Unveiling the Unseen About Our Animal Friends: Diseases You Can Contract from Your Beloved Pets

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Many of us share our homes with pets, forming strong bonds with dogs, cats, mice, or various other domestic animals. However, what might surprise you is that our beloved pets can sometimes be carriers of diseases that can affect our health. In this post, we will delve into some of the diseases that can be transmitted from pets to humans.

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To explain the first disease, I will have to discuss a case of a boy who saw a stray cat and wanted to help it. As he bend to pick the cat to take it home, out of fear the kitten lashed out and bit him on the finger. The kitten had fleas that were infected Bartonella henselae, a bacteria. Since kittens would scratch and bite fleas so as to get them out, the boy got the infection from the bite of the kitten which had the bacteria in its teeth. Days later, he began to notice red bumps on his fingers. A month later, he began to see his elbow swollen and tender, and when he got to the hospital, he began to have a high fever but was immediately given antibiotics.

Six days past, and there was no improvement, so there was a reason to go for an ultrasound of his elbow and ampit and it showed swollen lymph nodes. Blood work was done, and it was at this point that a proper diagnosis was confirmed and it showed that he had Cat Scratch Disease. He was treated with another antibiotic to target the Bartonella bacteria. The boy was treated and was fine after the antibiotics. You might wonder what to do when scratched by a stray cat or your cat, it is important to wash the surface with soap and water properly. It is also important to prevent the licking of cuts by your cats, and you should seek your vet's care in case you notice any fleas on your cat, also try to prevent your cat from getting fleas.

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There was a man who rared pigeons for a long time, but overtime he began to experience dry cough, and shortness of breath. When CT scan was done, his lungs were inflamed, and he was directed to a lung specialist who performed a lung function test which discovered Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. His immune system was triggered by feathers of birds and the condition is regarded as Bird Fancler's lung and while it can be treated, the first part of treatment is avoiding them.

Another case is the case of two siblings that bought a turtle. They were fine until after a few weeks when they both suffered from stomach pain, watery stool and diarrhea. When they got to the hospital, they had salmonella in their blood and was treated with antibiotics. It was visible that the salmonella was from the turtles as they harbor salmonella in their skins and shells and the salmonella cannot cause disease for turtles but they can for humans. It can also be found in frogs and and some other reptiles and amphibians.

Our pets bring immense joy, but it's crucial to be aware of potential health risks. By understanding and taking preventive measures, we can ensure a safe and happy coexistence with our furry and scaly companions