Pets are one of life’s great joys. According to the National Institutes of Health, some 68 percent of American households have a pet, and their benefits are countless, from getting active to boosting mood. But as wonderful as our furry (or scaly, or feathered) friends are, there are certain health risks that come with having an animal in your home.
“Zoonotic diseases (zoonoses) are those that can be transmitted between animals and people,” explains Christa Gallagher, BSC, DVM, an assistant professor of public health and epidemiology at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. “Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can transmit harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi to humans.”
But talking to your veterinarian about possible disease transmission can help you avoid the risks. Diseases from pets can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, touching and/or petting, through bites and scratches, inhalation, and through mosquitos, ticks, and fleas, Dr. Gallagher says. Very young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are particularly at high risk. Here are 15 diseases you can get from your pet.2/16 SLIDES© Lightspruch – Getty Images
“Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma Gondii) is a parasitic infection in which cats are the main source of infection,” explains Dr. Gallagher. While healthy people don’t typically contract the disease, it can cause serious health complications for pregnant women and immunocompromised people. Be sure to change the cat litter frequently (once a day if anyone has a weakened immune system in the house), and thoroughly wash your hands afterward. Pregnant women should avoid changing the cat litter altogether. Keeping your cat indoors will also help prevent them from contracting it.
Symptoms in pets: Cats don’t typically show symptoms of toxoplasmosis. Kittens, who are more vulnerable, may get diarrhea.
Symptoms in humans: Healthy people often won’t show any symptoms, and the CDC estimates that some 40 million people may be living with toxoplasmosis. Some people will have flu-like symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes or enduring muscle aches. 3/16 SLIDES© AleksandarNakic – Getty Images
While it’s unlikely that you’ll contract rabies from your pet (it’s most commonly contracted from wild animals like raccoons and bats), it’s within the realm of possibility since it is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. “The disease is most commonly contracted through a bite, although potentially it could be transmitted through a scratch as well,” says Gary Richter, MS, DVM, a veterinary health expert with Rover.com. “Although human exposure to rabies from a dog is uncommon, it’s worth noting since rabies is almost 100 percent fatal if the person is not treated immediately after exposure.” The best way to prevent it is to keep your pet up-to-date with their vaccines.
Symptoms in pets: Foaming at the mouth is the most common sign of rabies, but other symptoms could include behavioral changes, fever, hypersensitivity to touch, light, and sound, hiding in dark places, staggering, loss of appetite, and seizures.
Symptoms in humans: According to the CDC, preliminary symptoms can include fever, headache, and weakness, but as it progresses and infects the central nervous system, you can experience insomnia, anxiety, confusion, partial paralysis, and hallucinations.4/16 SLIDES© BraunS – Getty Images
You’re probably aware that you can get salmonella from raw or undercooked poultry, but did you know you can get it from your pets? “This infection can also be caused by the bacteria that live on the skin of pet reptiles,” warns Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles. Jory D. Lange Jr, a food safety lawyer, also says they have seen cases of pet hedgehogs, backyard chickens, and dog food causing salmonella outbreaks.
To avoid it, wash your hands well after handling reptiles, especially after feeding them. Be sure to also clean pet toys and bedding outside.
Symptoms in pets: Reptiles don’t typically present with symptoms of salmonella, says Dr. Shainhouse.
Symptoms in humans: Fever, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and chills are common symptoms in humans, according to Dr. Shainhouse.5/16 SLIDES© rhyman007 – Getty Images
“Leptospirosis is a bacteria that is shed in the urine of infected animals. Our pets can contract this infection from ground water that is contaminated by infected wildlife. Though this infection does require contact with infected urine, it’s much easier than you may think to inadvertently come in contact with your pet’s urine,” says Johanna Reel, NHV Natural Pet’s in-house registered veterinary technician. Get your pet vaccinated against the disease, and don’t swim in water that may be contaminated with animal urine.
Symptoms in pets: Some animals won’t show signs of leptospirosis, while others may have fever, vomiting, diarrhea, refusal to eat, depression, infertility, and other symptoms.
