More than half (54%) of Minnesota households have a pet. And why not?! We love our dogs, cats and critters. They are part of the family and often sit next to us on the couch or even sleep in our beds. But just like any roommate, your pets can pass along bacteria or make you more susceptible to sickness. Here is a look at the most common infections where Fido, for example, is likely at fault.

Poison ivy

After scratching your skin, you might be scratching your head wondering how you got a case of poison ivy when you haven’t been hiking in the woods or anywhere you would have come in contact with it.  But, what about your pet, especially a cat or dog that you have picked up with bare arms?

The reaction people get from poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac is called contact dermatitis. The reaction starts within 24 to 72 hours after exposure and causes bump and blisters that itch, in many cases, badly.

It is interesting to note that neither dogs nor cats suffer from the poison ivy rash. But, their coats act as the perfect vehicle to transfer the oil (called urishiol) to humans. Imagine if you snuggle with your pet when they have this oil on them. You can get poison ivy on your face, neck, arms and any bare spot of skin that comes in contact. The result is a rash you may mistake for something else.

In terms of treatment, mild cases of poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac can be treated with OTC remedies like hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion, especially if the rash is contained to one small area like the arm or leg, But, if the rash has spread, you’ll want to get it checked out. Online care options at The Urgency Room are a perfect for this scenario as a prescription for oral steroids may be necessary. You may also need to bathe your pets and keep them in an area of the yard that is free from poison ivy, oak or sumac.

Ticks and Lyme’s Disease

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, Lyme disease “has now become an endemic throughout most of the state, affecting thousands of residents each year”. While many of us know to check ourselves after a walk in the woods or an afternoon mowing the lawn, not all of us consider our pets.  Their high-grass adventures can bring ticks into your home meaning you don’t even have to go outside to get potentially infected, especially if your pet is not treated for ticks.

Lyme disease is spread by the deer tick. It is important to educate yourself on the appearance of this specific tick.  It looks very different than the common wood tick. The deer tick or blacklegged tick that spreads Lyme disease is smaller than a pinhead – less than one millimeter, or 0.04 inch. Yes, that is 4/100 of an inch! These ticks can easily ride into your home on the coat of your pet. The infected tick must be attached for at least 24-48 hours to transmit the bacteria. The chances of getting Lyme disease increase the longer the tick is attached.

The signs of Lyme disease are different for everyone, but the most common complaint is “flu-like” symptoms.  Early signs and symptoms include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain and swollen lymph nodes – similar to symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu in up to 80% of Lyme infections. Lyme disease is famous for its bullseye rash but not everyone will develop this characteristic rash.  The presence of this rash is enough for the diagnosis of Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics which are very effective in killing the bacteria.

Treatment is most effective early in the course of Lyme disease. Later detection is also treatable with antibiotics though it can cause symptoms that may take longer to go away, even after the antibiotics have killed the Lyme disease bacteria.

So how do you keep ticks off your pets and out of your house? Studies show flea and tick treatments can help, but ticks can still get in your home, and worse, attach to the humans inside. That leaves the ultimate prevention tool: rigorous tick checks of you, your family AND your pets.

Ringworm

Many of us have had ringworm. Contrary to the name, the ringworm rash has nothing to do with worms. Instead it is a skin infection caused by fungus. The name comes from the fact that the rash often has a ring-shaped pattern and a raised, scaly border that resembles a worm.

Anyone can get ringworm, but is especially common in people who have close contact with an infected animal especially puppies or kittens, but also dogs, cats and pet rats. Ringworm is spread through contact with the skin or fur of an infected animal or if you touch objects the animal sleeps with, like a blanket.

If you suspect you have ringworm, you’ll want to confirm the infection with a doctor. Mild cases can be treated with OTC antifungal cream. More significant cases require treatment as the rash can grow and cover a large area or infect other areas of your body.Treatment can get rid of the ringworm and stop the itch, which can be intense. Because ringworm is also contagious, treatment can prevent you from spreading it to others.

Salmonella

The CDC reports that every year in the US there are about 1.35 million cases of salmonella with 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths.

This infection often causes people to feel very sick anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days after coming in contact with the bacteria. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. While many will recover within four to seven days, for some the diarrhea and vomiting can become so severe they need to treated. It is also possible the bacteria can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and other places of the body in which case salmonella can be fatal if not treated with antibiotics.

Most of us are familiar with the salmonella recalls of certain foods at the grocery store. But there is another source of the bacteria: animals. For example, salmonellosis is not common in cats and dogs but they can be carriers of the bacteria and give it to you. The same is true of other pets and farm animals including:

• Poultry (chicks, chickens, ducklings, ducks, geese, and turkeys)
• Farm animals (goats, calves, cows, sheep, and pigs)
• Wild birds
• Reptiles (turtles, lizards, and snakes)
• Amphibians (frogs and toads)
• Rodents (mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs)
• Hedgehogs

Salmonella is uncommon in dogs and cats, but they can be carriers of the bacteria. This means that even if the pets don’t show symptoms of salmonella, they can still shed the bacteria in their stool and saliva and then spread it to the home environment and to people and other pets in the household.

While anyone can get sick with salmonella, some groups are more at risk for getting severely ill including young children under 5, adults over 65 and anyone with a weakened immune system.

The best prevention of salmonella in your home is simple: wash your hands. Whether you are petting an animal at the zoo or in your own home, be sure to wash your hands.

Dr. Kristi Trussell, Assistant Medical Director of The Urgency Room.