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With your beloved four-legged, you can share an apartment and leisure, but do not get sick.
Bartonellosis (cat scratch disease)
Carriers: cats.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: The animal has no symptoms. Infection occurs from close contact (licking, scratching, biting). After the wound has healed, a speck appears, which after a while becomes a bubble filled with liquid. A month later, the lymph node closest to the wound becomes inflamed, plus a headache and a slight increase in temperature appear. Meningitis may develop.
Prevention: It is better for the owner to immediately treat the wound with a 2% solution of hydrogen peroxide, and then with iodine or alcohol.
Ornithosis
Carriers: indoor birds (parrots, budgerigars, canaries, etc.).
Symptoms and mode of transmission: sick birds molt, are weak. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets – it is enough to communicate with the bird, inhale the dust from the cage. A person develops chills, headaches and muscle pains, high fever, dry cough, inflammation of the pharynx and trachea. The liver, spleen, lungs, heart muscle, nervous system are affected. Dangerous for pregnant women.
There is no prevention.
Toxoplasmosis
Carriers: cats.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: the cat’s eyes turn red, there is a small discharge from the nose, it may lose a little weight, temporarily lose its appetite. More often, the disease is asymptomatic. Infection occurs through contact with cat feces, sand from cat litter, you can inhale the pathogen even from wool. At the same time, the lymph nodes increase, the temperature rises. The disease is especially dangerous for pregnant women.
Prevention: If possible, do not let your cat out into the street, do not feed it raw meat, do not let you catch mice and rats. Wash your hands thoroughly yourself after communicating with her, do not bring it close to your face, do not let her into bed.
Leptospirosis
Carriers: dogs.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: the dog refuses to feed, its temperature rises, it becomes lethargic, vomiting, diarrhea appears. It is transmitted if urine or saliva comes into contact with damaged human skin. The disease begins with chills, fever, severe muscle pain. Then comes kidney and liver damage. Without treatment, you can either get serious complications or die.
Prevention: do not let the dog swim in stagnant water, get a prophylactic vaccination every 8-9 months.
Dermatomycoses (ringworm)
Carriers: dogs, cats.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: Animals develop a hairless spot that itches. Transmitted by contact with wool. The person also develops round or oval, inflamed, crusty spots that itch. They can appear on the head, face, neck and arms.
Prevention: the animal can be vaccinated, it is necessary to be regularly examined by a veterinarian. If the animal is sick, it is necessary to carry out not only treatment, but also a thorough cleaning of the apartment.
Helminthiasis (worms)
Carriers: dogs, cats.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: animals have unstable stools, bloating, thinness, lethargy. Infection occurs through contact with an animal or cat’s litter box. The symptoms are the same as in animals.
Prevention: the animal should be deworming every three months. And for people – to monitor personal hygiene, wash their hands after communicating with a pet and cleaning its toilet.
chlamydia
Carriers: cats.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: either no symptoms appear at all, or chronic conjunctivitis. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, in contact with saliva and other secretions. A person develops eye, intestinal diseases, infertility.
Prevention: vaccination of a cat protects against the manifestations of the disease, but infection and carriage of the pathogen are still possible. And people need to monitor personal hygiene, wash their hands after communicating with a pet and cleaning its toilet.
Rabies
Carriers: dog or cat.
Symptoms and mode of transmission: a sick animal either hides from the owner, or really wants to be caressed, tries to lick. Later he can throw himself at everyone. Characterized by hoarse barking, strange meowing due to damage to the larynx. The animal cannot drink, it salivates. The disease is transmitted through a bite or saliva that gets on damaged skin or mucous membranes of a person. The first signs are itching and pain at the site of the bite, pain along the nerve pathways near the infected site, hydrophobia. The disease develops rapidly and can end in death. An urgent vaccination is needed.
Prevention: for animals – a mandatory annual vaccination. If a person is bitten by a sick or suspicious animal, it is necessary to wash the wound with warm boiled water, treat it with 70% alcohol or iodine and go to the hospital for vaccination.