Can I catch that from my pet?

We sometimes get asked by owners whether they can catch a certain disease from their pet …or sometimes they ask if their pet could catch say a flu from them.

These are very good questions and thankfully in domestic pets there are only a few disease conditions that can be transferred between our pet dogs/cats and humans. It’s good to know that dogs and cats cannot catch the human cold or flu. Dogs can suffer upper respiratory infections i.e. Canine Cough and cats can catch Cat Flu but the causative agents are species specific.

Conditions that we can catch from animals are called zoonoses. Some of these include:

1. Ringworm: this is a fungal condition that effects the skin in animals & humans. Treated with antifungal medications. Animals, humans and the environment require treating in this condition. 

2. Intestinal worms: e.g. roundworm, hookworm and hydatid tapeworm from pets can cause a variety of conditions in humans .

Prevented by regular worming of adult dogs and cats and feeding cooked meat or good quality commercial diet. Also good flea prevention.

3. Scabies – Sarcoptic mange – a small mite that burrows under the skin. Domestic and native animals may be affected by this parasite.

4. Toxoplasmosis – a parasite sometimes found in the gastrointestinal tract of cats can cause disease in unborn infants infected during pregnancy or may affect immune compromised individuals.

5. Giardia – a parasite found in animals and contaminated water which may cause diarrhoea.

6. Cat bite/scratch infections – Getting bitten or scratched by a cat may cause acute local infection or a fever and general malaise, and quite often requires antibiotics.

7. Tetanus – although rare, may be picked up through a dog bite and it is good to check that your tetanus vaccinations are up to date.

There are many other zoonotic diseases in other countries and between other animals and humans eg. rabies, hendra virus, TB, Bird Flu, anthrax etc. but thankfully in Australia and from our domestic pets there are not too many conditions we can catch or pass on.

Please ask one of our vets if you have any further questions.