Resources for Physicians and Medical Professionals

Healthy pets mean healthy families!

Medical professional

The health of people and animals is closely connected. Animals add to a person’s quality of life and promote healthier habits. Animals can also be a source of injuries or infections, or be a sentinel indicating that a disease that can infect people is present in the local environment.

In addition, newly emerging diseases in Los Angeles County may appear in animals before they appear in people. Medical professionals are encouraged to ask their patients about pet ownership and other animal interactions.

This page has resources on important medical topics related to animals and pet ownership.

Medical professionals in Los Angeles County are invited to consult with our Public Health Veterinarian On Call for rabies risk assessments, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm at 213-288-7060 or at vet@ph.lacounty.gov.

For emergency questions about communicable diseases in humans, please contact our Acute Communicable Disease Control Program at 213-240-7941.

Rabies

For information on rabies, including bite reporting requirements and the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) workflow, visit the Acute Communicable Disease Control rabies page.

Health benefits of pet ownership

Pets provide a variety of health benefits to people. These include: improved cardiovascular health, reduced obesity, tobacco cessation, and mental wellbeing. To maximize the benefits of pet ownership and reduce the risks of disease transmission, pets should be seen by a veterinarian for a physical examination at least once yearly and be kept up to date on all vaccinations and preventive care.

Pets and children

Pets can make great companions for children, teaching important values such as compassion and responsibility. However, children can be at higher risk for several pet-related illnesses. In Los Angeles County, the highest rate of bites reported occurs in children aged 4-9. Children may also be at higher risk of zoonotic diseases transmitted fecal-orally or by direct contact (flea-borne diseases, gastrointestinal parasites, ringworm and more). Children should never be left with pets without supervision, and should always wash their hands after playing outside or with a pet. In addition, pets should be up to date on their vaccinations and preventive care.

Pets and pregnancy

Pregnant women should exercise caution around their pets to prevent infection from zoonoses or injury to themselves (e.g. bites). There is no need to remove a pet from a household where a woman is expecting.

  • Toxoplasmosis in cats is more commonly transmitted to people through eating undercooked meat. Only cats that go outdoors and ingest rodents can be infected with Toxoplasma gondii. In addition, healthy cats typically shed the parasite once in their lifetime.
  • Other zoonoses that can constitute an increased risk during pregnancy include lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (rodents) and listeriosis (raw milk).

Pets and Immune-suppressed populations

Chemotherapy, organ transplants, and other conditions (e.g. HIV) that affect the immune system may increase risk of infections from contact with animals. Take precautions to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission from pets to immune-suppressed patients (hand washing, avoiding licks to the face). Pets of immune-suppressed owners should be up to date on their vaccinations and other preventive care.

Service animals and health care settings

Service animals are not considered pets, they are trained for a specific task for people with disabilities. By law, service animals are allowed in any part of a medical facility where personnel or patients are normally allowed. Exceptions may occur if the service animal's presence represents a direct threat to other persons in a particular area. Appropriate hygiene measures should be taken when dealing with service animals. These include: hand washing after contact with the animal and minimizing contact with fluid, feces, or dander.

Zoonoses - Diseases transmissible between animals and people

According to the CDC, 6 out of 10 infectious diseases of humans are spread from animals. Animals may become infected by diseases from humans (influenza, MRSA), be a source of infection for people (leptospirosis, flea-borne typhus), or act as a sentinel for diseases that are present in the environment (Valley fever, West Nile virus). Disease surveillance in animals is an integral part of keeping our communities safe from infectious pathogens. Asking patients about pet ownership or contact with animals can help identify specific risk factors for zoonotic diseases.

Last updated: September 24, 2026