Pet Peeves

Man's best friend? Depends on who you ask. In the United States, pets outnumber us humans by about 76 million: 378 million pets vs. 302 million people. While 65 million dogs are our pampered pals, there are 78 million favored felines found in American homes today.

Your chosen chum -- be it cat, dog, fish or fowl -- provides you and your family with comfort, companionship and joy; and according to some studies, the emotional rewards of pet ownership can even help decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Yet, along with the health benefits, pets can also transmit diseases -- called zoonoses -- to their humans. Zoonotic diseases are more serious than the common pet allergies like those experienced by first daughter Malia Obama. Following are some of the more common bugs you can get from your pets, along with the steps you can take to protect your family.

Next page: When the cat scratches and the dog bites