Can I Get a Disease from my Dog?

Is it possible the family dog will also be a risk to the household when it comes to the spreading disease? Is it likely that a dog will pass on germs to humans?

There are several diseases that can be transferred from dogs to humans, these are known as zoonotic diseases (can be transmitted from animals to humans). Not all diseases that affect our pets can be transferred to people but of the ones that can, they can potentially be serious. Below are some of the most common zoonotic diseases that dogs can pass to people.

Ringworm is a common skin disorder also known as tinea that can affect the skin on the body, scalp, feet or the groin. Ringworm is not as its name implies, caused by a worm. It is a skin infection caused by a fungus. Ringworm is contagious; it is passed by handling contaminated items such as combs, unwashed clothing and shower surfaces or by direct skin-to-skin contact between people.

Roundworms (nematodes) have long round bodies and are invertebrates (animals having no backbone). Their size ranges from those plainly visible to the naked eye to those only visible only under a microscope. Roundworm eggs or larvae can enter through the skin or be picked up on the hands and transferred to the mouth by the soil that they are found in. Apart from the roundworm that causes trichinosis, adult roundworms live in human intestines and can cause health problems.

Tapeworms in dogs are caused by swallowing a flea infected with a tapeworm larva. A dog may eat a flea while grooming. Once the flea is digested inside the dog, the tapeworm larvae develop into an adult tapeworm. The adult tapeworm is made up of many small pieces each about the size of a grain of rice with adult tapeworms measuring 4-28 inches long. Inside the intestines, the tapeworm matures and these pieces detach and pass into the feces.

Tick Borne Diseases, as the name suggests are diseases spread by ticks. Unlike fleas, ticks are not insects, but arachnids like spiders, mites and scorpions. Ticks go through a four-stage life cycle, eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults. In the United States Lyme disease is by far the most often reported tick-borne disease in humans and is passed on when bitten by an infected blacklegged tick.

While dogs can pass germs to people, it is not likely you will get sick from touching or owning dogs. The best protection is to wash your hands thoroughly with running water and soap after contact with dogs, dog saliva, or dog stools. Keep your dog healthy and clean, use flea and tick shampoo regularly.

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