Tag: Did you know

DYK~ Why Do We Pour Milk On Our Cereal?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/the-reason-why-we-pour-milk-over-cereal/ar-AABCTHz?ocid=spartandhp

Jake Rossen

a plate of food: The Reason Why We Pour Milk Over Cereal

© iStock.com/tomasworks The Reason Why We Pour Milk Over Cereal

Sometimes, if a movie or television show wants to communicate how unusual a character is, they’ll depict them pouring a box of cereal into a bowl and then adding some kind of disgusting liquid—orange juice, water, coffee, possibly alcohol. This is an easy way to illustrate someone’s eccentricity because everyone knows only milk goes in cold cereal. With no exceptions. Even warm milk, which a small number of individuals enjoy, has to be more palatable than the alternatives.

But is milk the acceptable choice for cereal because it’s the best, or because of something else? Is there a reason we don’t simply drown Frosted Flakes in water and call it a day?

The state of our cereal bowls can be traced to the origins of cereal itself. Back in the mid-1800s, Americans were enjoying very hearty breakfasts of bacon, eggs, meat, and other foods that could easily show up on their dinner plates. Many complained of gastrointestinal upset, a condition that health experts (many of them self-appointed) began to refer to as dyspepsia. This ill-defined malady was thought to be the result of consuming massive meals in the morning. Advocates argued that breakfast should be lighter and healthier, comprised of what they considered simple and easily digestible foods.

One such proselytizer was James Caleb Jackson, a vegetarian who ran a sanitarium called Our Home on the Hillside in Dansville, New York. At the time, sanitariums for health were considered retreats and a way to adopt healthier eating and exercise habits. Jackson was a follower of Reverend Sylvester Graham, the inventor of graham crackers and a man who believed the crackers could help curb sexual appetites that flamed in the meat-eating population. In the 1870s, Jackson began to market a product he called granula—graham flour that was baked, crumbled, and baked a second time. The tiny pebbles of flour were hearty and filling.

There’s some debate over whether it was Jackson or his mother, Lucretia, who actually came up with granula. In her son’s newsletters dating back to 1867, Lucretia published recipes for what amounted to the same thing. But whichever Jackson came up with it, there was a problem: Eaten dry, the granula was like trying to swallow construction rubble. In the newsletter, Lucretia cautioned that the cereal had to be soaked in milk or warm water, presumably to make it palatable. Other accounts of granula have consumers soaking it in milk overnight in order to make it chewable. People sometimes referred to it as “wheat rocks.”

Granula developed a following, but it wasn’t until another sanitarium owner named John Harvey Kellogg mimicked the recipe that it truly caught on. Kellogg, who owned the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, offered granula for its purported health benefits but referred to it as granola to avoid any legal entanglements with Jackson. By 1889, Kellogg was selling two tons of granola a week. By 1903, more than 100 cereal companies were operating out of Battle Creek. Kellogg, of course, became famous for his far more appealing Corn Flakes (which he invented because he thought they would curb masturbation).

Even as cereal became more processed and softer, the tendency to soak it in milk never left the public consciousness. Milk was the perfect way to add moisture to the dry food without turning it into a completely soggy mess. Like cereal, milk was also synonymous with health, full of vitamins and calcium. In a 1922 newspaper ad for Corn Flakes, Kellogg’s exhorted the wonders of the combination, offering that:

“With cold milk and luscious fresh fruit, Kellogg’s are extra delightful—so crisp, and appetizing.”

One scientific study published in the Journal of Food Science in 2011 even found that the fat in milk attached itself to the surface of cereal, helping to ward off moisture and keep cereal crunchier for longer than if it were immersed in water.

Of course, milk is no longer required to soften the bricks Lucretia and John Jackson were peddling. Culturally, we’re still predisposed to keeping milk and cereal part of a two-hand breakfast option. Had Lucretia advocated for coffee, orange juice, or something else, things might have turned out differently. And much soggier.

    Things You May Not Know~ About The Month of May

    1. The month May was named for Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility.

    Maia Godess
    May

    2. In any given year, no month ever begins or ends on the same day of the week as May does.

    3. May’s birthstone is the emerald which is emblematic of love and success.

    emerald

    4. May was once considered a bad luck month to get married. There is a poem that says “Marry in May and you’ll rue the day”.