Symptoms in humans: Some people with leptospirosis won’t have any symptoms, while others may have high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, or other symptoms. According to the CDC, if you recover from a first phase of symptoms and become more severely ill a second time, it could be a sign of meningitis or kidney or liver failure.6/16 SLIDES© rsmseymour – Getty Images
Most commonly contracted from the feces of dogs but sometimes from cats, toxocariasis is a parasitic disease from the larvae of toxocara roundworms. Dr. Shainhouse says, “Be careful to use gloves or a plastic bag or shovel to clean up doggy poop, and wash your hands well afterward.”
Symptoms in pets: Diarrhea, vomiting, bloody stool, worms seen in the stool
Symptoms in humans: “Humans contract roundworm infections by oral-fecal transmission, but the worms tend to end up in the lungs, which can present as shortness of breath and hives/itch, abdominal pain, bloody stool,” explains Dr. Shainhouse.7/16 SLIDES© bluecinema – Getty Images
“While you can contract this by eating undercooked pork, you can also contract this from an infected pet,” explains Dr. Shainhouse. It is contracted via oral-fecal transmission through direct contact with pet stool (which is more common than you may think). You can prevent contracting tapeworm by handling animal feces with gloves or a shovel, and washing your hands thoroughly.
Symptoms in pets: According to Dr. Shainhouse, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rice-like pieces in the stool, fatigue, hunger or loss of appetite, and longer worms in vomit are signs of tapeworm. She says that pets with tapeworm also often drag their bottoms along the ground.
Symptoms in humans: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, rice-like pieces in the stool, fatigue, hunger or loss of appetite.8/16 SLIDES© PavelRodimov – Getty Images
“Ringworm, which is a fungal disease (despite the deceptive name), grows on hair follicles. It is transmitted through direct contact,” explains Dr. Richter. Cleaning your pet’s bedding regularly, frequently washing your hands, vacuuming, and disinfecting are your best bets for avoiding ringworm.
Symptoms in pets: Animals get the same circular lesion as humans, but it can be difficult to see under their fur so look out for signs like red lesions, crusty skin, and patchy hair.
Symptoms in humans: Ringworm in humans is usually easy to spot thanks to the telltale ring-shaped rash that is often red and itchy. 9/16 SLIDES© SilviaJansen – Getty Images
“This bacterial infection is caused by Bartonella henselae, which is carried by kittens. It is transmitted to humans via a scratch from the infected animal,” explains Dr. Shainhouse. According to the CDC, 30 to 40 percent of adopted shelter cats have documented cases of cat scratch fever. People with weakened immune systems are at higher risk, so they may want to hold off getting a kitten less than a year old, since they’re more likely to get the infection. If you do get scratched, wash the area immediately.
Symptoms in pets: Cats usually don’t show any symptoms but in some cases may have a fever, and in rare cases, may have labored breathing, vomiting, swollen lymph nodes, red eyes, and/or decreased appetite. And despite the name, dogs can also get cat scratch fever and may show signs of fever, arrhythmia, and inflammation of the heart (endocarditis).
Symptoms in humans: Cat scratch fever is often contracted by kids who can show symptoms like fever and enlarged lymph nodes. 10/16 SLIDES© Bogdanhoda – Getty Images
“Pets can also pass some parasites on to their humans,” says Dr. Reel. “Giardia is a common intestinal parasitic microorganism, which causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms. This parasite can be spread through contact with contaminated water or contact with infected fecal matter.
Symptoms in pets: Painful gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting are common.
Symptoms in humans: Painful gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting are some of the common symptoms in humans as well.11/16 SLIDES© MRBIG_PHOTOGRAPHY – Getty Images
Not to be confused with human scabies, pet scabies can’t truly be spread to humans, but can cause some discomfort. “In pet scabies, the animal is the only viable host for the mite, meaning the mite only lives on the pet,” explains Dr. Shainhouse. “However, the mite can jump off of the pet, bite the human owner, then jump back home (aka, the pet’s skin).” The best way to protect you and your dog is to avoid having your dog around other animals that have it.
