Dr. Marty Becker, center, with Dr. Oz, right. ZoCo Productions LLC
On Thursday's episode of The Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Becker (of "Good Morning America" fame) talks about diseases you can catch from your dogs and cats. "Because we're living more intimate lives with our pets – hugging and kissing our pets, and sleeping with them at night -- we're at more risk for catching certain zoonotic diseases from our dogs and cats," Dr. Becker tells Paw Nation.
Foremost among those diseases come from MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), parasites and ringworm. The bacteria MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics. A study found that a full 50% of the houses that researchers inspected had MRSA lurking on kitchen and faucet handles, drains, and on high chairs and trash cans. The common denominator was pet cats. "Cat owners are eight times more likely to have MRSA in their homes," says Dr. Becker. Moreover, the bacteria was "ping-ponging back and forth between humans and pets."
Another alarming fact? "About 600 U.S. children lose their eyesight each year due to roundworm larvae," says Dr. Becker, "which they contract from soil that has contaminated dog feces, which doesn't have to be from your dog, but from any dog feces off the street." With respect to parasites, Dr. Becker points out that our pets can bring deer ticks into the home, which can cause Lyme disease in humans.
Who is most at risk for contracting zoonotic diseases? "The very young, the very old, and those with weakened immune systems from HIV or chemotherapy, and pregnant women," Dr. Becker says.
Before you banish your pet from the house or vow to keep them at arm's length, Dr. Becker points out that the goal is to get rid of the risk, not the pet. "If you lose the intimacy, you lose the healing power of pets," he says.
Dr. Becker offers several solutions to minimize the risk of catching a disease from our pets. High-tech solutions include using an antimicobrial shampoo on our pets to combat MRSA, year-round flea and tick prevention products to protect your pet against parasites, heartworm medications and keeping your pets fully vaccinated.
Low-tech solutions are even simpler. For instance, pick up dog feces from your yard every other day. "Feces have to sit in your yard for more than 2 days before it goes into the infective stage," says Dr. Becker. "So if you keep your yard picked up every other day, the parasites never reach the infective stage."
Also, wash your hands with soap and water before and after playing with your pets or disposing of feces from the yard or cat litter box. "Wash your hands long enough for you to say the entire alphabet from A to Z," says Dr. Becker. While most of us are familiar with the dangers of pregnant women cleaning the cat litter box due to toxoplasmosis (caused by a parasite), Dr. Becker says that toxoplasmosis is an even bigger danger to those who garden since cats often use garden areas as litter boxes. "Always wear gloves when you garden and wash your hands well afterwards," he says.
With those precautions in place, we can still very much enjoy our pets. "I let my dogs sleep in our bed too," says Dr. Becker, "but I use an antimicrobial shampoo and give them a monthly parasite control and keep them fully vaccinated. The only real change I've made is having my dog kiss me on the cheek rather than my mouth."
To find out when the episode of The Dr. Oz Show will be airing in your area, check your local listings. For more information, Dr. Becker urges pet owners to visit www.petsandparasites.org.
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I've never had cats due to allergies. But after watching Big Cat Diary on APL, and seeing how cats spray and mark EVERYTHING, and that they have scent glands in so many places, I now know why you can tell (smell) someone has a cat the minute you walk into their home. And for anyone who wants to point out the tv show focuses on wild animals, remember that "domesticated" means tamed for human co-existence, not the death of instincts or scent glands in all cats!
That's right Kathie, make sure not to get a dog or cat in your home. Just birds.... who can give you chlamydia. HAHAHA
DO NOT USE "ANTI-BACTERIAL' PRODUCTS
There needs to a correction made about the advice to use an anti-bacterial soap or shampoo. There is no over-the-counter product which is sufficiently effective to kill bacteria. Quite to the contrary, because these products are so weak, they do not kill, but merely "wound" the staph germs, eventually leading to the development of resistant strains like MRSA. So development of infections with these germs, which was previously easy to treat with standard penicillin, has now frequently become a much more serious illness for which we have only one available antibiotic. It was the use of these products, plus the overuse of antibiotics, that was partially responsible for the development of the epidemic of MRSA that we are seeing now.
For that reason, the CDC has strongly advised that consumers avoid using so-called anti-bacterial soaps and shampoos and stick to plain ordinary soap & water and plain ordinary shampoos. True anti-bacterial products are available only in hospitals and by prescription.
Add the words "anti-bacterial" to a product in the United States in the current climate of the publicity about resistant infections and people will naturally be drawn to it. Obviously, even some medical professionals who should know better have believed the erroneous suggestions. If you will be out for a while with your dog and not near soap and water, the next best thing is an ethanol based hand sanitizer like Purel. Use it frequently. It's very safe and very effective and very cheap. It can used on childrens' hands but keep their hands away from their faces until the gel dries (about 1 minute). It IS NOT safe to use on pets because they have fur. This type product is a gel and meant only for skin.
