourself from some of the dangerous illnesses.
Summary:
Some people are closer to their pets more than to their families or friends; there is nothing wrong as far as precautionary measures are taken. Read above to know the list of health issues caused by cats and dogs.