Symptoms in pets: Pet scabies can affect your pet-typically dogs-with severe itching, rash, blisters, and sores.
Symptoms in humans: Temporary itching and skin irritation.12/16 SLIDES© Photology1971 – Getty Images
Camp-what? The name may be hard to pronounce, but the CDC estimates that Campylobacter is the top cause of bacterial diarrheal illness in the country. Though it’s typically contracted from raw or undercooked poultry, pets can also spread it. “Campylobacteriosis is a bacterial disease cause by Campylobacter species. Fecal-oral transmission can result in gastrointestinal symptoms in most healthy persons. More serious infections can occur if a person is very young, elderly, or immunocompromised,” says Dr. Gallagher.
That’s why it’s important to wash your hands frequently, especially if you come in contact with animal feces.
Symptoms in pets: Most common in puppies younger than six months old. Fever, vomiting, and enlarged lymph nodes are possible symptoms in your dog.
Symptoms in humans: Severe, often bloody diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps are the top symptoms.13/16 SLIDES© suprun – Getty Images
Although our furry friends get the brunt of the diseases that can be passed on to humans, our scaled sidekicks aren’t without their possible infections. Mycobacterium Marinum grows in fish tanks and can be spread to humans. “It is commonly seen in people who put their ungloved hands into fish tanks (like when you clean out your pet’s tank),” explains Dr. Shainhouse. So be sure to wear gloves when scooping out fish and cleaning the fish tank.
Symptoms in humans: Red bumps or sores on the hand or finger that can spread to the arm. Symptoms can also include low-grade fevers.14/16 SLIDES© Chalabala – Getty Images
Yet another canine parasite, hookworms suck on the intestinal lining of dogs. The eggs in the pet feces could transfer through the skin if you come in contact with it. Thoroughly washing your hands will go a long way, especially after curbing your dog.
Symptoms in pets: Diarrhea, weight loss
Symptoms in humans: People often show no symptoms but can come down with loss of appetite, anemia, cough, wheezing, or rash.15/16 SLIDES© PeopleImages – Getty Images
“Dog and cat bites that pierce human skin can cause severe skin infection and cellulitis if not treated immediately,” warns Dr. Shainhouse. “Cats’ mouths carry Pasturella multocida, while dogs carry Staphylococcus, Streptomyces and Capnocytophaga sp.” Avoid rough play with your pets or other animals that might result in them taking an unintentional nibble of your skin.
Symptoms in pets: None.
Symptoms in humans: Bite mark and severe skin infection. 16/16 SLIDES© narin_nonthamand – Getty Images
Though it’s not totally a disease, contact dermatitis is an irritating side effect of having pets for some people. “Pet kisses may be a sign of affection or loyalty, but it can cause skin irritation in humans,” says Dr. Shainhouse.
“If you are crazy enough to have a pet tarantula, know that they are not soft and fuzzy. Their ‘fur’ is actually spines that can be shed as protection when they are afraid or in fighting mode. These spines can prickle your skin and cause an irritant dermatitis.”
Take preventative measures especially if you have sensitive skin, like washing up after getting licked by your pet to prevent a rash.
Symptoms in pets: None
Symptoms in humans: Skin irritation, rash, and itchiness.Vets reveal the most dangerous diseases pets can give you Pets are one of life’s great joys. According to the National Institutes of Health, some 68 percent of American households have a pet, and their benefits are countless, from getting active to boosting mood. But as wonderful as our furry (or scaly, or feathered) friends are, there are certain health risks that come with having an animal in your home.
Not “autonomy,” which means the right to self-govern, “autotomy” is a zoological noun that describes the bizarre defense mechanism of an animal in the wild (like a lizard) who detaches a part of its body to escape a predator. More specifically, Merriam-Webster defines autotomy as “reflex separation of a part (such as an appendage) from the body,” or “division of the body into two or more pieces.”
A technical noun, “borborygmus” is a word that describes a certain embarrassing sound made in your gut. Cambridge Dictionary defines “borborygmus” as “a continuous low sound made by the movement of liquid and gas in the body.” Let’s be honest, the word sounds as weird as the noise it describes.
