According to recent research from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association 63% of households in the U.S. own a pet. The survey states that U.S. citizens own 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, 148 million fish, 16 million birds, 11 million reptiles and 18 million small mammals such as rabbits and chinchillas. Additionally, 4% of American households own farm animals, including horses and pigs.

In a country that is so in love with animals it's surprising that we don't often hear much about zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are spread between humans and animals. Some of these diseases are well-known and some are not, and in many cases animals are not seen as the source of infection or continued infection.

Following are some common zoonotic diseases and some very basic information. If you suspect you, a family member or a pet has a zoonotic disease please seek the advice of a doctor and vetrinarian. The good news is that most zoonotic diseases have a very good prognosis when animals and humans are treated at the same time.

Bordatella (Kennel Cough) - Common in mammals, produces an unusual cough. Is related to human Whooping Cough and can cause similar symptoms specifically in children, though human infection is rare. Bordatella has been known to lead to meningitis in humans, but again this is very rare.

Brucellosis - A well-known cause of concern for humans in the animal care field. Symptoms in humans are similar to that of the flu and can cause lasting problems such as joint and muscle ache. Brucellosis is found most often in mammals and is easily transferred. Brucellosis causes a few hundred illnesses in the United States every year but upwards of several thousand annually in Latin America and the Middle East.

Salmonella - Very commonly found in reptiles, in fact, all reptiles should be treated as if they carry salmonella. Humans are infected by coming in contact with reptile feces and transferring the feces to their mouth. Normally causes intestional symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and cramps. Salmonella can escalate to a life-threatening illness quickly in children, the elderly and immune compromised persons. Hand-washing is essential, never allow a reptile to share floor space with young children and always supervise children when handling reptiles.

Cat Scratch Disease - A bacterial illness caused by being scratching or licked by a cat, most often young cats. More than 20,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. This illness is generally mild and starts as a small bump resembling an insect bite and eventually leads to enlarged lymph nodes, low fever and a general feeling of illness about a month after the initial contact with animal.

Lyme Disease - Lyme Disease is not caused by animal/human contact. L.D. is caused by coming into contact with a tick that is often carried by animals. L.D. is recognized as a zoonotic disease as household pets are often carriers of these ticks. Symptoms include a bullseye rash around the bite, fatigue, fever, headache and joint pain.

Ringworm - While ringworm can be spread in many ways it's very common to be transmitted between pets and humans. Especially common in children, ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin. Signs of ringworm include ring-shaped, scaly skin lesions. Ringworm is often effectively treated over-the-counter in both pets and animals, however, if the infection doesn't go away after two weeks or comes back it's important that you see a doctor and your pet sees a vet as they can prescribe an effective medication and shampoo. Sleeping areas should be washed in hot water and machine-dried when possible.

The above are only a few of the many illnesses animals and humans can share. Maintaining a hygenic household and taking basic precautions is the best and most effective way to prevent disease.