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Diseases You Can Catch From Your Pets.....

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sadique:
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sadique:
First discovered in 1889 by Henri Parinaud, this usually benign disease is caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae. It is also known as "Cat Scratch Fever".

In 1950, Dr. Robert Debré discovered cats to be the natural reservoir for the bacterium, hence the name "Cat Scratch Disease". CSD is commonly found in children 1-2 weeks following a cat scratch or bite; the bacteria is more likely to be found in the blood stream of kittens rather then adult cats. About 40% of cats carry Bartonella henselae at some time in their lives but you cannot tell a cat as a carrier from an uninfected cat.

Symptoms of CSD include swollen Lymph nodes (especially those around the head, neck, and upper limbs.) A human with CSD may experience fever, headache, fatigue, and a loss of appetite.

To avoid any possible CSD infections, don't "play rough" with kittens and cats, as they are more like to scratch or bite. If you do receive a a scratch or a bite, immediately wash them thoroughly with running water and soap. Do not allow kitty to to lick any open wound you may have.

sadique:
A hookworm is a parasite that has "hooks" inside its mouth for attaching to its host. Puppies and kittens are more likely to be infected with hookworms then adult pets, which makes it especially important for you, as a responsible pet owner, to take your new pet to a veterinarian and have Kitty or Fido "dewormed", a process using antibiotics that kills the parasites.

People can become infected with hookworms through contact with animal feces. You may say how is that possible? An example is a small child playing in the dirt where a pet has gone to the bathroom. Hookworm eggs and/or larvae might be left behind as a result and a small child might accidentally come in contact with them.

Infection by hookworms can appear in several ways for a human. If you are infected by the hookworm larvae, it can travel through the body in what is known as "larva migrans". Hookworm larvae can also cause a painful and itchy skin infection as the larvae moves through your skin. How unpleasant!

If you should accidentally ingest animal hookworm eggs, the larvae that hatch out of the eggs can reach the intestine and cause bleeding, (swelling), and abdominal pain.

sadique:
Leptospirosis is a disease is caused by spiral-shaped bacteria called leptospires. Leptospirosis is not uncommon in the United States but infections can happen. Dogs are more likely to become infected; while there have been cases of cats becoming infected, it is rare.

The disease is transmitted via urine and other body fluids, but not in saliva. Humans and animals can become infected through contact with contaminated urine (or other body fluids), water, or soil.

Infection in humans resembles a mild flu and rarely has serious complications. Pets can received a vaccination against Leptospirosis but because there are so many types of leptospires it is not 100% effective.

Rodents such as mice and rats also carry Leptospirosis so make sure you keep any pest problems under control to minimize risk of infection to your pets. Also keep your pets away from wildlife critters, as they may be infected.

sadique:
Psittacosis (pronounced "sit-ta-co-sis") is caused by Chlamydia psittaci, a type of bacteria. All birds are susceptible to Psittacosis; pet birds such as parrots, parakeets, macaws, and cockatiels and poultry (turkeys and ducks) are most frequently involved in transmitting the disease to humans.

It's is difficult to tell whether a pet bird is infected. A bird sick with Psittacosis can show one or several of the following symptoms; eye discharge or swelling, labored breathing, shivering, weight loss, lethargy, "fluffed up" appearance, diarrhea, or weakness.

The disease can be transmitted via droppings from an infected bird that become aerosolized (dispersed in the air as very fine droplets or dust particles.) Inhaling these aerosolized particles causes the infection.

It is important to not overcrowd birds into a cage and to arrange cages so materials such as urine, feces, food and feathers can not spread between them. Feeding your bird properly and making sure its cage is clean is very important!

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