Welleby Veterinary Center

Contagious Diseases

There are some diseases that can not only affect our four legged family members, but also our human family members. Diseases that people can catch from their pets are called zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases can be viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic. Here are some examples of diseases that we can catch from our pets:

Rabies: Rabies is a virus that can be carried by warm blooded animals. Rabies is preventable with a vaccine and Broward County has approved the use of a 3-year rabies vaccine in 2006.

Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is contagious in the urine of infected animals. This emerging disease can be very serious and cause liver and kidney failure in both dogs and people. There is a newly developed vaccine for leptospirosis, so if your dog has not been vaccinated, please contact us.

Ringworm: Ringworm is a skin condition in both dogs and cats caused by a fungus. In dogs and cats, we typically see areas of hair loss or thinning hair. Sometimes our pets may be asymptomatic, so if anyone in the family is diagnosed with ringworm, please let us know and we will be happy to check your pet. Also keep in mind, we can give our pets ringworm too!

Parasites: Parasites can be external like fleas and ticks or internal like worms. Hookworms and Roundworms are 2 common internal parasites that can be contagious to people. Roundworms can even cause blindness or liver problems in people. We recommend that your pet be checked for intestinal parasites twice a year.