Can my pet turtles give me Salmonella with flu-like symptoms?

Thanks for your question about Nugget. For the human health part of your question, the biggest disease that we worry about passing from reptiles to humans is Salmonella. There are other bacteria that they can also carry, but they don’t seem to cause as many problems for humans as Salmonella does. I would recommend washing your hands thoroughly after handing Nugget or cleaning the enclosure to help with this, and to clean the area where you dump the water (ie if you use the sink). For issues relating to a dirty enclosure for Nugget, there are many health problems that can occur with poor husbandry. They can get very sick from exposure to the high levels of bacteria present in their poop, and may stop eating, growing, etc. Often these infections take a long time to treat, and some reptiles don’t recover. I hope that answers your questions, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There is a high risk of salmonellosis with all reptile species, however this risk can be minimised by careful hygiene techniques. If you ensure to wash your hands after contacting the beardie or its habitat this will help greatly. Try and avoid washing any of the tank contents near food preparation areas also.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Reptiles carry Salmonella so I would make sure that you thoroughly clean the area on a regular basis to prevent Precious from getting Salmonella. Salmonella is in the GI tract of reptiles so it is passed along in their feces. If possible, I would develop a separate play zone for your iguana to play on from where Precious plays and spends time. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Reptiles do harbour a lot of bacteria such as salmonella. If you feel unwell it could be unrelated but best to visit your Dr to be safe. In future I would avoid kissing her and make sure you wash your hands after handling her or her habitat. I would advise against sleeping with r as you could accidentally roll onto her.

Thanks for reaching out about Iggy. Reptiles can not acquire respiratory infections from humans, but possible from another turtle that has an infection. One night might be long enough to pass on the contagion. Check and correct husbandry such as water quality, water temperature, basking temperature and UVB exposure, as these are more likely components of illness. It is not legal to prescribe medications without a veterinary-patient-client relationship, meaning a physical exam. See your local veterinarian. Good luck.

Abdominal pain and cramping with diarrhea. It can cause a lack of appetite and some vomiting and they may not feel very well. Your vet can check a stool sample to see if there are parasites and see if a fecal culture is needed

There are many things that can make a dog sick, especially an older dog. I doubt it is from you not being there, the dog barking too much or the salmonella. It is more likely the dog has an underlying medical condition (like kidney or liver problems). The dog needs to be seen by a vet.