Safety with Pet Animals

What is “Safety”? “the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss” – Merriam-Webster Keeping oneself safe Keeping the animal safe Keeping other people safe

Physical Injury Cat scratch fever – caused by cat scratches and bites; can be treated with antibiotics Bites and scratches – can cause serious infection, tetanus, rabies, and even fatality Proper handling of animals is extremely important in preventing these injuries Proper cleansing of wounds is also important in preventing complications arising from these injuries

Parasites “Organisms that live on or within another organism and derive nourishment from the host” Toxoplasmosis – especially harmful to pregnant women; spread through contact with cat litter Tapeworms – use animals as an intermediate host; can spread AHD Round worms – may be passed from dogs to people

Ticks Rocky Mountain spotted fever – transmitted by the dog tick Lyme disease – transmitted by the Deer tick, Black-legged tick, Western black-legged tick, American dog tick, and Lone star tick Ticks may be removed by grasping them as close to the head as possible and pulling them straight out Squeezing or twisting it may cause the head to break off, leaving the body to infect the host

Other Diseases Ringworm – caused by a fungus Psittacosis (parrot fever) – caused by contact with avian feces or fecal dust Salmonellosis – pet turtles are the most common cause Streptococcal bacteria – can be transmitted by dogs

Prevention Keep animal quarters clean Immunize animals and keep them free of parasites Don’t expose yourself to sick animals needlessly Contact your doctor if you become ill after animal contact Clean wounds immediately and thoroughly

An ounce of prevention Is worth a pound of cure! Be Safe!