    5.  The United Kingdom celebrates May as the National Smile Month.

    6. On May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building was officially opened.

    Days in May~ Celebrations

    Since this month is flying past us, I will only post days after May 16th.

    • May 16: Mimosa Day

    What would brunch be without them?

    • May 17: National Bike To Work Day

    We can’t promise you won’t arrive to the office slightly sweaty, but we can give you permission to skip the gym after completing your cycling commute.

    • May 17: National Pizza Party Day

    Party is a relative term, by the way. You and a pizza is definitely a party.

    • May 18: International Museum Day

    On this day, the entire planet celebrates museums and all the amazing things they have to offer. We recommend checking for events and activities in your area: Hundreds of thousands of museums join the party every year.

    • May 20: Eliza Doolittle Day

    Today is a good day to channel your inner Eliza (either before or after the etiquette lessons).

    • May 22: National Maritime Day

    A Presidential Proclamation issued in 1933 made this day an official holiday dedicated to recognizing the maritime industry. It is set to coincide with the date in 1819 that the American steamship Savannah set sail on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power.

    • May 22: World Goth Day

    They’ll act like they don’t want/need/care about having a day in the calendar, but come on, everyone wants to be celebrated.

    • May 23: World Turtle Day
    • May 24: International Tiara Day

    Who’s a pretty princess? Anyone who wants to celebrate Tiara Day.

    • May 25: National Tap Dance Day

    The perfect day to put on your dancing shoes.

    • May 25: Towel Day

    To honor author Douglas Adams, fans carry around a towel all day. The tradition is a nod to a passage in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy about the importance of towels: “A towel, [The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy] says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.” Good enough for us.

    • May 30: Loomis Day

    This is a day to honor Mahlon Loomis, an oft-forgotten Washington D.C.-based dentist who received the first U.S. patent on a wireless telegraphy system in 1872—before Guglielmo Marconi, who is credited with inventing the first radio, was even born.

    Ramadan~Did You Know?

    14 Ways Ramadan Is Celebrated

    Ramadan, the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, is observed annually by a majority of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. And not only is the holy month marked by strict fasting from sunrise to sunset, it’s also a time for prayer, reflection, introspection, and charitable acts. Though the month of Ramadan is marked by full days of fasting—yes, that includes water—it’s a joyous occasion for celebrating and re-connecting with God for those who adhere to the Islamic faith. Curious how exactly Muslims spend the month of Ramadan?

    1. You don’t eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset.

    For the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking anything from dawn until sunset. This fast is all about spiritual and physical discipline and cleansing the mind and body. The practice is mandatory for all adult Muslims to save for those who are traveling, sick, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating, or have a health condition like diabetes that would prevent them from being able to fast safely. In other words, if fasting will adversely affect your health or cause undue suffering, then you are exempt from it until your condition improves

    2. You abstain from gossiping, cursing, complaining, and arguing.

    Ramadan is not just about fasting from food and water; it is also about fasting from bad deeds. Instead of gossiping about others, it’s about focusing on yourself; instead of cursing, it’s about exercising restraint; instead of complaining, it’s about exercising patience; and instead of arguing, it’s about communicating more calmly and productively. The key is to be more intentional and deliberate with each thought, conversation, and action. 

    3. You also abstain from self-indulgences.

    While pre-marital sex is forbidden in Islam always, even married couples are not allowed to have sex from sunrise to sunset during the holy month. The idea is that practicing self-control and restraint in this regard enables you to focus on yourself and your spiritual growth. Other things that are banned from sunrise to sunset include smoking and chewing gum.

    4. You wake up extra early to eat.

    Suhoor or sehri (among other names) is the morning meal Muslims eat before beginning their fast at dawn. The types of food people have for suhoor vary depending on their culture and their family—but since this is the only meal a person will have until sunset, complex carbs and something high in protein are typically included in order to prolong feelings of fullness. And of course, there is water—lots and lots of water.

