Healthy Pets Healthy People
all original material copyright 1998, Stephanie Wong
Table of Contents
Introduction
Health Benefits of Animals to Humans
Immune Compromising Diseases: Who is at risk?
Resources
Agencies
Brochures, pamphlets, posters and booklets
Hotlines
Journal Articles
Videos
Websites
PAWS Externships
Introduction
Pets provide unconditional support and love for many people. However, pets can also carry zoonoses, diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Over the past ten years, much has been researched about the benefits and risks of pet ownership to immunocompromised persons.
Initially, little was known about pet-related zoonoses, and many health professionals were recommending that people with immunocompromising conditions give up their pets. Today, we know that pets are a minimal risk to immunocompromised persons and that the benefits of animal companionship most often outweigh the danger of zoonoses.
Healthy Pets, Healthy People was created to help answer some of the most common questions about pet ownership by immunocompromised persons. This booklet includes information on diseases that compromise the human immune system, the five pet-related zoonoses of concern, safe pet guidelines, and an extensive list of current resources on the health risks and benefits of pets to immunocompromised persons.
(Special thanks to the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Pets Are Wonderful Support and the Humane Society of the United States for their support in producing this project.)
Health Benefits of Animals to Humans
Although the United States Public Health Service states that pets present only a minimal health risk to immunocompromised persons, sixty percent of HIV-infected pet owners were told by their physicians that they should not own pets.
Current research has demonstrated that pets provide many physical and psychological benefits that outweigh the risks of zoonoses. Caring for a pet results in many physical health benefits. Pets decrease blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They reduce morbidity and mortality related to heart disease . Pet ownership can lead to fewer office visits and a reduction in minor health problems.
Pets can provide emotional support at a time when it is most needed. People with immunocompromising diseases can feel isolated and alone. Pets decrease feelings of loneliness and increase feelings of intimacy and constancy.
It is crucial for health professionals to consider the many health benefits that pets provide to immunocompromised persons before making any recommendations about pet ownership.
Immune Compromising Diseases:
All pet owners should be aware that, though the chances are low, their pets can carry infectious diseases that can be transmitted to humans in the household. Persons with the following medical conditions are potentially the most susceptible to pet-related zoonoses:
alcoholism/liver cirrhosis
Who is at risk?
cancer (some)
chronic renal failure
congenital immunodeficiencies
diabetes mellitus
HIV/AIDS
immunosupressive treatments for:
autoimmune diseases
cancer
transplant recipients
long-term hemodialysis
malnutrition
pregnancy
splenectomy
Resources on Pets and Immuncompromised Persons
Pets Are Wonderful Support - San Francisco (PAWS-SF)
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
Delta Society
Marin Humane Society - Share Program
Hawaiian Humane Society - Pets Are Loving Support
Companion Animal Support and Assistance Network (CASAN)
Project Inform
Pet Pals
Pet Patrol
Pet Are Loving Support (PALS) - Atlanta
PALS - Guernville
Pets Are Wonderful Support - Los Angeles
PAWS - Chicago
PAWS - Orange County
PAWS - Philadelphia
PAWS - St. Louis
PAWS - San Diego
PETS - Washington, D.C.
