Learn the risks and benefits of pet ownership
Pet ownership has many health benefits. Pets can help you exercise, socialize, and get outside. Walking with your pet or playing with them can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. By providing companionship and support, pets can be a great way to manage loneliness or depression. The United States has a majority of households that have at least one pet.
Research has shown that pets and people have many health benefits.
- Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and decreased blood pressure are all symptoms of PTSD.
- Greater opportunities for outdoor and exercise; improved cognitive function in seniors; and more socializing opportunities
Even though pets may appear healthy, they can carry dangerous germs that can make you sick. Zoonotic (pronounced “zoo-NOT-ic”) diseases are diseases that can be contracted from animals. Here are some tips that will help you and your loved ones keep healthy while having pets.
Choose the right pet
Make sure you are comfortable with the decision to adopt a pet. Make sure you do your research about the needs of the pet before you adopt it. These are the questions to ask before you get a pet.
- What is the expected lifespan of this animal?
- What should the pet eat?
- What amount of exercise does your pet require?
- What size will it grow to?
- What is the cost of veterinary care?
- Are I able to spend enough time caring for the pet and cleaning up after it?
- What kind of environment is best for this pet?
- What kind of exercise does your pet require?
- Is it okay to have pets in my apartment, house, or condo?
- Do you have any questions?
Certain people may be more at risk of contracting the diseases that animals can transmit.
Children under 5 years old, those with weak immune systems and seniors 65 and over are more susceptible to diseases that spread between animals or people. These diseases are also known as zoonotic disease. Women who are pregnant are at higher risk of certain animal-related illnesses. Keep these things in mind before you get a pet.
- Children under 5 years of age should not own reptiles, lizards or snakes in their homes. They also shouldn’t have backyard chickens or amphibians. This is because they could contract serious illnesses from germs between the animals and children.
- People with compromised immune systems should be extra cautious when selecting and handling pets. For help choosing the right pet, talk to your veterinarian.
- Women who are pregnant should not adopt a cat or handle stray cats, particularly kittens, and should consult a doctor before doing so. Toxoplasmosis is a condition that can lead to birth defects in cats. You don’t have to surrender your cat if you are pregnant. However, you should not handle cat litter.
- To avoid exposure to the lymphocytic-choriomeningitis virus (which can cause birth defects), pregnant women should not come in direct contact with rodents. If you are pregnant and own a pet rodent, it is best to avoid direct contact with them and to have someone else clean their habitat.
How to Keep Your Pets Healthy
Wash your hands when you’re caring for your pet. This will help to reduce the chance of your pet getting sick. Talk to your doctor if you are worried about illness.
Always wash your hands.
- After you have touched or played with your pet,
- After giving your pet food or handling it,
- After you have handled pet habitats and equipment (cages or tanks, toys, food, water dishes, etc.),
- After taking care of the pets
- You must leave areas where animals live (coops or barns, stalls etc.). Even if you have never touched an animal,
- Before you eat or drink
- Before you prepare food or drinks
- Remove soiled shoes and clothes.
Hand washing is best done with soap and running water. However, you can still use hand sanitizer if soap and running water are not available. Hand washing should be done by adults, even if it is for children under 5.
Keep Your Pets Healthy
You can keep your pet’s health and that of your family members safe by providing ongoing, comprehensive veterinary care, no matter if they are a cat, dog, horse, parakeet or gerbil. Good pet health is dependent on regular veterinary visits. Talk to your veterinarian to learn how to keep your pet happy. Give your pet a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and clean water. Make sure your pet is up-to-date on their vaccinations, deworming, flea and tick control, as well. Some ticks can be transmitted to humans by pets. Fleas can pose a threat to both pets and owners in areas prone to plague, such as some areas of the western US.
You can help your family and pet by keeping them healthy. If you have questions or think that your pet might be suffering from illness, please consult your veterinarian.
Good pet hygiene
Good pet hygiene, in addition to hand washing can help reduce the spread of germs among pets and people. When possible, keep pets and all their belongings out of the kitchen. Do not clean the sinks in the kitchen, areas for food preparation, and the bathroom sink. You don’t have to touch your pets in order for them to spread germs on surfaces.
Use a bag to remove the dog’s feces from your yard or public areas. Then, dispose of it in the appropriate places. Parasites and germs can be dangerous to humans from cat and dog poop. To prevent children from getting roundworms and hookworms, keep them away from areas where there might be cat or dog poop. Sand boxes should be covered so that cats won’t use them for litter. To reduce the risk of being infected by parasites, clean the litter box every day. Pregnant women should not change the cat’s litter box.
Teach children how to interact with animals
Children can learn compassion and responsibility from their pets. Children under 5 years old must be supervised when they interact with animals. This is to ensure safety for both the child and the pet. Children should learn to wash their hands after touching animals, or any animal’s environment (cages or beds, food, or water dishes). Children shouldn’t touch animals or use their hands to make contact with them.
Children younger than five years old should be supervised and extra cautious around farm animals. This includes animals at fairs and petting zoos.
Keep Wildlife Wild
To reduce your risk of injury and illness, you should avoid touching wild animals even though they might look adorable and cuddly. Feeding wild animals like prairie dogs and raccoons is not a good idea. It is possible to find an abandoned young animal and rescue it. However, often the parent of the animal is nearby. Contact a wildlife rehabilitation center if you have concerns about wild animals.
Hope this advance pet care tips will help you !