Also written as “cattywampus,” this unusual word has several meanings, including as a noun for “an imaginary, fierce wild animal.” More commonly, “catawampus” is used as an adjective that Dictionary.com defines as “something that’s askew or awry” (like a teenager’s bedroom) or something that is diagonally across from something else.
“Curmudgeon” is a fun way to call someone a cranky jerk. The Oxford Dictionary definition of this noun (which we swear was written about our great-aunt Alice) is “a bad-tempered person, especially an old one.” The thesaurus lists “sourpuss” and “grouch” as other amusing variations of the word.
We all know how mundane things can get in our own little corner of the world. When they do we should seize any moment that makes us smile or brings laughter to our lips. That is why I created this blog! My hope is that we all find some laughter or enjoyment in our lives. MwsR
After all, tons of experts say that maintaining a healthy dose of curiosity about the world around you will help sharpen your mind, make you happier, strengthen your relationships, and even improve your productivity.https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/did-you-know/40-facts-that-will-make-you-feel-instantly-smarter/ss-BBTvcno?ocid=spartanntp&fullscreen=true#image=2
Maybe don’t blame your bad luck at the poker table on your gambling abilities; there are more ways to arrange a deck of cards than there are total atoms on the earth!
If a card deck is shuffled properly, there’s a pretty high change that it comes out in an arrangement that has never existed before, because a deck of 52 cards has an astronomical large number of permutations. (Put simply: It’s a 69-digit number that begins with 80.)
Also referred to as a “kick-up” or a “punt,” the dimple in the bottom of the wine bottle is a remnant from the past, when the bottles were made of handblown glass. If the glassblower didn’t push the seam of the bottom of the wine bottle up, it would not stand up straight (because there would be a lump).
Also, here’s a handy tip for burgeoning oenophiles: many experts say that if you’re shopping for affordable wines today, a deeper punt means it’s a nicer, tastier bottle of wine. So always be sure to run your hand underneath it before purchasing.
Polar bears can run at 25 mph, jump over six feet in the air, and are nearly undetectable by infrared cameras due to transparent fur. (For reference, known that the fastest NFL player in 2018 was a running back who ran just over 22mph.) But don’t let this terrifying set of skills scare you. Polars, unlike most other bears, are not territorial or confrontational—unless provoked.
When you’re trying to recall a single memory, such as a smell or the look on a person’s face, that memory can’t be recalled in isolation. That was among the findings by a team of neuroscientists at the University College London, who found that when we try to remember one detail (for example, the color of shoes a friend was wearing last week), we bring with it a slew of other details (such as the place where we saw said friend wearing the shoes, their other clothing, et cetera.).
According to the researchers, this is because the brain’s hippocampus packages memories together and stores them, as if in some Amazon warehouse. And when we retrieve one memory, it brings along a whole range of other components. And for more mind-blowing trivia about your mind,
No, this isn’t some kind of ancient curse. Mummies preserved for more 7,000 years in Peru have been turning to black goo thanks to a major increase in humidity.
When Harvard scientists tested why, they discovered it’s because the microbes in the skin activate in high humidity, which is something that the people in ancient Peru never had to worry about, because of the dry desert atmosphere. However, recent changes in climate have brought fog to the region, thereby increasing the moisture in the air, thereby melting mummified human remains
Ethanol (alcohol) activates the vanilloid receptor-1 (VR1 for short), which is what your body activates at high temperatures (107 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, usually) to let you know that you’re getting burned. Alcohol lowers the temperature at which your VR1 receptors activate, so instead of alerting you when your temperature rises above 107 degrees, it does so when it hits 93 degrees. In other words, your receptors are telling you that your normal body temperature (98.6 degrees) feels like burning. It’s also why open wounds sting when you pour alcohol over them—and it’s why you get a burning in your throat when you pound a particularly potent shot. Break out the chasers,
This “paradoxical undressing” occurs in nearly half of all hypothermal deaths. It hasn’t been fully studied because it would be pretty unethical to do so, but there are two theories at this point:
It gets even weirder after that. Once undressed, the person will attempt to burrow into very small spaces. Finding bodies in states like this is why hypothermia deaths are commonly misconstrued as acts of violence. Yikes.
