Many people in our country keep
pets - dogs, cats or birds - at their homes, but quite a few of them are unaware
of the danger they pose to them and their family, if proper safety measures are
not adopted against the diseases of pets, which can be transmitted to human
beings. In our country, most people are unaware of these diseases, called
zoonotic diseases, and those who have some idea hardly take necessary
precautions. There are different types of diseases, bacterial, viral and
parasitic, which are transmissible to humans. Some of them can be transferred
directly from your pets to you i.e. through direct contact with the animals, but
some diseases can be transferred indirectly e.g. encountering infected excreta
and saliva. Sometimes a living organism, ticks or insects, is responsible for
the transmission of these infectious.
The pets show particular signs of harbouring the zoonotic diseases. Thus, their
owners must watch them for those specific symptoms. Some of the important
diseases and their signs are described here for the benefit of pet lovers.
Cat Scratch Disease: This disease is caused by a bacteria carried in cat saliva.
It can be passed to humans through biting, scratching or licking on the naked
skin. The symptoms of this disease in humans include the development of a
blister or bump at the site of scratch or bite and swelling of adjacent lymph
nodes after few days. If you observe these symptoms in one of your family
members, consult your doctor immediately.
Leptospirosis: A bacterial disease significant in dogs and transferred through
contact with infected urine, tissue or blood and water contaminated with
infected urine. This leads to severe kidney and liver problems.o, vaccinate your
pet and yourself against rabies.
Some of the precautions to avoid zoonotic diseases are:
Regular deworming of pets should (first time deworm your pet at the age of
15 days).
Keep to the vaccination schedule of your pet (first vaccine at 1½ to 2
months of age).
Wash your hands each time you handle a pet.
Keep your pet and its house area clean.
Don’t allow your pet to go to your cooking area or touch any eatable.
Immediately contact your veterinarian if the pet exhibits any abnormal
behavioural/sign.
The writer is a veterinary surgeon.