Determinants of Knowledge About Zoonotic Diseases of Dogs

The term human-animal bond is used to describe the relationship between people and their pets. A zoonosis is any infectious disease that can be naturally transmitted from animals both wild and domestic to human. The major factor contributing to the appearance of new zoonotic pathogen in human population is increased contact between human and pet animals. Little consideration has been given to the known and potential zoonotic infectious diseases of small companion animals. Dogs closely share the domestic environment with human and have the potential to act as sources and sentinels of a wide spectrum of zoonotic infections.