We usually think of espresso simply as concentrated coffee, but it’s more complex than that. To officially be “espresso,” the drink must be made in a particular way—produced by pressurizing near-boiling water through finely ground coffee beans packed into cakes. If the drink is made any other way (in a stovetop pot or fancy pour-over method), it’s coffee. Even if it were to taste exactly like a shot of espresso, you can’t call it that unless it’s made through the pressurized method. In other words, espresso isn’t coffee.
Breathe in, breathe out. While a few deep breaths don’t burn too many calories, this is how most burned-off fat exits our body. You may have thought it was through sweat, urine, or some other excretion, but the truth is, as we exercise or go about our day, most of the fat (84 percent according to some researchers) is converted into carbon dioxide and leaves our body through our lungs. The remaining 16 percent of the fat is converted to water, which leave through urine or sweat.
A bruise is caused by bleeding under the skin; tiny capillaries (blood vessels) are crushed, which expel blood that’s trapped under the skin. Initially, the bruise will just look red because the blood is still oxygen-rich. Within one to two days, the blood begins to lose its oxygen, turning purple.
Then, after three or more days, bruises will start to turn green, yellow, or grey thanks to compounds called biliverdin and bilirubin that break down the hemoglobin to absorb the “good stuff” (such as iron) for the body to use. The rest of the waste is eventually purged from or absorbed by the body.
The Adam’s Apple is the thyroid cartilage that surrounds the larynx. Contrary to popular belief, both women and men have it. It’s just more prominent in males because the larynx (voice box) is far larger in men (hence the deeper voices).
The natural smells of any two family members are similar, which is why the average person doesn’t find family members attractive. Research out of the University of Utah even showed that subjects are more averse to family members’ scents than to strangers’ scents. Basically, this is Mother Nature’s way of decreasing genetic mutations caused by inbreeding
Every school kid has heard of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Throughout the early 19th century, the explorers trekked across the U.S. from the East Coast to the Pacific Ocean. But while the explorers kept diligent journals, modern historians and archaeologists had for years struggled to piece together the precise locations their expedition encamped—information that would help future generations understand this historically crucial journey.
Then researchers came upon an idea for tracking their exact movements: analyzing toilet mercury.
As it happens, mercury-laced laxatives were a popular solution for treating constipation during the Lewis and Clark era, and traces of mercury can be detected centuries after they are deposited. So by testing old latrine sites along the route for mercury, researchers could determine which ones were, ahem, patronized by the famous adventurers, and which were the work of later (less laxative-happy) visitors. Altogether, some 600 sites have been connected back to the famed pair.
Your dry-cleaned garments are thrown into a giant front-loading washers with a liquid detergent. Yes, your clothes are completely immersed with a liquid solvent; it’s only called “dry” because there’s no water in it. Dry cleaning was originally discovered by someone who accidentally spilled petroleum all over his clothes—only to find out that it removed stains he couldn’t previously get out! Because petroleum is harmful to the environment with the amount of dry cleaning the world does, new solvents have been created over time.
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living excavate form of protist typically found in warm bodies of fresh water. The amoeba in the water is entered through the nose, then travels from the nose to the brain where it destroys the brain tissue, invading the nervous system and consuming the brain. It has only been found in warm freshwater: lakes, rivers, and hot springs. Yeah… We’ll stick to the ocean for swimming.
Sound is a wave of alternating compression and expansion, so the speed of it depends on how fast it bounces back from each compression; the less compressible the medium it’s traveling through, the faster it bounces back. Water is about 800 times more dense than air, so there are way more particles for waves to bounce off. Thus, sound is faster in water.
