Most diseases picked up from cats and dogs fall into three groups, depending on their means of transmissions and therefore, their means of control. We will consider in turn those spread through 1. Feces and urine, 2. Skin and hair contact and 3. Bites and scratches.

Diseases Spread through Feces and Urine
     Hookworms: are parasites similar to roundworms, but they enter the body differently. Infective larvae of the cat and dog hookworm directly penetrate the skin where it has come in contact with feces-contaminated soil or sand. They are not really suited to living in people and eventually die after crawling several inches under the skin. The inflammation is called "creeping eruption" and eventually ends after several weeks or months. It is seen more in the South than in the North of this country.

     Leptospirosis: This serious bacterial disease is usually acquired from swimming in or otherwise contacting water contaminated with animal urine. Many animals can carry it, particularly rats. Pets can catch it by drinking contaminated surface water (or licking it off their fur) or by eating food on which rats have urinated.
     In humans the disease is similar to flu, with fever, headache, chills, tiredness, vomiting and muscular aches. In addition, the eyes and the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord can be inflamed. In some, the liver and kidneys are damaged. Not many die from this condition, but they can be rather miserable for two or three weeks.

     Roundworms: When these common parasites of dogs and cats are swallowed by children, they often will migrate through the body tissues and cause damage, including liver enlargement and fever. These symptoms may last as long as a year. The infectious forms of the worms are their eggs, which incubate for several weeks in the ground where an animal has defecated. If a child plays there and puts his dirty hands in his mouth, he can swallow the eggs and become infected. Thus roundworms are most often seen in children aged two to four years. The disease is only rarely fatal. More commonly it is mild and long lasting.

     Tapeworms: Pets can pick up the common tapeworm by biting at and swallowing fleas, which can carry the infective form. Children can get it the same way, by ingesting fleas while nuzzling the pet's fur. Actual human infestation is rare; however, compared to other types of tapeworms we can get from eating undercooked infected beef or pork.

Prevention of Diseases Transmitted in Wastes
     Besides cleaning up your pets droppings there are a few simple precautions you should take for your own safety. One is to wash your hands after contact with soil where an animal relieved itself. Avoid going barefoot in these areas, particularly in warm climates where hookworms flourish. Teach children the same and remind them to wash their hands and keep them out of their mouth while playing with animals or potentially contaminated grounds. If you dog has gone swimming in unknown waters, give him a bath.

Disease from Skin and Hair Contact
     Fleas: The common flea will bite people, too. Though fleas prefer pets, they will make a meal of people without qualms. As soon as they are detected, rid them immediately with easy to find preparations.

     Ringworm: is caused by a fungus that eats skin and hair, ringworm often appears in people as circular, scaly, red areas. As the organism grows, it spreads outward in a circle pattern. In dogs the affected area tend to be hairless, thickened, scabby and irritated. Cats who often don't show visible symptoms transmit most ringworm from pets to humans but dogs carry it too. Children are more susceptible to ringworm than adults, though one can get it at any age. The disease is on the rise and is now the most common fungal disease reported.

     Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: while not usually fatal it can make you really sick. It is treated with antibiotics and starts suddenly with fever, headache, chills and reddening of the eyes lasting several weeks. In the eastern and central United States the dog tick carries the responsible organisms. In the West they are borne by the wood tick.
     The most common means of contracting spotted fever is from a direct bite from an infected tick. Pets can readily transport these ticks into a house or yard, where people can later be bitten.

     Scabies: In dogs this form of mange is less common than the demodectic "red" mange. However, it does occur in both dogs and cats and causes intense itching, irritation and thickening of the skin. People are infected by contact - usually holding the animal against their body. Though the animal mange mite can live in human skin, it cannot reproduce there. So eventually the problem ends on its own, if re-infection does not occur. We humans also have our own brand of scabies mites, which can cause us prolonged aggravation.

Diseases Caused by Bites and Scratches
     Cat scratch fever: After being scratched by a cat, some people will develop a fever, malaise and enlarged lymph nodes near the area of the scratch (or bite). These symptoms usually occur one or two weeks after the injury. Nobody knows what causes it. A cat bite infected with the bacteria pasteurella multocida looks similar and should be differentiated from cat scratch fever by your doctor. If you have been
scratched, wash off the area liberally with soap and water. Several hours later apply alternating hot and cold soaks.

     Rabies: Everyone has heard of this disease and of its high fatality rate (essentially 100% once the clinical signs appear). Caused by a virus transmitted through the saliva of a biting animal, it travels from the bite area to the brain in a matter of days or weeks. There it causes severe tissue inflammation that has symptoms such as convulsions, hysteria and frothing at the mouth. The most common sources of human exposure are skunks, foxes, raccoons, bats and dogs, though almost any warm-blooded creature can acquire the disease and transmit it.
     If you are bitten, wash out your wound thoroughly with soap and water. Do this as soon as possible and report to your doctor. Your chances of getting the disease are really rather rare. Only about 30% of untreated people bitten by known rabid animals actually get the disease and dog bites account for less than 5% of the rabies cases in North America. About 35,000 Americans require rabies post-exposure treatment annually.