pets – Hello Doctor

The power of pets to boost your health

February 20th, 2020 by The Hello Doctor Team

Owning a pet can do more than just make you happy, they increase the likelihood of you exercising, engaging in outdoor activities and socialising. In addition, being a pet owner can help manage loneliness and depression by giving you companionship, as well as having something to talk about with fellow pet owners.

How do pets affect your health?

According to the American Heart Association, pet ownership is an important form of social support that can benefit patients with heart disease or stroke. For example:

Dog owners are 31% less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than non-dog owners.
People with cardiovascular problems who had a dog living at home had a 65% reduced risk of death.
Dog owners who walk their dogs regularly face a 33% lower risk of diabetes than those who don’t own a dog.
Dog parents are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions.
They can catch cancer early: several pet owners have reported that their dog saved their lives after they noticed they were constantly touching at, sniffing or even licking a tumour hidden underneath the skin.
Research at the University of California at Davis concluded that Alzheimer’s patients suffer less stress and have fewer anxious outbursts if there’s a dog or cat in the home.

Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and feelings of loneliness.

It was found that having a pet in the home could improve immunity and decrease a child’s likelihood of developing allergies (related to their home) by 33%. It’s believed that the dander in pet hair might serve as a natural form of immunotherapy for babies and children

Keep your pet healthy

Pets can sometimes carry harmful germs that can make you sick even when they appear healthy. Whether you have a dog, cat, horse, or any other pet, be sure to look for a veterinarian for your furry one.

By keeping your pet healthy, you’re also keeping yourself and your family healthy. Regular veterinary visits are essential to good pet health. Provide your pet with a good diet, fresh water, clean bedding, and regular exercise. Keep up with your pet’s vaccines, deworming, and flea and tick control. Some pets can carry ticks that can spread serious diseases to people.

Contact your veterinarian if you have any questions about your pet’s health or if you think your pet may be sick.

References:

What is cat scratch disease?

July 16th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Your kitten’s little claws may seem harmless, but his scratch may not be.

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection spread by cats. The disease starts when cats become infected from a bacteria, usually passed on by a flea. The infection can spread to humans when the infected cat licks a person’s open wound, or bites or scratches a person hard enough to break the surface of their skin.

You can also get CSD from the saliva of an infected cat if it gets into an open wound or touches the whites of your eyes.

It takes about three to 14 days after the skin is broken for a mild infection to happen. Kittens younger than one are most likely to carry the bacteria called Bartonella Henselae, which causes the infection. Nearly 40% of all cats carry the bacteria, but show no sign of having the illness.

The first sign of CSD is a small lump where your cat bit or scratched you. Within one to seven weeks, the lymph glands swell near the place you were injured. For example, if you were bitten on your arm, the glands in the armpit on the same side of your body would swell.

Common symptoms of CSD in humans include:

A bump or blister near the bite or scratch.
Swollen, tender, lymph nodes near the bite or scratch.
Fatigue.
Headaches.
A fever.
Body aches.
Poor appetite.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of CSD is usually done with a blood test. Your doctor may also take a sample from your swollen lymph glands to test for CSD. If you don’t suspect cat scratch disease but have swollen lymph glands, it’s still important that you see your doctor as it can signal other conditions.

How can CSD be prevented?

The best way is to avoid contact with all cats. If you have a cat, specifically a kitten, avoid rough play to avoid being scratched or bitten. Keep your cat’s nails trimmed to help prevent scratches and wash your hands after playing with him.

Don’t allow your cat to lick your wounds, eyes, or mouth. Keep your cat indoors as far as possible, and use antiflea medication to keep him flea-free. Control fleas in your home by vacuuming regularly and washing your sheets every week.

If you’re thinking of adopting a cat, choose an older cat instead of a kitten.

Treatment

Most cases of cat scratch disease aren’t serious and won’t need treatment. And you don’t have to worry about spreading the infection because person-to-person infection is not possible. But, it’s important to wash any scratches or bites with soap and water.

If you have a weak immune system, you’re more likely to experience serious symptoms from having CSD. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic if your CSD is serious. He may also give you medication to decrease the size of the lymph nodes.

See your doctor if:

Your symptoms haven’t eased after a few days.
Your injury isn’t healing.
You develop a fever.
Redness around the wound is spreading over your skin.

References:

Dog bites!

July 13th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Dogs play such a big role in our lives – as pets, guide animals, drug sniffers and guard dogs, they form an important part of our society. Studies even show that dogs help us to exercise and to heal! As you’re reading this, you may be thinking of your furry family member, or your childhood pet. Continue reading “Dog bites!”