    5. You break fast with dates.

    Iftaar is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily fast. While you can break your fast with any food or drink item, Muslims around the world typically break it with a date to keep with tradition advised by the Prophet Muhammad. After eating a date and drinking some water, Muslims will dive into the actual evening meal, which can include everything from samosas to chicken stew.

    6. You read the Qu’ran.

    Ramadan is a time during which Muslims aim to re-connect with the Qu’ran, the holy book central to the Islamic faith. Since the Qu’ran has 30 chapters, many people will try to read one chapter per day during Ramadan, while others will read the entire book multiple times over the course of the month. The idea is not just to recite the Qu’ran but also to study it, make meaning of it, and implement some of its teachings into one’s own life.

    7. You perform additional nightly prayers.

    Every night during Ramadan, Sunni Muslims add additional prayers called tarawih into their routine. There are 29 or 30 days of Ramadan and 30 chapters of the Qu’ran, so at a Sunni mosque, the imam, or prayer leader, will read approximately one chapter per night until the entire book has been covered. Tarawih happen some time after salat al-isha, the night prayer, and before dawn.

    8. You reflect.

    Ramadan is all about reflection. Throughout the month, you are meant to contemplate your relationship with God and ponder what kind of person you want to be. The holy month is also about practicing gratitude. By refraining from eating and drinking for a prolonged period of time, the goal is to put yourself in the shoes of those less fortunate who may feel those pangs of hunger on a daily basis, even when it’s not Ramadan. By experiencing this firsthand, you might just find yourself more compassionate, more empathetic, and even more giving.

    9. You learn.

    Ramadan is a time of learning, engaging, and seeking knowledge. As such, local mosques and community leaders host classes and seminars all month long

    10. You perform charitable acts.

    In Islam, charity is a much broader concept with a spiritual component. Therefore, not only is donating money or giving away tangible goods considered charitable but so is every good deed done selflessly for someone else. The idea is that you do not have to possess material items in order to be a charitable person.

    11. You prepare for Eid al-Fitr.

    Eid al-fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, is the religious celebration that marks the end of Ramadan. Traditionally, Eid—as it’s also known—is a three-day celebration spent with family and friends, often commemorated with large feasts and gifts.

    12. You decorate.

    For Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, decorations can range from lanterns and lights to the Instagram-famous crescent moon Ramadan trees. You can even buy ornaments with Islamic sayings to adorn these trees, just like a Christmas fir!

    13. You enjoy unique food and beverages.

    Depending on the culture and specific household, different food and drink items might only appear during the holy month. For many Muslim families, for example, dates are only eaten during the month of Ramadan. And in South Asia and the Middle East, fruit salad and Vimto (a sweet purple soft drink from the U.K.) respectively are daily iftaar staples that are seldom seen in stores once Ramadan has ended.

    14. You spend time with family and friends.

    With endless iftaar gatherings, Ramadan is an extremely social time for many Muslims. Since Ramadan is also a time for community building and forging friends, Muslims will often eat with people they aren’t well acquainted with at their local mosques during this breaking of the fast. Some people even have early a.m. suhoor parties, during which they feast on copious amounts of food with friends before the sun rises. 1. You don’t eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset. For the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking anything from dawn until sunset. This fast is all about spiritual and physical discipline and cleansing the mind and body. The practice is mandatory for all adult Muslims to save for those who are traveling, sick, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating, or have a health condition like diabetes that would prevent them from being able to fast safely. In other words, if fasting will adversely affect your health or cause undue suffering, then you are exempt from it until your condition improves.

    Slide 2 of 15: For the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking anything from dawn until sunset. This fast is all about spiritual and physical discipline and cleansing the mind and body. The practice is mandatory for all adult Muslims save for those who are traveling, sick, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating, or have a health condition like diabetes that would prevent them from being able to fast safely. In other words, if fasting will adversely affect your health or cause undue suffering, then you are exempt from it until your condition improves.
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/mind-and-soul/14-ways-ramadan-is-celebrated/ss-AAAREmQ?ocid=spartandhp&fullscreen=true#image=2

      Lady Bugs~ Did You Know?

