Keep Your Pet and Family Healthy

               While there are many benefits to owning a pet, it is important to know that they may carry germs and diseases. These diseases can easily be spread to people and make them sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer information on how to protect you and your family from these diseases.

                When choosing a pet, people should make sure that it will be the right one for their family. Families with children under the age of five should not have reptiles or amphibians (CDC, 2010). Pregnant women should not be in contact with rodents because they may be exposed to a virus that could cause birth defects (CDC, 2010). Pregnant women should avoid handling stray cats and cleaning litter boxes to avoid contracting toxoplasmosis. People with a compromised immune system also need to be careful when handling pets (CDC, 2010).

                People should always wash their hands when they have come into contact with an animal. Individuals should also wash their hands after handling pet food and treats since they can be contaminated with bacteria and other germs (CDC, 2010). The CDC recommends washing hands whenever you leave a place where animals live, regardless of whether you touched an animal or not.

                Individuals need to keep their pets vaccinations up to date. When vaccinations are current, you not only keep your pet healthy, but you and your family healthy as well. Applying medications such as Frontline to your pets will reduce the risk of ticks which can spread Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Pets should be provided with a good diet, fresh water, clean bedding, and exercise (CDC, 2010). When your pet is healthy, the risk of germs and disease are reduced. Another very important vaccination that a pet should have is the rabies vaccination. Rabies can kill your pet and even people.

                Lastly, children younger than five years need to be supervised whenever animals are present. Parents need to teach their children proper hygiene when handling pets or their environment. Parents should be extra cautious when their children visit farms, petting zoos, and fairs (CDC, 2010).

Reference

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010).  Healthy Pets Healthy People. Retrieved March 8, 2011 from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HealthyPets/.