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. In the United States, most households have at least one pet.

Feelings of loneliness, anxiety and decreased blood pressure are all symptoms of PTSD.

More significant 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 (zoo-NOT-ic) diseases are diseases that can be contracted from animals. Here are some tips to 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 assume 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?

Can I spend enough time caring for and cleaning up after the pet?

What kind of environment is best for this pet?

What kind of exercise does your pet require?

Is having pets in my apartment, house, or condo okay?

Do you have any questions?

Certain people may be more at risk of contracting the diseases that animals can transmit

Children under five years of age, 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 a zoonotic diseases. 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 five 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.

Pregnant women should not adopt a cat or handle stray cats, particularly kittens, and should be cautious about doing so. Toxoplasmosis is a condition that can lead to congenital disabilities. Cats can be infected with a parasite. You don’t have to surrender your cat if you are pregnant. However, it would help if you did not handle cat litter.

To avoid exposure to lymphocytic meningitis virus, which can cause congenital disabilities, pregnant women should not come in contact with rodents. Avoid direct contact with pet rodents if you are pregnant.

How to Keep Your Pets Healthy

Always wash your hands.

After you have touched or played with your pet,

After giving your pet or handling their food,

After you have managed pet habitats and equipment (cages or tanks, toys, food, water dishes, etc.),

After taking care of the pets

It would help to 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 unavailable. Hand washing should be done by adults, even if it is for children under 5.

Take care of your pet’s health

You can keep your pet healthy by providing ongoing, comprehensive veterinary care, regardless of whether it is 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 exercises, clean bedding, and fresh water. Ensure your pet is up-to-date on their vaccinations, deworming, and flea and tick control. Some ticks can be transmitted to humans by pets, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Fleas can threaten pets and owners in areas with the plague, including some rural areas of the western US.

You can help your family and pet by keeping them healthy. If you have questions or think your pet might suffer from illness, please consult your veterinarian.

Do your best to maintain a healthy pet

Good pet hygiene and 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. Refrain from cleaning the sinks in the kitchen, areas for food preparation, and the bathroom sink. You don’t have to touch your pets 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 appropriate places. Parasites and germs can harm humans, cats, and dog poop. To prevent children from getting roundworms and hookworms, keep them away from areas where there might be a cat or dog poop. Sandboxes 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 daily. 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 five years old must be supervised when they interact with animals. This is to ensure the safety of 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 contact them.

Children younger than five should be supervised and extra cautious around farm animals. This includes animals at fairs and petting zoos.

Keep Wildlife Wild

You should avoid touching wild animals to reduce your risk of injury and illness. 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.