Zoonotic diseases at the vet clinic

What zoonotic disease means for clinic staff

A workplace risk with real numbers

For clinic staff, this is an occupational hazard. The NASPHV compendium cites a survey of 466 veterinarians in 36 states in which one-quarter reported catching a zoonosis from their practice. In another, half of US veterinary teaching hospitals reported zoonotic infections among staff over two years.

MedlinePlus puts the routes plainly: you can catch a disease directly from an animal, or indirectly through the environment. Its page on NIH animal diseases & your health names good hygiene, clean pet areas and up-to-date pet vaccines as ways to cut the risk.

Some people carry more risk. CDC names children under 5, adults over 65, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women. A team member in one of those groups may want extra precautions, and should talk with their own doctor.

How zoonotic transmission happens in a clinic

Hands, surfaces, air & bites

Every infection needs a chain: a germ, an infected animal, a way out (a cough, stool, a wound), a way across, a way in (a cut, the eyes, the mouth) and a person who can catch it. NASPHV sorts zoonotic transmission at work into three main modes: contact (direct or indirect), through the air (droplets or aerosols) and vectors. Split out, that makes five routes:

Gloves work on the first two rows, the contact routes. Droplets call for face protection. Aerosols call for respirators and fewer sprayers. Bites and needlesticks call for safe handling and sharps habits, because a disposable glove will not stop a tooth or a needle.

Zoonotic diseases list for vet teams

Five you will meet in practice

NASPHV's appendix runs to dozens of zoonotic diseases. These five groups are common small-animal examples, and most zoonotic diseases from dogs and cats on this list spread by contact, so gloves matter for each one. For more zoonotic diseases examples, by species, see Appendix 1 of the compendium.

Ringworm in cats & dogs

Ringworm is a fungus, not a worm. So is ringworm zoonotic? Yes. Cornell's Feline Health Center says it passes from an infected cat to a person who touches it, and ringworm in cats can take six weeks or more of treatment to clear. NASPHV notes the spores also travel on surfaces, equipment and laundry, and puts these patients on contact precautions: gloves, a gown and, when needed, shoe covers.

Zoonotic parasites in feces

Roundworms and hookworms are the zoonotic parasites most clinics see in stool. CDC says roundworm eggs need 2 to 4 weeks in the environment before they can infect anyone, then survive for months or years, one reason CDC says to pick up waste daily. NASPHV lists hookworm as a contact infection of the skin, so fecal samples and dirty runs get gloves.

Leptospirosis in urine

Leptospirosis spreads through the urine of infected animals, dogs and cats included, and CDC lists veterinarians and veterinary staff among those at risk. NASPHV puts suspected cases on contact precautions and suggests logging leptospirosis vaccine status at intake. Cover any cut on your hands, as CDC advises, and glove up for urine, bedding and catheter care.

Salmonella & other gut bacteria

Most pets with Salmonella show no symptoms, CDC says, yet they spread it in their poop and saliva. NASPHV adds that Campylobacter can be normal in animal stool. A healthy-looking patient is no guarantee, so diarrhea cases and anything fecal get gloves and a change afterward.

Cat bite infection & scratch fever

MedlinePlus says cat bites are less common than dog bites but carry a higher risk of infection, because long, sharp teeth leave deep punctures. A cat bite infection can show as swelling, redness or pus, and any bite that breaks the skin should be seen by a provider within 24 hours. Wash it with soap and running water for 3 to 5 minutes first.

Cat scratch disease comes from Bartonella henselae. CDC says it spreads through scratches contaminated with flea feces, and through bites or licks on open wounds, with kittens and strays the usual source. Gloves don't stop claws. Low-stress handling, restraint gear and flea control help more.

Where nitrile exam gloves cut the risk

Contact routes, not teeth or air

Our nitrile exam gloves are latex-free and powder-free, so they suit staff who react to latex and fit close enough for exam work. The compendium's PPE table shows how gloves combine with other gear by procedure. Its model plan goes further and gloves every diagnostic specimen:

Glove changes, hand hygiene & safe removal

Clean hands, fresh pair, every time

NASPHV calls hand hygiene the single most important thing vet staff can do to stop zoonotic germs. Gloves come second, and used wrong they make things worse: a pair kept on from one patient to the next carries germs along with it.

1. Clean your hands before you put gloves on.
2. Change gloves between animals or groups, such as a litter of puppies, and whenever one tears.
3. Change between dirty and clean steps on the same patient, such as an old bandage and a new one.
4. Peel the first glove off by the palm, hold it in the gloved hand, then slide bare fingers under the second cuff and peel it over the first, as CDC shows.
5. Clean your hands right away, since gloves can hide small tears. Never wash and reuse a glove.

Cleaning isolation wards & kennels

Every cage, mop & laundry bin

Germs like ringworm spores and parvovirus outlast the patient. NASPHV wants isolation rooms stocked with their own PPE that never leaves the room, single-use bowls and litter pans where possible, and the room cleaned and disinfected on a set schedule.

• Clean first, then disinfect: organic matter weakens most disinfectants.
• Follow the EPA label for dilution and wet contact time.
• Skip high-pressure sprayers. If you must use one, add eye and respiratory protection.
• Change mop water and mop heads between animal areas.
• Wear gloves for soiled laundry and check pockets for sharps.

Our cleaning glove collection carries four gloves for this work. None of our gloves carries a chemical permeation rating, so treat any of them as splash protection, follow the disinfectant label for PPE, and change a pair once it soaks through.

Picking glove thickness for high-risk patients

Thicker for wet, long & rough jobs

No veterinary standard sets a glove thickness. We suggest thin gloves for routine exams and heavier ones where a tear is likely or the patient is known to be infectious, since a split glove means a dirty hand mid-task. Our black heavy duty medical nitrile is 5.5 mil and about 6 grams, $84.95 a case, and its page says it meets US FDA requirements for medical examination gloves. Size L is sold out as we write this.

Fit matters as much as thickness. A tight glove splits at the thumb, and a loose one snags. Most cases hold 1,000 gloves (some XL cases hold 900), and shipping is free on contiguous US orders for a limited time.