Cats Is All About

All pet owners know it: Fleas and ticks are a big pain. Some pet owners resort to Frontline Plus, others turn to Comfortis, but all pet owners owe it to their animals to provide their pets with some type of flea and tick medication.

However, if you need a little extra incentive, consider the fact that fleas and ticks are capable of far more than just gnawing on a few ankles. Don't procrastinate when it comes to renewing your Frontline Plus supply; there are some very serious diseases that pet owners can contract from their pets' fleas and ticks. Here are four of them.

1. The Plague

That's right, the plague as in the Plague. The Black Death, which killed between a third and a half of Europe's entire human population in the 13th and 14th centuries, is transmitted by infected fleas.

Although it's incredibly rare for Bubonic Plague to strike in the United States, it does occasionally happen. When it does, the disease usually originates from a flea infested dog or cat. Even today, with a cure for Plague, one out of seven people who contract it still die. Those who survive become seriously ill and are usually hospitalized before recovering.

2. Lyme Disease

"Lyme disease" may not trigger the same negative knee-jerk reaction that the words "Bubonic Plague" do, but Lyme disease is all-too common and very serious. As Lyme disease progresses, its victims develop heart problems, chronic fatigue, and Alzheimer's-like symptoms.

Lyme disease is spread primarily by deer ticks. If you're the type of dog owner who lives near a wooded area or likes to hike in the woods with your dog, it wouldn't be too hard for your dog to pick up an infected tick and transfer it to you.

3. Cat Scratch Disease

Cat scratch disease, more commonly known as "cat scratch fever," occurs when an infected cat bites or scratches a human. Initial symptoms include a mild infection, swollen lymph nodes, and flu-like symptoms.

Although it's rare, serious side-effects can result from cat scratch fever. People with compromised immune systems, for example, can develop dangerous liver and spleen problems from the fever. Likewise, a meningitis-like disease can also arise as a result of a serious case of cat scratch fever.

While cat scratch disease is transmitted from cat-to-human rather than from flea-to-human, the infected cat initially picks up the bacteria from fleas. Kittens are especially likely to carry the bacteria, making it very easy for them to pass the disease along to their human families.

4. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, like Lyme disease, is spread by infected ticks. One to two weeks after a tick bite, those infected with this disease experience fever, vomiting, severe headaches, muscle pain, and lack of appetite. After these initial symptoms, the rashes and joint pain set in.

This disease is quite dangerous, frequently requiring hospitalization. Severe cases may interfere with the victim's respiratory system, nervous system, or renal system. After a serious case of the disease, victims face long-term health problems, including partial paralysis, loss of bladder control, and language disorders.

These four diseases represent just a handful of dangerous diseases that pet owners can contract as a result of their pets' fleas and ticks. Luckily, pet meds can help to keep pets flea and tick free. Pet medications may be purchased at retail stores, veterinary offices, or online from discount pet medication sites.

Do you have a story about catching any kind of illness from your dog's or cat's fleas and ticks? If so, share it in the comment section below.