Diseases Transmissible from Pets to Humans

Zoonotic diseases, which are illnesses that may be transmitted from animals to humans, are more prevalent than you would imagine. Keep up with your pet’s preventative care to avoid becoming sick even if they seem to be in excellent health since they might be harboring a transmissible disease.

How might my pet infect me with diseases?

Pets can pass germs to people in a variety of ways, including through:

  • Direct contact — Direct contact with saliva, blood, urine, feces, or other bodily fluids from an infected pet can result in the transmission of disease. If you clean up your pet’s accident inside, or they lick a sore on your leg, you can contract an illness.
  • Indirect contact — Indirect disease transmission occurs when you come in contact with something an infected pet has contaminated. For example, if your child digs in their sandbox after a stray cat has used it as a litter box, they may contract a roundworm infection.
  • Vectors — Vectors, like ticks and fleas, can be attracted to your pet and be carried indoors to bite and transmit disease to you.
  • Food — Undercooked meat or eggs, or raw fruits and vegetables contaminated with feces from an infected pet, are some of the most common causes of foodborne illnesses in people and their pets.
  • Water — Drinking or coming in contact with water that has been contaminated with feces or urine can result in diseases such as giardia or leptospirosis being passed to you.

What diseases can I get from my pet?

Numerous illnesses can be passed from pets to people through:

  • Bacteria (leptospirosis, salmonella, E. coli, tick-borne disease, cat scratch disease)
  • Viruses (rabies)
  • Fungi (ringworm)
  • Intestinal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, giardia, toxoplasma)
  • External parasites (scabies, fleas, ticks)

To avoid the spread of illness, always use excellent hygiene while handling your pet, their waste, and their possessions. This list is by no means comprehensive.

Numerous viruses and parasites may be transmitted by pets to human and animal family members. Regular preventative care is the greatest approach to safeguard everyone living in your home, including two- and four-legged family pets. To keep your pet safe and healthy and to arrange a visit for preventative care, give our staff a call.