Can animals......?????

Question

Can dog,cats,rats etc...get humans sick? If so, what are the following illnesses we can get from them?

Can dog,cats,rats etc...get humans sick? If so, what are the following illnesses we can get from them?

UPDATE:MORE DETAIL!
I asked this cause I found a dog which i'm currently fostering till a rescue group gets him medical attention. I think this dog is sick, due to being in the street for a while. A little after he got here I started feeling sick, so I thought maybe it could be the dog. He coughs alot...maybe he has a cold?

Answer 1

I don't know if you understand exactly how large the question your asking is!
There are many, many illnesses you can get from animals. Semonela, blood mites, ring worm, worms, rabies, tape worm, protozoa, bordetella, feline leukemia (cat AIDS), ect. It's never ending, buddy.
Go to google and look it up.

Answer 2

There are many diseases humans can get from animals. Just three examples.

Bubonic plague, which decimated the population of Europe during the middle ages, is carried by rat fleas.

Rabies, which is still almost always fatal once it has been contracted, is carried by many wild animals, and they can either infect people directly or via domestic pets, this illness is feared more than almost any other, around the world.

Tuberculosis is still a very serious health problem in humans, especially with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant forms. Many animals suffer from TB, including cattle, in which it is quite a common problem, and can pass it to humans in exactly the same way as humans pass it to one another.

PS Humans can pass illnesses to animals too; for example the human cold can infect guinea pigs and cause very serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

Answer 3

Yes . Pet owners can be very close to their pets. But, how close is too close? Could they be so close that they're making each other sick?

Kathy Gaughan, assistant professor of clinical sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, said that it is possible. "Pets can definitely make their humans sick," Gaughan said. "But, humans making pets sick is unlikely."

According to Gaughan, animals can pass many diseases and illnesses to humans. "There are many diseases that humans can get from their pets, and a few can be problematic.

"Rabies is only carried by mammals, and is a virus that can be passed from animals to people," Gaughan said. "This disease is transmitted by saliva, and it can be fatal if left untreated. Fortunately, it is 100 percent preventable with a vaccine."

Another problem is ringworm. "Ringworm is actually a fungal infection called dermatophytosis. Humans can get the disease by contact with infected animals. Some pets that have dermatophytosis have no signs; others may have bald patches. In humans, ringworm may cause dry itchy patches on the skin. Many pets can be treated successfully; however, some animals may be life-long carriers.

"Roundworms and hookworms are big problems, too. In animals, these worms are intestinal parasites. In humans, these parasites may travel through internal organs and can cause serious disease," Gaughan said. "Humans can get the disease by ingesting the infectious eggs found in the feces of an infected pet. Additionally, hookworm larvae can penetrate the skin. The disease can be prevented by practicing good hygiene &emdash; washing hands after gardening, changing the litter box and playing in a sandbox; and by wearing shoes."

Another disease that may be passed from animals to humans is Toxoplasmosis. "This disease is caused by a parasite. Any animal can get it, but cats are the usual hosts," Gaughan said. "The animals may not show symptoms, but in pregnant women, the disease can cause birth defects or miscarriages. Humans can contract the disease by ingesting the infectious stages of the parasite, which may be found in cat feces or undercooked meat."

Gaughan gave some tips for living healthier with pets. "Practice good hygiene and teach children to do the same. Wash your hands after cleaning out the litter box or petting the animals. Also, keep pets well groomed and make sure they receive regular health examinations, which may include vaccinations and de-worming. Do not allow pets to hunt and do not feed pets raw meat."

Answer 4

Not very often. But you can get a cold from a cat and vica-versa, you can get rabbies from any animal that has it. For the most part, our immune systems differ quite a bit from other animals, so there are few things that can be passed between animals and humans. But watch out for bird flu. And many STD's originated from people having sex with animals.

Answer 5

That could be anything from kennel cough to distemper. Odds are that it's not contagious to humans, but I'd keep him quarantined from any other pets until he's seen a vet.