How to Prevent Zoonotic Diseases (Diseases You Can Catch From Pets)

We love our pets. We let them on the couch, in the bed and, in some households, very close to the dinner plate. But pets can carry germs and parasites that make people sick. Doctors call these zoonotic diseases (zoh-uh-NOT-ick), and there are a lot of them.

The good news: most are easy to prevent with a few simple habits. You don't have to love your pets any less. You just have to wash your hands a little more. Here's who's most at risk, the everyday rules that protect your family, and the most common diseases pets can pass to people.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you or your child has symptoms, call your doctor. If your pet seems sick, call your vet.

Who's Most at Risk?

Anyone can catch a disease from an animal, but some people are more likely to get seriously sick:

•      Children under 5, whose immune systems are still developing, and who put their hands (and everything else) in their mouths

•      Pregnant women, because some infections can harm an unborn baby

•      Adults 65 and older

•      Anyone with a weakened immune system, such as from cancer treatment, an organ transplant or HIV

If someone in your home is in one of these groups, the rules below matter even more.

The 10 Everyday Rules That Prevent Most Pet-Borne Illness

1.     Wash hands with soap and water after touching, feeding or cleaning up after any animal, and always before eating. Supervise little kids so it actually happens. (A quick rinse and a wipe on the jeans doesn't count.)

2.     Pick up poop right away, in the yard and on walks, with a bag or gloves, never bare hands.

3.     Scoop the litter box every day, with gloves, and wash your hands afterward.

4.     Keep your pet's vaccinations up to date, especially rabies.

5.     Use flea and tick prevention year-round, as your vet recommends. Fleas and ticks spread illness to pets and people.

6.     Deworm pets on the schedule your vet recommends.

7.     Take sick pets to the vet, especially for diarrhea, skin problems or patchy hair loss.

8.     Keep pets away from food prep areas, and wash their bowls separately from the family dishes.

9.     No kissing pets on the mouth, and no letting them lick open cuts or a baby's face. Yes, really.

10.  Cover sandboxes when kids aren't using them, so neighborhood cats don't use them as a litter box.

Kids and Pets: Extra Rules for Little Ones

•      Supervise young children with animals, always. Keep kids away from pets while the pets are eating.

•      Children under 5 should avoid contact with reptiles, amphibians, backyard poultry and pet rodents, the CDC says. That includes turtles, lizards, snakes, frogs, chicks, ducklings, hamsters and mice. These animals commonly carry germs like Salmonella, even when they look perfectly healthy and clean.

•      No hands in mouths after petting animals, and no snacks until hands are washed.

•      Be extra careful at petting zoos and farms. Wash hands right after, and don't bring food, pacifiers or sippy cups into animal areas.

•      Older kids who do pet chores should wear gloves for litter boxes, cages and fish tanks. Here's what kids can do at each age: Pet Chores for Kids.

Pets and Pregnancy

Pregnant? You don't have to give up the cat. But someone else should take over the litter box.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that can be spread through cat poop, and it can cause serious problems for an unborn baby. If no one else can change the litter, wear gloves, scoop it every day (the parasite takes one to five days to become infectious, so daily scooping helps), and wash your hands well.

Keep the cat indoors, and don't feed it raw meat. Wear gloves when gardening, too, because outdoor cats use garden soil.

Pregnant women should also avoid pet rodents, which can carry a virus that's dangerous during pregnancy, and be careful around reptiles.

Common Diseases You Can Catch From Pets

Bites and Scratches

Wash any animal bite or scratch right away with soap and running water for several minutes. Call your doctor for any bite that breaks the skin, a bite from a stray or wild animal, or a scratch that gets red, swollen or painful.

Never touch a bat, even a dead one, and call your doctor if anyone in the family may have had contact with a bat. Bat bites can be tiny enough to miss.

What About Bathing Pets?

Regular grooming keeps pets healthy and cuts down on fleas, dander and dirt, but bathing isn't what prevents most diseases. Hand-washing, poop cleanup, vaccines and parasite prevention do that. Bathe your pet as often as your vet recommends for its breed and coat. Too much bathing can dry out a pet's skin. Use shampoo made for pets, never people shampoo.

When to Call the Doctor or the Vet

•      Call your doctor if a family member gets a fever, diarrhea, a ring-shaped rash, a swollen lymph node near a scratch, or any symptoms after a bite. Mention that you have pets.

•      Call the vet if your pet has diarrhea, vomiting, itchy or patchy skin, worms in its poop, or seems unwell.

Frequently Asked Questions

What diseases can you catch from pets?

The most common include Salmonella, ringworm, roundworms, cat scratch disease, toxoplasmosis and Campylobacter. Rabies is rare in pets in the U.S. thanks to vaccines, but it's very serious.

How do you prevent getting sick from your pet?

Wash your hands after touching or cleaning up after animals, pick up poop right away, keep vaccines and flea, tick and worm prevention up to date, and take sick pets to the vet.

Can kids get sick from pets?

Yes, and children under 5 are more likely to get seriously sick. Supervise young kids with animals, wash their hands after every contact, and keep children under 5 away from reptiles, amphibians, backyard poultry and pet rodents.

Can pregnant women be around cats?

Yes, but someone else should change the litter box, because cat poop can spread toxoplasmosis. If you must do it, wear gloves, scoop daily and wash your hands well.

Is it safe to let your dog lick you?

A lick on healthy skin is low risk, but don't let pets lick your face, open cuts or a baby's face, and wash up afterward.

Keep Going

Hands are washed and the litter box is scooped. Keep the whole family healthy and helping with these related guides:

•      Pet Chores for Kids: What kids can do to help care for the family pet, at every age.

•      Easy Pets for Kids: Pets that are a good fit for families with young children.

•      Family Pets Guide: Choosing the best pet for your family, and caring for it.

•      Make Disinfecting Wipes at Home: Cheaper, greener wipes for quick cleanups around the pet bowls.

•      Weekly Chores for Kids by Age: Including scooping the litter box and cleaning the tank.

•      Chores for Kids by Age: The complete guide, with a chore chart for every age.

•      Green Cleaning Guide: Clean your home safely with fewer harsh chemicals.

•      Safe at Home: Keeping the whole family safe at home.

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