A Texas family is suing a retail pet chain, saying a disease carried home with a cockatiel killed a family member in 2006.

While the courts will have to settle the matter, the news likely has many bird lovers looking over at the cage and saying: "What? My cockatiel can kill me?"

Technically, yes. Realistically, not very likely.

In fact, psittacosis, the infectious disease the family says the new pet spread, is so rare that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports fewer than 50 confirmed cases since 1996. That's cases, not fatalities.

Diseases that pass from animals to people are called zoonosis. And while things like mad cow disease and avian influenza can and should prompt widespread international concern, pets actually post a very small risk of passing on an illness.

You are more likely to catch something from another person than from your pet.

While it's shocking to hear of anyone sickened or killed from an infectious disease caught from a pet, it's always essential to keep risk in context and be aware that a handful of common-sense measures will reduce most of the risk of contracting anything from your pet.

When it comes to pet birds, the risk is very low, and these preventive measures will reduce it even further:

• Get pets from reputable sources. For birds, ask a veterinarian who specializes in avian care to recommend a rescue group, reputable bird shop, or breeder. Failing that, look for a bird from a source that follows the Model Aviculture Program (www.modelaviculture.org), a national voluntary program for the certification of aviculturists through inspection by avian veterinarians.

• Keep your pet's area clean. Psittacosis can remain viable in dried bird droppings, but regular cleaning and sanitation will kill the bacteria. Change cage papers daily, at least, along with food and water dishes. Wipe down any fouled areas with a damp cloth and sanitizing solution (ask your bird's veterinarian for a product recommendation that's safe for your pet). Wash pet dishes in hot, soapy water, rinse and allow to air dry, and scrape and wash perches regularly. Soap and water are your friends! Replace toys on a regular basis as a matter of routine, sooner if they become covered with poop and cannot be cleaned.

• Wash your hands after handling your pet or cleaning his cage or the area around it. When it comes to staying healthy overall, you just can't wash your hands enough. Don't forget to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice while you soap up to make sure you keep the suds on your skin long enough.

• Make sure your pet is healthy and stays healthy by working with your veterinarian on preventive care. Because they're prey animals, birds will do everything they can to hide illness. (A sick prey animal is supper, since unusual behavior in the wild attracts the attention of predators.) When a bird shows signs of illness, the pet is often very, very sick indeed. Early signs of illness may need the expertise of avian vet and diagnostic tests to spot.

Your veterinarian should also review your care routines to make sure they're adequate.

The bottom line: Get rid of the risk and keep the pet. You'll not have to worry, and you'll both be healthier.

Where to find more information

Because outbreaks of zoonotic disease passed from wild or livestock populations do form a real threat to human health worldwide, many agencies and groups offer excellent information on the risks and prevention.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has an entire section dedicated to the subject: "Healthy People Healthy Pets" ( www.cdc.gov/healthypets). This outstanding resource allows you to search by type of pet or name of disease for information.

The World Health Organization ( www.who.int/topics/zoonoses/en) offers a tidy page that lays out the basics and is a good jumping-off point for more research. It's a general site, not a pet-specific one.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has a section dedicated to public health ( www.avma.org/public_health/default.asp) that covers health threats from wildlife, livestock and pets. Although they are thought of as "animal doctors," veterinarians are in fact an important resource for human health when it comes to zoonotic disease. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. E-mail them at petconnection@gmail.com or visit www.petconnection.com. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/spadafori