However, the density has the opposite effect on physical bodies (such as, say, a bullet). Physical matter encounters drag when in the water due to its density, as laid out by the drag equation, in the seminal An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics. It’s been proven that jumping into the water and swimming within three to eight feet of its surface will literally save you from catching a bullet (all those movies and crime shows you see people jumping into the harbor on the run have a scientific basis after all!).
When the flash of a camera goes off, the eye isn’t prepared for the sudden influx of light, and the pupil doesn’t have time to restrict. You’re likely using flash in dark lighting, so your eyes have dilated to adjust to the dark room. When the flash goes off and the photo is taken, your eyes are still dilated, so the light reflect off of the red blood vessels of the choroid, which is the layer of connective tissue in the back of the eye that nourished the retina.
Carnivorous, bog-dwelling plants called bladderworts can snap their traps shut in less than a millisecond, 100 times faster than a Venus flytrap. They’re rootless floating plants that have a yellow flower at the top and an insect-digesting bladder sac. They range in size from a few inches to a few feet long. And for more mean green.
The tiny holes in padlocks serve a dual purpose: they allow any moisture that builds up inside to escape, and they allow you to add oil to the inner mechanisms to prevent rust and breakdown. Because padlocks are usually used outdoors, allowing the water to run out keeps the locks from rusting, and in colder climates keeps the lock from being literally frozen shut. If you’re ever having issues opening a padlock (with the legitimate key, of course—no break-ins!), stick some WD40 into the tiny holes and you should be able to open it without a problem.
You might imagine that a star—a giant ball of light and heat—contains zero matter and is made up entirely of energy. Almost! Stars don’t contain matter—gas, liquid, or solid—as we know it. Instead, they’re made up of plasma, a super-heated state of matter that humans can’t handle. (Lightning is also made up of plasma.) And for some major surprises from the great beyond.
You’ve probably heard that “we only dream in black and white.” But new research have shown that monochromatic dreams were only the case because of black-and-white screen time. Nowadays, with the amount of time we all spend watching color videos—whether on TV or mobile devices—our brains tend to keep all colors in dreaming. Only about 25 percent of people in one study reported dreaming in black-and-white
To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram!“I have no special talent,” Albert Einstein once remarked. “I am only passionately curious.” And here’s the thing: You should be, too.
After all, tons of experts say that maintaining a healthy dose of curiosity about the world around you will help sharpen your mind, make you happier, strengthen your relationships, and even improve your productivity.
So, if you want to set yourself on a path to reaping those benefits—and, in the process, arm yourself with all sorts of fascinating facts and trivia that will make you feel like a total genius and boost your confidence—read the 40 facts we’ve compiled right here. They’re fun, they’re interesting, and they’re guaranteed to fan the flames of your curiosity.
As an abbreviation, “aa” can mean a lot of things: anti-aircraft, administrative assistant, Alcoholics Anonymous and even a specific battery. The short, vowel-only word, which originated in the Hawaiian language, is one of the first entries in the Oxford Dictionary and is a geological noun describing a type of basaltic lava. This specific lava is known for its frothy, foam-like texture and jagged segments.
This is a fun word. A verb, “absquatulate” is considered a humorous verb that has a few meanings, including “to flee or abscond,” according to Dictionary.com (which regularly flexes its word nerd muscles on Twitter). However, it most often means to leave with something or someone, much in the way a robber takes off with your valuables.
Have you ever met someone who seemed to never crack a smile? Or maybe you know someone who lacks a sense of humor. Either way, Merriam-Webster thinks you should call them an “agelast,” a noun that describes someone who is absolutely no fun to have at parties.
Someone that drones on and on, seeming to love the sound of their own voice, is guilty of “argle-bargle,” or “copious amounts of meaningless talking or writing,” according to Oxford Dictionary. The noun originated in the 19th century and once meant “to argue” but today more accurately describes someone who just can’t get to the point.
INGREDIENTS
Nutrition ×Serving: 1g, Calories: 189kcal, Carbohydrates: 6.2g, Protein: 16.1g, Fat: 12.3g, Cholesterol: 51.9mg, Sodium: 297.2mg, Fiber: 2.4g, Sugar: 1.6g
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