Is Kissing Your Pet Unsafe?

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Pets are often companions and even best friends for some.  Forbes reports that as of this year 66% of U.S. households own a pet.  Even though we love our furry friends, experts say pets can also harbor infectious diseases that can sometimes be passed on to us.

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00:00Pets are often companions, and even best friends for some.

00:03Forbes reports that as of this year, 66% of U.S. households own a pet.

00:09Even though we love our furry friends, experts say pets can also harbor infectious diseases

00:13that can sometimes be passed on to us.

00:17The National Library of Medicine knows that more than 70 pathogens of companion animals

00:21are known to be transmissible to people.

00:24This means that diseases can be transmitted directly from pets to humans

00:27when we have contact with the pet's saliva, bodily fluids, or even indirectly

00:32through contact with contaminated bedding, soil, food, or water.

00:37Science Alert reports that dogs and cats are the biggest carriers of diseases,

00:41but contact with pet birds and even fish have been linked to a range of bacterial infections in humans.

00:47The Guardian reports that for most people, the risk is low,

00:50but it's good to note that some people, such as pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems,

00:55should be extremely careful because they're at greater risk of getting sick from animals.

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