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Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention's
Pet-Scription
Pets provide
many health benefits for people. However, some pets can transmit diseases
to people. These diseases are called zoonoses (zoo-oh-noh-sees). This
Pet-Scription has been given to you to help you enjoy your pets while
keeping you healthy.
To best
protect yourself from getting sick from many animal diseases, wash your
hands with running water and soap after contact with animals and their
feces (stool). Avoid rough play with cats and dogs to prevent scratches
and bites. Some people are more likely than others to get diseases from
animals and need to be extra cautious. A person's age and health status
may affect his or her immune system, increasing the chances of getting
sick. These people include:
- Infants
and children less than 5 years old.
- Elderly.
- Pregnant
women.
- People
undergoing treatments for cancer.
- People
who have received organ transplants.
- People
with HIV/AIDS.
Different
types of animals can carry different diseases. Some animals may be more
likely than others to carry diseases that make people sick. If you fit
into one of the groups of people outlined above, you should avoid contact
with the following:
- Reptiles
(turtles, lizards, and snakes).
- Baby
chicks and ducklings.
- Puppies
and kittens less than 6 months old.
- Pets
with diarrhea.
Additionally,
if you are at higher risk of diseases from animals, you should be extra
cautious around farm animals, including those at petting zoos and petting
farms.
To prevent
illness due to animal contact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends the following for all people, but especially for those at greatest
risk of getting sick from pets:
- Always
wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water after contact
with animals and their feces.
- Avoid
rough play with cats and dogs to prevent scratches and bites.
- If you
are at higher risk of getting sick from animals, you should avoid contact
with reptiles, baby chicks, ducklings, puppies and kittens. You should
also be extra cautious around young calves and other farm animals.
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