For many of us, our pets are a part of our family and we share our space with them. They live in our home, play with us and we feed them and care for them. However, animals are animals, and they don’t know some hygiene rules as we do. Even if they are used to living in small apartments, they still can’t act like humans. They can also have some parasites or bacteria that the human body is not compatible with. This can lead to allergies and infections. As a pet owner, there are some tips on how to avoid infections and take care of good hygiene.
Avoid bites, scratches, and smooches
Your pets have unusual ways of expressing their affection towards you. Cats will try to play with you as if you were one of them, and dogs will try to give you “kisses” that can leave you with too much dog saliva on your face. You can end up with some innocent scratches and bites. Although pets don’t have any intention of harming you, you have to be careful and avoid these things because organisms that can penetrate your skin through pets’ saliva can cause skin infections, fever, and meningitis. Cats can transmit germs if they scratch you because they clean their paws with their tongue and transmit germs from mouth to paws. Avoid infections caused by pets and take care of your hygiene.
Get rid of the animal feces
Many pets defecate in the house, like cats who do it in the litter box. You might clean it but there is always a possibility that some of the germs from the feces end up on your shoes and then in other parts of the house. Salmonella is one of the diseases that can be obtained this way and it can cause acute diarrhea that can lead to dehydration. A microscopic parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii can cause enlarged lymph nodes and can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus. It is thus recommendable that pregnant ladies don’t touch things where animals sleep, defecate or play with. It is extremely important that you wash your hands regularly and especially after touching your pet or anything that belongs to them (food bowl, toys, litter box, etc). Use a hand dryer after this to avoid leaving your hands wet and avoid spreading the bacteria. Avoid carpets because they are harder to clean. If your pet shows some symptoms of fever or diarrhea, call a vet.
Give your pets their personal space
Your pets should have their personal space where they spend their time, play, and sleep. Although people like it when their pet cuddles in their lap or on the sofa, try teaching your pets from an early age to sleep in their bed. Some pets like to be at a height
To be able to control the situation, so have this in mind when choosing the position for your pet’s sofa bed. Cats like hidden places, boxes, and blankets, so make sure you provide them with some of that. This way, your pet won’t leave their germs, saliva, or hairs on your sofa or bed. Also, make sure that the covers used for their beds can be washed in a machine and not only by hand. Needless to say, washing it by hand can make you touch germs and bacteria that you would like to avoid.
Groom your pets
You shouldn’t take this for granted because all the dirt you remove from your pets will not lie around in your house waiting for you to ingest it somehow. Don’t wait for your pets to be messier. Water can be better than a pet shampoo for a quick and regular wash. Once in a while, a wash that includes a pet shampoo should be done as well as trimming and de-shedding. Consult with a vet because this depends on a breed and you shouldn’t do it completely on your own. Excessive washing can be harmful to some breeds.
Avoid fleas and ticks
Fleas and ticks can transmit some dangerous germs while feeding on your skin. Some of them can cause Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and even plague, which is very rare these days but it can happen. There are flea and tick prevention products but be careful and consult with your vet first before buying them. You can always check if your pet has fleas or ticks, especially if they are scratching too much. Ticks can be removed manually, just make sure you wash your hands properly after that.
Air your house
Nobody wants their house to smell odd. You probably smelled it before, dog saliva, litter box, pet food...All that combined can leave a staunch that can stick around for a lot of time. Make sure you ventilate your home well, especially if you live in a small place. There is nothing better than fresh air, although there are products that can help, like natural air fresheners based on lemon or essential oils.
Have a good vacuum cleaner
You need to count on good tools to keep your home clean, especially when you live with your pets. A good vacuum cleaner is a lifesaver because it can remove all the dirt that your pets leave behind. By that, we mean also hairs and bad odors in some cases. It would be wise if you picked one with good suction and also capable of cleaning the furniture and upholstery as well. In case your pets have long hair that needs to be groomed and shedded regularly, then a regular vacuum cleaning must be done as well. This also implies that a filter should be cleaned frequently to avoid accumulating the dirt and the hairs in it and having a source of infections in your house.
To sum it up, all the hygiene rules you already have should be used when you live with your pets. However, they should be done even more often, you should wash your hands every time you interact with your pet, and not touch your face, eyes, and mouth while petting them. Have some handy equipment, like a good hand dryer and highly efficient vacuum cleaner to make it all easier and faster. Pets are a great company and will give you their unconditional affection, so all this effort is perfectly justified.
