Staying Healthy With Healthy Pets: Pets, Parasites and People

Pets harbor various parasites (e.g., worms, ticks, fleas, mites, viruses, fungi and bacteria), many of which can be directly or indirectly transferred to their owners. Consequently, human health is linked to the health of household pets. In order to understand how pets become infected, and how such infections are likely to spread to all members of the household, it is important to have some knowledge of the life cycles of the offending parasites. Managing the health of a pet is a time-consuming task, one that is essential not only for the animal, but also for its human family, both of which can suffer serious health problems as a consequence of inadequate pet care. This publication examines how pets, primarily dogs and cats, acquire certain parasitic infections and then transfer them to their owners. The information provided is intended to encourage pet owners to initiate regular veterinary intervention to effectively address pet wellness and to eliminate the problems caused by parasitic infections.