Nursing homes and senior living centers are always looking for ways to engage residents and to help them feel more at home.  Why not man’s best friend, and other furry friends?

Therapy dogs, cats, pigs, rats, even kangaroos have been brought into nursing homes around the country.  The residents enjoy taking care of the animals and generally spending time in their presence.  Administrators praise the change they see in their residents from an animal visit.  "Animals re-engage people with life," says Loren Shook, who decades ago saw the positive effect of animals on the patients at the psychiatric hospitals where his family worked. Now, as CEO of Silverado, he has instituted a must-have-animals policy at all 17 facilities. "Having animals in our facilities reduces depression and anxiety and reduces the need for psychotropic drugs by 35%."

There have been many reports on how animals have benefited the lives of the elderly in senior centers, but the side effects may have been overlooked.  Zoonoses anyone?

A zoonotic disease is classified as any disease that can be transmitted from animals to people, and vice versa.  There are many different bacterial, parasitic, fungal, protozoal and viral infections that all classify as zoonotic diseases. There is always a degree of risk of disease transmission from any contact with an animal, just as there is from any contact with another person.  Some of the diseases involved are minor or even insignificant, while others are potentially devastating, especially in the immunocompromised.

But wait, many elderly are immunocompromised, does this mean that these companion animals are putting the senior residents at risk?  Unfortuntately yes.  Before bringing a pet into an environment with immunocompromised individuals, all possible precautions should be taken.  The pet should be thoroughly examined each year by a licensed veterinarian for any health issues and to test the temperment of the pet.  Any necessary vaccinations should be given at the time, along with a fecal parasite check to be performed every three months unless it is proven that the pet is on a monthly dewormer.

Pets continue to enrich the lives of both the young and the old, but responsible pet owners should definitely closely monitor their pets for any zoonotic diseases.  Common sense and good hygiene will go a long way toward keeping a pet free of zoonotic diseases. Here are a few simple precautions:
* Wash hands before eating and after handling the pet.
* Schedule annual checkups and fecal exams for the pet; the pet should also always be seen by a veterinarian in the event of an illness.
* Keep all vaccinations current.  (Vaccinations should always be administered by a licensed veterinarian)
* Maintain appropriate flea and tick control.
* Avoid letting the pet lick your face, food utensils, or plate.
* Seek medical attention for bites or scratches caused by a pet.
* Feed the pet cooked or commercially processed food, and clean out the fecal area regularly.

For more resources on zoonotic diseases, visit the Zoonotic Diseases Tutorial or World Health Oganization: Zoonoses and veterinary public health.

Immunocompromised individuals (such as the elderly) should consult with a health care professional about specific concerns with any animals in their care.

Watch out, the pet might just predict your death as well.