No messing around here: it’s very important to keep your pets clean. Surely, cleanliness keeps away odors, but it also keeps germs at bay. Pets truly are part of the family, and any diseases your pet has or parasites he brings home can be transmitted right to you and your family!

 

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Generally you should bathe your dog once a week in warm water with a gentle dog or baby shampoo. Cats are more tricky, but if they go outdoors they should be washed once a month. Be sure to use a shampoo specially made for cats because cats lick themselves so much they’ll get some of the shampoo in their systems. If your cat spends all of her time indoors, you probably only need to bathe her once or twice a year.

One often-ignored aspect of owning a pet is that he can possibly transmit parasites such as fleas and ticks and diseases to your family. These types of diseases are called zoonotic diseases. Remember your Mom always screeching “Wash your hands!” after you petted a stray dog or cat? Well, she was right. But it’s not just the strays you have to worry about. All pets can potentially transmit diseases if you don’t take the proper precautions.

Usually, the only people who might be seriously affected are pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems or children under age five. It is very unlikely that you will ever catch a disease from your pet. To get a disease, you have to have very close contact with a pet or its feces or urine. Little children are most at risk, not just because of their size, but because they have fewer antibodies. They are also most likely to kiss animals, eat their food or (ick) touch their droppings. And then they are also the most likely to put their hands in their mouths or suck their thumbs. To be safe, follow these simple precautions:

Preventing Zoonotic Diseases

Here are some of the more common diseases that can be transmitted (but rarely) from pets to humans, and how to stop them. Most are mild, but some are serious.

Campylobacter: Puppies sometimes carry this bacteria in their stools. It can cause diarrhea. More ick. To prevent it, clean up the stool carefully with pooper scoopers and bags, and never touch it with your hands.

Cat scratch fever: This bacterial disease is spread by cat scratches and bites. It can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes, loss of appetite and general weakness. Kittens are more likely to carry it than older cats. To prevent it, if your cat scratches or bites you, wash the wounds with soap and water.

Cryptosporidium: This is a bacterial disease carried in the feces of cats, dogs and horses. In humans, it can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. To prevent it, wash your hands after handling animals. Take animals with diarrhea to the vet.

Leptospirosis: This is a bacteria in dog and cat urine that can cause flu-like symptoms or more serious illnesses. Wash your hands after handling pets and prevent pets from drinking contaminated water.

Mycobacterium: This is a bacteria found in fish and aquarium water. Exposure can result in swollen lymph glands in kids or more serious illnesses for the immune compromised.

Ring worm: This is a fungal infection caught from furry critters. Many different kinds of animals can transmit ringworm to people. Ringworm — despite its name — is not a worm at all. It is a disease caused by a fungus. It 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. Best advice is to keep surfaces clean and disinfected regularly, and to wash a child’s hands after pet contact.

Round worms: These worms are found in infected cat and dog feces. In humans, they can cause fever, cough, loss of appetite and congestion. Never touch feces with bare hands. Period.

Salmonellosis: This bacteria, which is passed through animal feces, can cause diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some 70,000 people get it each year just from handling reptiles, but you can also get it from touching horses. Baby chicks and ducklings may also be infected. Never let kids under age five pet baby chicks and ducks. Wash hands thoroughly after handling pets or aquariums. Don’t let kids kiss their pets.

Scabies: This is a skin disease caused by itch mites that burrow under skin. Take scratchy uncomfortable pets to the vet before these mites find a human home.

Toxoplasmosis: This is caused by a parasite found in animal feces. In most cases, you feel like you have the flu, but it can be serious for immune compromised people, pregnant women and small children. You can get this by handling cat feces but also from eating raw meat or even gardening. It’s easy to prevent by simply washing your hands after changing litter. To prevent it, don’t let your cat eat raw meat and keep him inside so he doesn’t eat small animals.