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!