Hello Drs. Oz and Becker:
Great information! I am a pharmacist and a founder of an animal rescue foundation which promotes fostering and aid to abused or abandoned pets in lieu of shelter placement. I have seven dogs and two cats in my home--all rescues and all my family members feel our pets very much enrich our lives. There is another disease which doctors often don't think of and which is difficult to diagnose as it has so many symptoms which mimic numerous other conditions. The condition is leptospirosis. Pet lovers and rescue workers can avoid it my assuring that when their pet has an accident ( just as we humans do--pets also "pee" sometimes accidently) be sure to clean up the urine wearing gloves and/or wash hands thoroughly. Also, if you have long term fatigue and malaise, be sure to mention to your physician that you have pets and my have been exposed to animal urine. And folks...please don't ever strike or yell at your pet for indoor accidents. Remember, your pet's greatest joy is in pleasing you! Be sure pets have frequent access to outside proper areas to go to the bathroom and always praise them when they go in the proper place. Animals get sick and get off schedule just like we do--- so an accident should be ignored--and cleaned up with odor removing product, preferably when the animal can't see you do it--Even being yelled at is "attention getting" and by doing so you may confuse your pets into thinking they will get your attention by "misbehaving" . Lastly.... God Bless Oprah Winfrey and all the good she has done in this world for people and animals--She is an angel on earth! Signed, "Doctor Humanity" --Advocate for common sense and kindness to all living things--
I wish this doctor would have also mentioned that kids exposed to a animals at an early age DON''T develop allergies like other kids. This is a medical fact. I have only a few drug allergies, and spent my early years around dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and other rural animals. My younger siblings, who were born after we moved to the city all have allergies. I moved back to a a rural setting, when my oldest kids were 5 or older. The baby of our family has always been very healthy, having perfect lifetime attendance at school. Human beings spent thousands of years living with pets and livestock. It has only been in the few hundred years that hasn't been the case. Urbanization may have made life easier for a lot of people, but it sure hasn't made them healthier
My friend was sitting letting my dogs lick their big slobbery tongues over her face and mouth.. She said "The dogs must taste the burger I just ate while driving over here"...my only response to her was " You know..the cats use those things as a butt wash.."...then came the delayed reaction EEEEWWWW!!!
"High-tech solutions include using an antimicobrial shampoo on our pets to combat MRSA"
Holy cow, someone *REALLY* and fundamentally does NOT understand MRSA. Antibacterial shampoo is the absolute LAST thing you would want to use on your pet because you will kill of the normal skin bacteria which keeps MRSA in check. I am absolutely blown away that this comment would be placed on this page and that people can be so idiotic....or maybe I shouldn't be amazed since ignorant humans have enabled MRSA in the first place.
you know why alot of us don't listen to this crude, because most of us grew up with pets and none of the precautions you've states ..happened...we were fine.
you have so much information now that your turniing young Americans into frightened people. Chill out.....I'm only 47 yrs old and can remember both my brothers and sisters not only having the pets under the kichen table waiting for scaps but we all would fight over who got the dog that night, all of us wanted Bandit to sleep in our bed, anyway I say that to say this....stop....enjoy your life, I miss the days of riding the the back of my Grandfathers truck, dog and all and I miss bandit right there with us...and for your information doctor none of us came up sick or fell out of the truck ..it was fun,,,,I miss those days so much, now the laws make you strapp your kid in the car like a criminal ..god forbid they fall and scratch a knee, stop scaring young Americans.....again on my friends property
the kids get to ride in the back of the truck and the dogs can do what they want and our family keeps growing and so does the memories....
I wouldn't listen to anything this guys got to say, hell as a kid if what you say is true we'd all be dead, our dogs were great but loved to lick you in the face but thats a dog....so go away....scare another country, let us have our memories and make some for our kids.
US Army Veteran
Rachelvis
We have 2 dogs (male & female), 4 cats, a lizard, 2 rabbits and at least 30 fish in 3 aquariums. All in a 1040 sq. ft. single family dwelling. Two teenagers to boot. I'm allergic to dog and cat dander. The male dog apparently is allergic to me or to fleas. The wife is allergic to all of the above, including me, but she's the one who insists on having Noah's Ark in the home. The teenage daughter is a sucker for animals to be rescued. The teenage son can't stand cats or the female dog. Allergies, yes. Sickness, no. Except the other daughter, who moved out, who had severe asthma. The animal kingdom could exacerbate her lung condition, and send us merrily to the E.R. But I don't believe any of us (and I include the animal kingdom) caught anything ( i.e. from animal to homo sapiens or vice versa) YET. Of course, I'm an ex-Navy Corpsman, with a cleaning obsession. Could be why we're all still alive.
Sharonlynn - you are right, we are seeing all of these bears,, spiders, snakes, etc . coming out because we are encroaching on their land/space, not the other way around. Its' a shame they have to suffer because of us. People that are not familiar with animals may get spooked and start getting rid of their pets because they are afraid of getting diseases. I have had animals all my life also and have not gotten sick from them. Common sense and sanitary precautions should be enough to protect us and them.
I really like u and seems like u care. I hope u will write me back.
what can you do for hotspots on dogs?