Most pets are of no concern and if the family have a pet or pets there is no reason why the CYP needs to stay away from them, so long as a few simple precautions to reduce the risk of catching an infection are taken.
General hygiene advice
- Wash hands thoroughly after contact with any animal
- Children and young people on treatment must not touch animal poo and litter trays
- Pets should not be allowed to lick the child, especially their faces (if they do, wash well afterwards)
- Children and young people should not change fish tank water or put their hands in it.
Pets to avoid
- Stray animals
- Any animal with a history of diarrhoea before it has been treated by a vet
- Farm animals
- Baby chicks and ducklings
- Reptiles such as tortoises, turtles, lizards, snakes, geckos, chameleons and water dragons
- Amphibians – frogs, toads, etc
- All birds, including pigeons
- Wild animals
It is important that the current pet’s immunisations and parasite control is up to date, so make sure to check with the vet if you are unsure on this. It is not recommended to get any new pets until after the end of treatment due to potential exposure to new infections (for example, new puppies and kittens may scratch or bite while playing, whereas existing family pets are less likely to do this). Any puppies and kittens should be fully vaccinated before coming into the house. Children and young people with cancer should avoid any pet that has had the Bordetella vaccine (for Kennel cough) for six weeks, as it is a live vaccine.
First Aid
If a CYP is bitten by any animal, you must do the following:
- Wash the bite well with an antibacterial handwash
- Dry the bite well with gauze
- Cover the wound with a clean piece of gauze of plater
- Inform the child’s oncology unit who may refer you to A&E
This information is taken from the CCLG factsheet 'Handling animals and pets', where you can find further information.
Last reviewed April 2025