Although we all love our pets, they can be a potential source of zoonotic infectious diseases. A few of these diseases are displayed in Table 2. However, given the amount of contact we have with our pets, such diseases are quite uncommon.
Table 2. Zoonotic Diseases from Companion Animals.| Disease | Description | Animal Sources |
| Cat Scratch Fever | Bartonella henselae is acquired when a cat scratches or bites a person causing a skin infection, fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. | Domestic and wild cats are the only known source |
| MRSA | This well-known skin infection can be acquired from many sources. Occasionally, a person can acquire it if their pet has this skin infection. | Dogs, cats |
| Coxellosis (Q Fever) | Coxiella burnetii is acquired from contact with the feces or fluids of infected animals, or breathing in dust contaminated with these. It is acquired primarily from farm animals but also rarely pets, and causes flu-like symptoms. | Dogs, cats, farm animals |
| Salmonellosis | The most common "germ" carried by reptiles and amphibians is Salmonella. They carry this bacteria in their digestive tract and pass it through contact with handling the animal and their environment, including the water in the tank or aquarium. | Reptiles (e.g., turtles, lizards, snakes); amphibians (e.g., frogs, salamanders) |
