However, one important thing is, to keep in mind is the current state of everyone's health. People with a weak immune system, people suffering from serious illnesses, people with HIV/AIDS, people with organ transplants, people being treated for cancer and infants and young children are all at a greater risk of picking up a disease from an animal than most other people.
With few exceptions, carelessness in handling a pet along with not washing your hands after cleaning up after a pet, are primary causes of illness connected with pets.
What are some of the possible illnesses that can be associated with animals?
The most feared in my mind is rabies.
What is Rabies?
It is a disease caused by the rabies virus and is transmitted though a bite from an animal that is carrying the virus. Today most domesticated animals are vaccinated for the rabies virus as dictated by most state laws.
However, a bite from an unknown animal, domestic or wild, until it is known that the animal has been vaccinated, has to have the recipient of the bite, treated as if the animal has the virus.
It may take from one to three months for a person to show signs of the virus and by then it is too late for any treatment to work.
It is very important that your pet, even if it is an inside only pet, be inoculated against the rabies virus.
Teaching children to avoid trying to pet strange dogs or cats, unless supervised, along with avoiding the temptation to catch a wild animal, is one of the best lessons you can teach your child.
There are many germs/viruses that can be picked up from dogs other than rabies, most of which come from contact with a dog's feces. That is why cleanliness seems so important. To clean up after your dog eliminates, use plastic gloves, a pooper scooper or a plastic bag to avoid touching the feces.
A dog can carry many types of germs, bacteria and/or virus and not be ill, but you can pick it up and suffer. Most illness caused by pets usually run the gamut of diarrhea, vomiting, some fever and muscle aches. As with any illness see, your medical provider.
Cats too, can pass on a disease or two to their humans, but in general you are most likely not going to get sick from touching or owning a cat.
Cat scratch fever can come from a scratch or bite, but using normal precautionary measures such as washing the wound and putting an anapestic on it, can generally prevent any illness. Symptoms of cat scratch disease can include infection at the point of injury, swollen lymph glands, some fever, and a loss of appetite.
Another disease associated with cats is Toxoplasmosis, however people are more likely to get it from eating raw meat or gardening.
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