Pet Support Network
Pet Owners With AIDS/ARC Resource Service (POWARS)
POWARS - Baltimore
Phinney's Friends - MSPCA
2189 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 241-1460
E-mail: PAWSSF@dnai.com
2100 L Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20250
(202) 452-1100
321 Burnett Avenue South, 3rd
Renson, WA 98055
(800) 869-6898
171 Bel Marin Keys Boulevard
Novato, CA 94949
(415) 883-4621
2700 Waiaiae Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 955-5122
810 Barret Avenue 266 B
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 574-5490
1965 Market Street Suite 220
San Francisco, CA 94103
(800) 822-7422
PO Box 190869
Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 521-5124
PO Box 980255
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-1954
1438 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 876-7457
PO Box 1539
Guernville, CA 95446
(707) 887-2729
7221 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(213) 876-7279
1153 North Dearborn 321
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 465-3741
3111 Via Santo Tomas
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(714) 489-2898
PO Box 30262
Philadelphia PA 19103-9998
E-mail: philpaws@critpath.org
(215) 985-0206
3952 South Grand Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) 865-0188
1278 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 234-7279
2001 O Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
(202) 234-7387
1824 12th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 322-5444
PO Box 1116 Madison Square
New York, NY 10159
(212) 744-0847
PO Box 39364
Baltimore, MD 21212
(410) 783-8823
350 South Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02130
(617) 522-7400
Safe Pet Guidelines - $0.15 each
Your Cat and Your Health - $0.15 each
Your Bird and Your Health - $0.15 each
HIV/AIDS & Pet Ownership
Opportunistic Infections and Your Pets - $0.10 each
You Can Prevent Toxoplasmosis - $0.10 each
You Can Prevent Cryptosporidiosis - $0.10 each
What Every Cat Owner Should Know About FIV - $5.00
Animals and AIDS Patients: Action Guide - $16.00
Health Benefits of Animals
Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS-SF)
PO Box 460487
San Francisco, CA 94146
(415) 241-1460
PAWS-SF
PAWS-SF
Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine
Tuskegee, AL 36088
(334) 727-8174
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse
(800) 458-5231
CDC
CDC
American Animal Hospital Association
AAHA Press: 12575 West Bayaud Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80228
(206) 463-2033
Delta Society
(800) 869-6898
Delta Society
(800) 869-6898
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Project Inform
National AIDS Hotline
Pets Are Wonderful Support:San Francisco
(800) 458-5231
(800) 822-7422
(800) 342-2437
(415) 241-1460
USPHS/IDSA Guidelines for the Prevention of Opportunistic Infections, Clinical Infectious Diseases, 21(Suppl 1): S32-43, 1995.
Angulo FJ, CA Glaser et al. Caring for pets of immunocompromised persons, JAVMA, 205(12), December 15, 1994.
Angulo FJ, DL Swerdlow, Bacterial Enteric Infections in Persons Infected with HIV, Clinical Infectious Diseases 21(Suppl 1): S84-93, 1995.
Angulo FJ, K Gorczyca et al, Pets: Benefits may outweigh risks for people with AIDS, but, Journal of the Physicians Association for AIDS Care, November 1994.
Gorczyca K, Pets and the Immunocompromised Patient, Syntex Journal Rounds, pp.4-7.
Langley RL, WE Morrow, More on Pets and Immunocompromised Persons, JAVMA 206(5):592, March 1, 1995.
PlautM, EM Zimmerman et al, Health Hazards to Humans Associated with Domestic Pets, Annu Rev Public Health 17:221-245.
Spencer L, Opening Doors for the Immunocompromised, JAVMA 205(12):1641-1642, December 15, 1994.
Living with HIV and Pets - $25.00
Our Pets, Our Health - $10.95
produced by the Latham Foundation
Pets Are Wonderful Support: San Francisco
PO Box 460487
San Francisco, CA 94146-0487
(415) 241-1460
Delta Society
(800) 869-6898
Epidemiology Fact Sheet
Feral Cats: Zoonoses
Iowa Health Book: Infectious Diseases
Pets Are Loving Support (PALS) - Sonoma County, California
Pets Are Wonderful Support - San Francisco (PAWS-SF)
The Complete Canadian Health Guide: Zoonoses, Diseases from Pets
The Delta Society
Zoonoses and You: Something to be Concerned About
Zoonosis Control
Zoonotic Disease: Office of Research, UCSB
Topics: Campylobacteriosis, Cat Scratch Disease, Cryptosporidiosis, Giardia, Psittacosis, Salmonellosis
Topics: cat zoonoses
Topics: Campylobacteriosis, Giardia, Salmonellosis
Topics: pets and HIV, adopting pets, the human-animal bond
Topics: services, resources, Safe Pet Guidelines and pet-related zoonoses
Topics: Rabies, Cat Scratch Disease, Salmonellosis, Psittacosis, Fish Tank Disease, Ringworm, roundworms, Toxoplasmosis
Topics: Human-Animal Bond, pet assisted therapy, educational materials, action guides, resources
Topics: Cat zoonoses
Topics: general list
Topics: general list
For more information, contact Ilana Strubel, DVM at 415-241-1460 or E-mail at ilanas7000@aol.com. Check the website at www.pawssf.org for more information on PAWS.