      10 Fascinating Facts About Ladybugs by Debbie Hadley

      Debbie Hadley is a science educator with 25 years of experience who has written on science topics for over a decade. Updated January 25, 2019

      Who doesn’t love a ladybug? Also known as ladybirds or lady beetles, the little red bugs are so beloved because they are beneficial predators, cheerfully chomping on garden pests such as aphids. But ladybugs aren’t really bugs at all. They belong to the order Coleoptera, which includes all of the beetles. Europeans have called these dome-backed beetles by the name ladybirds, or ladybird beetles, for over 500 years. In America, the name “ladybug” is preferred; scientists usually use the common name lady beetle for accuracy.

      1. Not All Ladybugs Are Black and Red

      Although ladybugs (called Coccinellidae) are most often red or yellow with black dots, nearly every color of the rainbow is found in some species of ladybug, often in contrasting pairs. The most common are red and black or yellow and black, but some are as plain as black and white, others as exotic as dark blue and orange. Some species of ladybug are spotted, others have stripes, and still others sport a checked pattern. There are 4,300 different species of ladybugs, 400 of which live in North America.

      Color patterns are connected to their living quarters: generalists that live pretty much anywhere have fairly simple patterns of two strikingly different colors that they wear year round. Others that live in specific habitats have more complex coloration, and some can change color throughout the year. Specialist ladybugs use a camouflage coloration to match the vegetation when they’re in hibernation and develop the characteristic bright colors to warn off predators during their mating season.

      2. The Name “Lady” Refers to the Virgin Mary

      According to legend, European crops during the Middle Ages were plagued by pests. Farmers began praying to the Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary. Soon, the farmers started seeing beneficial ladybugs in their fields, and the crops were miraculously saved from the pests. The farmers began calling the red and black beetles “our lady’s birds” or lady beetles. In Germany, these insects go by the name Marienkafer, which means “Mary beetles.” The seven-spotted lady beetle is believed to be the first one named for the Virgin Mary; the red color is said to represent her cloak, and the black spots her seven sorrows.

      3. Ladybug Defenses Include Bleeding Knees and Warning Colors

      Startle an adult ladybug and a foul-smelling hemolymph will seep from its leg joints, leaving yellow stains on the surface below. Potential predators may be deterred by the vile-smelling mix of alkaloids and equally repulsed by the sight of a seemingly sickly beetle. Ladybug larvae can also ooze alkaloids from their abdomens.

      Like many other insects, ladybugs use aposematic coloration to signal their toxicity to would-be predators. Insect-eating birds and other animals learn to avoid meals that come in red and black and are more likely to steer clear of a ladybug lunch.

      4. Ladybugs Live for About a Year

      Ladybug larva on leaf
       David Bithell/Getty Images 

      The ladybug lifecycle begins when a batch of bright-yellow eggs are laid on branches near food sources. They hatch as larvae in four to 10 days and then spend about three weeks feeding up—the earliest arrivals may eat some of the eggs that have not yet hatched. Once they’re well-fed, they’ll begin to build a pupa, and after seven to 10 days they emerge as adults. The insects typically live for about a year.

      5. Ladybug Larvae Resemble Tiny Alligators

      Larval stage of a 2 spot ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) eating a leaf
      © Jackie Bale/Getty Images

      If you’re unfamiliar with ladybug larvae, you would probably never guess that these odd creatures are young ladybugs. Like alligators in miniature, they have long, pointed abdomens, spiny bodies, and legs that protrude from their sides. The larvae feed and grow for about a month, and during this stage they often consume hundreds of aphids.

      6. Ladybugs Eat a Tremendous Number of Insects

      Seven-spotted Ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) adult eating Aphids
      Bill Draker/Getty Images 

      Almost all ladybugs feed on soft-bodied insects and serve as beneficial predators of plant pests. Gardeners welcome ladybugs with open arms, knowing they will munch on the most prolific plant pests. Ladybugs love to eat scale insects, whiteflies, mites, and aphids. As larvae, they eat pests by the hundreds. A hungry adult ladybug can devour 50 aphids per day, and scientists estimate that the insect consumes as many as 5,000 aphids over its lifetime.

