Pet Care Guidelines For Immunocompromised Owners

There are several million immunocompromised persons in the United States, including an estimated one million people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Other systemic diseases and conditions which suppress the immune system include chronic renal failure, alcoholism and cirrhosis, diabetes, certain cancers, leukemia, congenital immunodeficiencies, organ- and bone marrow- transplants, spleenectomy, hemodialysis, radiation , chemotherapy, and taking high doses of corticosteroids.

A high percentage of these immunocompromised pet owners have been advised to give up there pets. However, 30 - 40% of them continue to own pets. While it's true that these patients are more susceptible to infections which they could contract from their pets, pets are beneficial in reducing depression associated the chronic illness.

At All Creatures, we try to know not only which diseases pets get, how to diagnose and treat them, but also how to prevent transmission of the disease from the pets to their human companions. The following is a general guideline that may be of assistance regarding pet care to anyone with an immunocompromised condition.

There are several conditions that are commonly thought of as having a zoonotic potential in immunocompromised persons. A few of these are:

  1. Enteric (intestinal) pathogens - Such as Salmonella, Campylobacter spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia, Toxoplasma gondii, Hookworms, Roundworms, Trichanella and Tapeworms.
  2. Respiratory pathogens - Such as Bordatella bronchiseptica "Kennel Cough", Cryptococcus, Mycobacterium (avian tuberculosis), and Histoplasmosis.
  3. Miscellaneous pathogens - Bartonella henselae "Cat Scratch Fever", Chlamydia psittaci "Parrot Fever", Rhodococcus equi.

Although the health risk of owning a companion animal is thought to be low for a person with an impaired immune system, the risk can be further reduced with simple precautions. The following are general recommendations made by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as printed in the December 15, 1994, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA).

  • Feed only good quality commercial pet foods. Never feed raw or uncooked meat, eggs or unpasteurized milk. Do not allow your pet to hunt as a source of food.
  • Do not allow your pet to drink from the toilet or eat garbage.
  • Be sure all vaccines are up-to-date. Yearly fecal exams are a must for detection of intestinal parasites. In certain situations, semiannual fecal exams are best.
  • In general, restrict the animal to indoors or when outdoors, to walks on a leash.
  • Maintain an active flea and tick control program.
  • Keep the animal's sleeping and feeding areas clean.
  • Have animals surgically spayed or neutered. These animals are less likely to roam; roaming can increase the risk of disease contraction.
  • Wash hands after handling the animal, especially before eating or smoking.
  • Clean up all messes (vomitus, stool and urine) with a good disinfectant and wash hands well. Wearing disposable latex gloves provides an extra degree of protection.
  • Keep animals nails short to minimize scratches. If scratched, wash and clean the area thoroughly with an antiseptic. If swelling or redness develop, contact a physician. With cats, if scratching continues the animal may need to be declawed.
  • If bitten, clean and wash the area thoroughly with an antiseptic. If the bite is from an animal with an unknown vaccination status, contact a physician. In Alabama, all bites are to be reported to the health department.
  • Use disposable litter box liners and change them daily (Toxoplasma organisms in a cat's stool require approximately 48 hours to become infective).
  • Cat litter and bird droppings should be discarded by someone not at risk, if possible. If you must perform the discarding, wear a disposable face mask and disposable latex gloves.

    • If you desire an additional pet, consider the following recommendations:

  • Adopt animals that are more than one year old. Avoid contact or handle with care all puppies and kittens six months old or less (especially if they have diarrhea).
  • Do not adopt monkeys, exotic animals, or any wild caught animals.
  • Purchase birds only from a domestic breeder. Wild caught birds may harbor Chlamydia psittaci the causative agent of "Parrot Fever". Amazon parrots and gray-cheeked parakeets are the two most commonly infected with avian tuberculosis.

    • Immunocompromised individuals should not own reptiles (high rate of infection and shedding of Salmonella organisms). If you do decide to keep reptiles, the feces should be discarded by someone not at risk, if possible.

    Fish are a source for Mycobacterium marinum infections, via cleaning the aquariums. Disposable latex gloves should be worn during the cleaning process.

    Immunocompromised individuals should avoid contact with young farm animals, especially if they have diarrhea. These animals can act as reservoirs for several infective agents, including Cryptosporidium spp. Swine should also be avoided as they are a potential reservoir for Bordatella bronchiseptica infections.

    Plan for the future to help minimize stress and to ensure that your animal is not neglected. Identify someone to care for your animal in case you are unable to do so, and establish a way to notify that person in case of emergency. Arrange in advance for a permanent home for the animal in the event that you are no longer able to keep it.

    If you have questions regarding a specific disease or situation please feel free to contact your veterinarian's office or either of the two following regional non-profit organizations. They have been established to assist immunocompromised pet owners:

    PALS
    1438 Peachtree St.
    Atlanta, GA. 30309
    (404) 876-7257

    Companion Animal Support and Assistance Network (CASAN)
    810 Barret Ave., 266B
    Louisville, KY 40204
    (505) 574-5490

    We hope this information will be of value to you in selecting an appropriate companion animal and in caring for his/her needs, as well as your own. If you have any questions or comments, please call your veterinarian's office, or feel free to e-mail us.

    David E. Hammett, DVM
    and the Staff of All Creatures Veterinary Clinic, PC

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