Pets can make fantastic companions and fun playmates. Most pet owners are aware of the more disgusting parts of owning a furry loved one, such as cleaning out the litter box, scrubbing up the occasional accident and enduring slobbery kisses. Unfortunately, these may not be the grossest things that your pet can make you deal with. Pets can spread dangerous diseases that can sometimes be deadly if left untreated. Be aware of these diseases the next time you are playing with your pet to keep you and your family safe.
1. Ringworm
A highly contagious fungal infection, ringworm is commonly found in cats and dogs. Animals with the infection normally have patches of missing hair on their fur with red spots on their bare skin. In humans, a circular patch forms on the skin. It can be prevented by washing sheets twice a month in hot water and
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Tapeworms
Children are most susceptible to getting tapeworm from their four-legged friends because they are the least likely to wash their hands. Tapeworms are spread through flea, so keeping your pet flea-free is the best prevention. In humans, tapeworms can cause weight loss, as the parasites attach themselves to the intestines and digest the food that is eaten, diarrhea, stomach pain and vomiting.
9. Rabies
A rare, but extremely fatal, disease, rabies can be prevented by avoiding wild animals and getting your pet vaccinated. Symptoms in pets include foaming of the mouth, staggering and behavioral changes. Humans who have been bitten by a rabid animal may experience itching by the bite, anxiety, confusion and hallucinations. If your pet has symptoms, call animal control and stay away from them, because the disease is transmitted through saliva.
10. Hookworms
These parasites attach to your dogs' intestines and can kill them if they drink enough of their blood. The parasites are contracted through eggs in the dogs' feces, so cleaning them up promptly will prevent them from hatching and attaching themselves to your dog or to
A. There are some common illnesses that can be detrimental if acquired by your pet.
The best weapon against them is prevention, among others, through proper brushing and hygiene. When the heat arrives, one must be more alert than ever to locate the possible presence of these parasites and rid the dog of its attack.
Heartworm disease in cats is different from heartworm disease in dogs. Unlike the dog, the cat is not a natural host for heartworms. Because of this, very few heartworm larvae make it to adulthood in a cat’s body. In dogs, invading worms know exactly how to find their
Canine Heartworm Disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by the parasite Dirofilaria Immitis. The disease can infect over 30 species, including humans, however dogs are the definitive host.
and the spread of disease to other dogs. According to The Human Society of the United States
This disease is an infection, and this infection may be very serious, it can spread to other parts of the body, including the dog's vital organs, that include the heart and lungs. Infections in any of these organs are especially serious and can prove to be fatal.
Worms are an intestinal parasite that are very common in dogs. The most five common are heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm. One of the main ways dogs contract worms is by ingesting the faeces of an infected animal. Some worm eggs can remain dormant in your dog for years, and be activated in times of stress and pregnancy. Puppies can also contract worms though an infected mothers milk.
Humans can get a roundworm infestation from dogs. Children will get infected more often than adults.
You may not know that your pet has a disease like ringworms or even rabies if you don't know how to diagnose it. Animals catch diseases just like humans do and can transfer them as well. “...Animal diseases that people can catch are called zoonoses. Many diseases affecting humans can be traced to animals or animal products. You can get a disease directly from an animal, or indirectly, through the environment…” (Animal Diseases and Your Health, MedlinePlus) Exotic animals can catch diseases from the natural habitat they were taken from or the new environment they are introduced to. These diseases can be fatal to humans. In fact, 70% of diseases come from non-human species. “...The monkeypox outbreak that affected dozens of people in the Midwest in 2003 was traced to a Gambian rat from Africa. The animal had been housed with prairie dogs in an Illinois animal dealer’s shed. Prairie dogs also have been known to carry the plague and tularemia. The herpes B virus, which is nearly 70 percent fatal to humans, can be transferred from macaques to humans. Human contact with reptiles and other exotic animals accounts for 70,000 cases of salmonellosis each year. Parrots can transfer psittacosis, which can be deadly to humans…” The diseases that animals carry can affect humans even if it's an animal disease. They should stay in the wild so we don't catch any of these foreign diseases. “...Diseases that can be transmitted
Heartworms are caused by the parasite Dirofilaria immitis. These parasites can be transmitted to dogs through the bites of mosquitoes. If a mosquito bites an infected dog, it can transfer the infected blood to a healthy dog, causing it to become infected with heartworms. These parasites can cause damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries. It can lead to heart failure and lung disease. If a dog is not treated, these parasites can become fatal to a dog’s health.
Ticks and fleas are two of the most common external parasites found in cats and dogs. These nasty pests survive by feeding on the blood of cats, dogs, and sometimes people. Tick and flea bites can cause allergies and develop into health issues including
Ringworm is caused by a fungus. It causes ringworm live and spread on the scalp and on the hair. Ringworm can be a contagious disease. It spreads when you touch animal that has fungus or contact closely with a person who having this disease. Although the form of ringworm from cat or dog is rare but you also have it.
Constant scratching, tail-chasing, coughing and wheezing, eye and nose discharges – if these symptoms can be observed on your pet dog, chances are
For threadworms, the mode of transmission involves the ingestion of eggs or larvae. Once the eggs are ingested, they will hatch in the small intestine and the larvae will swim and undergo maturation in the large intestine. Upon maturation, the female worms lay their eggs around the anus which cause skin irritation. If the area is scratched using hand, the eggs will be trapped under the nails. The cycle repeats when the person places the contaminated hand in mouth. Regarding Soula’s comment, I would tell Soula that threadworms only infect human and this infection spreads among human. Family pets do not get threadworms or spread to human. However, there are chances that their family pets’ fur is being contaminated with threadworm’s eggs by an
The issue of heartworms is a serious disease which leads to serious lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets majorly dogs. It is caused by a parasitic worm known as Dirofilaria Immitis, spread through an infected mosquito’s bite.