      7. Farmers Use Ladybugs to Control Other Insects

      Because ladybugs have long been known to eat the gardener’s pestilent aphids and other insects, there have been many attempts to use ladybugs to control these pests. The first attempt—and one of the most successful—was in the late 1880s, when an Australian ladybug (Rodolia cardinalis) was imported into California to control the cottony cushion scale. The experiment was expensive, but in 1890, the orange crop in California tripled.

      Not all such experiments work. After the California orange success, over 40 different ladybug species were introduced to North America, but only four species were successfully established. The best successes have helped farmers control scale insects and mealybugs. Systematic aphid control is rarely successful because aphids reproduce much more rapidly than ladybugs do.

      8. There Are Ladybug Pests

      You may have personally experienced the effects of one of the biological control experiments that had unintended consequences. The Asian or harlequin ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) was introduced to the United States in the 1980s and is now the most common ladybug in many parts of North America. While it did depress the aphid population in some crop systems, it also caused declines in native species of other aphid-eaters. The North American ladybug is not endangered yet, but its overall numbers have decreased, and some scientists believe that is the result of harlequin competition.

      Some other negative effects are also associated with harlequins. In late summer, the ladybug gets ready for its winter dormancy period by dining on fruit, specifically ripe grapes. Because they blend in with the fruit, the ladybug gets harvested with the crop, and if the winemakers don’t get rid of the ladybugs, the nasty taste of the “knee bleed” will taint the vintage. H. axyridis also like to over-winter in houses, and some houses are invaded in each year by hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of ladybugs. Their knee-bleeding ways can stain furniture, and they occasionally bite people.

      9. Sometimes Masses of Ladybugs Wash Up on Shores

      Near large bodies of water all over the world, massive numbers of Coccinellidae, dead and alive, occasionally or regularly appear on the shorelines. The largest washup to date happened in the early 1940s when an estimated 4.5 billion individuals were spread over 21 kilometers of shoreline in Libya. Only a small number of them were still alive.

      Why this occurs is still not understood by the scientific community. Hypotheses fall into three categories: ladybugs travel by floating (they can survive afloat for a day or more); the insects aggregate along shorelines because of a reluctance to cross large bodies of water; low-flying ladybugs are forced ashore or into the water by windstorms or other weather events.

      10. Ladybugs Practice Cannibalism

      If food is scarce, ladybugs will do what they must to survive, even if it means eating each other. A hungry ladybug will make a meal of any soft-bodied sibling it encounters. Newly emerged adults or recently molted larvae are soft enough for the average ladybug to chew.

      Eggs or pupae also provide protein to a ladybug that has run out of aphids. In fact, scientists believe that ladybugs will deliberately lay infertile eggs as a ready source of food for their young hatchlings. When times are tough, a ladybug may lay an increased number of infertile eggs to give her babies a better chance of surviving.

      CitationHadley, Debbie. “10 Fascinating Facts About Ladybugs.” ThoughtCo, Jan. 25, 2019, thoughtco.com/fascinating-facts-about-ladybugs-1968120.Hadley, Debbie. (2019, January 25). 10 Fascinating Facts About Ladybugs. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/fascinating-facts-about-ladybugs-1968120Hadley, Debbie. “10 Fascinating Facts About Ladybugs.” ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/fascinating-facts-about-ladybugs-1968120 (accessed April 24, 2019).copy citation


        Pets~ diseases and such we can catch from our pets~ Did You Know

        https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/vets-reveal-the-most-dangerous-diseases-pets-can-give-you/ss-BBTuiZr?ocid=spartandhp&fullscreen=true#image=16

        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.

        “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.

        Toxoplasmosis

        “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.

        Rabies

        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.

        Salmonella

        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.

        Leptospirosis

        “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 a high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, or other symptoms. According to the CDC, if you recover from the first phase of symptoms and become more severely ill a second time, it could be a sign of meningitis or kidney or liver failure.

        Toxocariasis

        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, bBloodystool,” explains Dr. Shainhouse.

        Tapeworm

        “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.

        Ringworm

        “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

        Cat scratch disease

        “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. Giardia

        “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

        Pet scabies (mange)

        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.

        Campylobacteriosis

        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.

        Myobacterium marinum

        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.

        Hookworms

        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.

        Cellulitis

        “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.

        Irritant contact dermatitis

        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.
        “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.

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