The Risks of Having Pets Part 1

Most people do not realize that we run risks when we welcome a new pet into our home. Regardless of the type of pet you have, this article may enlighten you to some risks you may not know. I have designed this article to define your risks where your pets are concerned.

The Risks of Having Pets: Campylobacter

What started out as what we thought was merely food poisoning; studies soon showed that this bacterium was not only transferred from under cooked meats. Many children came down with this disease in 1990. The problem spread throughout child-care facilities. It was then discovered that one of the children had caught it from some puppies and kittens that had diarrhea. When the child picked up the animals, faint traces were then passed onto that child's hands. Once this child was infected it began to spread whenever they were in close contact with other children.

Symptoms that you may have contracted this bacterium are as follows:

Diarrhea (this includes bloody)

Abdominal pain

Muscle aches

Exhaustion

Headache

Nausea

The Risks of Having Pets: Cat Scratch Disease

This is a disease that is not much to get worried over. It is spread by bites and scratches from kittens, cats, dogs, and puppies. Although the animals do not usually show signs of being sick, they still carry the bacteria.

Symptoms can include what looks like a small red pimple in the area that you have been scratched. Later, your glands will swell; you will get a fever, and a headache. Because these symptoms sometimes mimic TB your doctor should be sure you don't have the more serious problems.

The Risks of Having Pets: Encephalitis

This illness poses a significant risk to your health. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the tissues in your brain and spinal cord. This disease primarily infects animals, but it can be transferred to humans. Mosquitoes catch this disease from biting animals and then the mosquitoes pass it to humans.

Some symptoms may include some, but usually not all, of the following:

Disorientation/confusion

Dizziness

Inability to speak clearly

Tremors

Seizures

Weakness

Exhaustion

Irritability

Hallucination of non existent smells

It is important to note that while some people may recover from this, others will have long term damage to their nervous system including mental deterioration.

The Risks of Having Pets: Hantavirus

For those of us who remember, the 1990's had an outbreak of this illness. Otherwise healthy people began developing high fevers, chills, and coughs, which seemed like the flu, but then their lungs filled with fluid and they died. These people died while doing normal things, such as dancing, buying groceries, etc. Doctors hadn't a clue what was happening. This specific health problem poses risks to people who have pet rodents.

So how do you get it? Well, it is caught by breathing dried rodent feces. These particles become airborne as the matter beings to decompose. You can also contract this disease by coming into contact with rodent saliva or urine. This means that if you eat something that was just eaten off of from a rodent that was infected you will become infected. The rodents will not appear sick at all.

The risks of catching this are great. Especially, if you have rodents as pets or have snakes and other reptiles that require feeding mice.

The Risks of Having Pets: Parrot Fever

For those who love their exotic birds, there is a risk you should be aware of. A bacterium that is called Chlamydia Psittaci is responsible. The birds that are usually infected with these bacteria include:

Parrots

Parakeets

Canaries

Pigeons

Ducks

Geese

This bacterium is usually shed in the feces and in the feathers. People get it from touching feathers that have been on the ground and do not wash their hands thoroughly afterward. The bacterium that is in the feces dries and deteriorates into a fine dust. The slightest breeze can make that dust become airborne. Without knowing it you can inhale thousands of microscopic bacterium. Once a human being has it, it can be passed to another human being through coughing and sneezing.

Some symptoms may include:

Fever

Aches and pains

Chills

Sore throat

Chest pain

Cough

This will usually form into pneumonia if you have not gotten proper medical treatment. If it goes untreated completely, 30% of the people die from this disease.

The Risks of Having Pets: Rat Bite Fever

Healthy rats carry two types of bacteria. Just because the name suggest that you must be bitten to catch this illness it is simply not true. Just by living in a home with pet rats or rats that are not pets you can easily get this illness.

Some symptoms may include:

Fever

Chills

Aches and pains

Headaches

Rashes

So far there are no studies that show it can be transmitted human to human. So, this means if you live in a home with rats you are the only ones at risk.

The Risks of Having Pets: Conclusion

Unfortunately these are only a handful of the health risks pet lovers face. In the next installment of this hot topic I will discuss more diseases that are transferred to humans and what pets cause them.