Long-term studies have shown that dogs improve their owners’ psychosocial and psychological well-being. Of course, cuddling up with your pet at home may seem like the ideal way to unwind after a trying day.
There is a chance that your dog could infect you with dangerous germs, illnesses, and diseases if the other paw drops with that one healthy paw. A stomach bug or a more serious illness could be contracted.
However, there are some steps you can take to reduce that risk and ensure your health and the health of your pet.
Zoonotic diseases are conditions where humans and animals contract the same illness. Farm animals, wild animals, as well as domestic pets like cats and dogs, can spread them.
According to research from 2015, household pets can spread harmful germs quite easily, from stomach bugs, diarrhea, and minor skin infections to more serious health conditions. According to a 2016 study, people’s close contact with household pets is actually a conducive environment for the spread of bacteria.
According to a 2012 study from Finland, noroviruses are one of the most common causes of diarrheal illnesses in people of all ages and can survive in dogs before spreading to humans.
Pets do carry germs that can make people sick, even though an infection and the subsequent illness are unlikely. These diseases and germs can be contracted from dogs in the following ways:
There are a few parasitic, bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases that can spread from humans to animals, including domestic pets like your beloved dog.
It is a bacterial illness that makes people feel like they have the flu. Although uncommon, it can be spread through contact with animals, such as dogs, that are infected with the bacteria.
Notably, even if your contact with a dog carrying the bacteria occurred months ago, you could still have brucellosis. If you have this illness, it may take up to two months for symptoms to manifest.
By coming into contact with dog and cat feces that contain the bacteria, this bacterial infection can be transmitted to humans.
These symptoms can appear 2 to 5 days after exposure. Most of the time, no treatment is required because the symptoms disappear after a week.
The urine of a dog with this type of bacterial infection can spread it to other dogs. It can cause symptoms, including:
Although the majority of the symptoms are mild and this condition is uncommon in the United States, it can still be spread by household dogs.
Due to pet vaccinations, this viral disease is uncommon in the United States; only 1 in 3 cases are reported in humans each year. Rabies does spread from dogs to people, though. It can be passed along by bite or scratch.
When rabies affects the central nervous system, it can have a number of serious side effects that include flu-like symptoms like fever, muscle weakness, and tingling. You may also feel burning at the bite site. When those symptoms manifest, it is frequently too late for treatment.
This fungus-based condition affects the skin and scalp. It can be passed from one animal to another and from dogs and cats to humans through contact. Ringworm can also be transmitted by coming into contact with an object or surface, such as bedding, carpeting, clothing, pet brushes, and food bowls.
A scaly, red, circular, itchy rash on the skin is one of the symptoms. On a cat or dog, the symptoms could include scaling, redness, and crusting spots on hairless areas. Skin medications can clear ringworm in 2 to 4 weeks.
Salmonellosis causes symptoms like fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. Humans can contract it by coming into contact with infected dogs, their feces, or their saliva. Additionally, you risk contracting it if you touch your face or mouth after coming into contact with something contaminated.
This animal disease was connected to a 2019 outbreak that was brought on by pig ear treats and affected dogs all over the United States. For four to six weeks following infection, salmonella bacteria can be found in the stools of animals.
The above-mentioned illnesses may have gastroenteritis as one of their most frequent side effects. Depending on the underlying infection they may have, and to varying degrees, this can occasionally be transmitted between people and their pets.
Although it’s not always the case, dogs and people can contract gastroenteritis from each other through their feces or even saliva. Salmonella can spread through litter boxes and when cats are roaming around the house, in particular.
The FDA warns that “some ways dogs can spread the bacteria are when they give people kisses or have stools accidents inside the home.” Animal waste, both from sick and healthy animals, can infect humans. ”.
As you might anticipate, the following individuals are most vulnerable to contracting a disease from their dog:
The specific bacteria, virus, fungus, or disease may also influence the risk level and who is likely to develop a given condition.
In light of this, it is advised to exercise caution and speak with a doctor or veterinarian about any specific queries or issues.
It’s fairly easy to reduce or completely eliminate your risk of contracting zoonotic diseases from your dog. It is based on good hygiene and cleanliness practices, as you might expect.
Will I get sick from my dog licking me?
Expert opinions vary on whether dog kisses carry any serious health risk for people. Still, dogs can carry harmful germs, and some can pass through saliva and close contact.
Even those who agree that avoiding dog kisses most of the time is best prefer basic hygiene practices to avoid these germs. Before touching your mouth or eyes after, wash your face with soap and water. If you have any open wounds or scrapes on your body where a dog’s tongue might lick you, use extra caution.
A gram-negative bacterium called Capnocytophaga canimorsus is typical of the oropharyngeal tract of dogs and cats. The pathogen, which primarily infects humans through dog bites, can result in a severe sepsis, especially in elderly, immunocompromised, or asplenic patients [25]. Infections that can be fatal due to the pathogen include endocarditis, meningitis, osteomyelitis, arthritis, lung abscess, and empyema. Additionally, particularly in patients with compromised immune systems, hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura can be linked to capnocytophaga septicemia [25,29]. Data from the literature have shown that one-third of infected patients are thought to die from capnocytophaga septicemia. In light of this, early empirical therapy with third-generation cephalosporins in patients who experienced a dog bite ought to be taken into account [30].
C. Q fever in humans is brought on by the obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium burnetii. Normally, the pathogen spreads to people through aerosols and direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals. Although dogs are not the main reservoirs for C. burnetii, however, in a study it was demonstrated that C. Nearly 10% of farm dogs were found to have burnetii [35] Additionally, Buhariwalla and colleagues reported in a different study that C Burnetii could be passed from an infected pregnant dog to humans. Additionally, the patients experienced Q fever symptoms like fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and a productive cough. In chest radiography, opacity is a frequent finding, and during auscultation during a physical examination, crackles may be audible. According to this study, the incubation period lasted between 8 and 12 days after exposure to the infected animal. The patients with C. burnetii can be treated with fluoroquinolones or doxycycline successfully [36].
The Rhabdoviridae family of viruses includes the single-stranded RNA virus known as rabies. An old disease with a high mortality rate in both the human and animal populations is rabies infection. According to reports from the World Health Organization, rabies infection causes between 30000 and 70000 deaths worldwide each year [8]. Dogs are the major animal reservoirs for rabies infection. While raccoons, bats, and foxes are the main sources of rabies transmission in developed countries, the majority of infected patients in developing countries contract the disease from dog bites [9] In a US study, a rabies control program was carried out by heavily immunizing domestic dogs and lowering the rabies infection rate [8]. Depending on where the inoculating wound is and how many induced viruses are present, the incubation period for rabies can range from 4 days to several years. Patients may present agitation, anxiety, confusion, hallucination, and hydrophobia. Within 14 days of the suspected dog bite, human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) in frequent doses can help prevent the disease. The likelihood of contracting rabies can be significantly decreased by washing the wound with water and liquid soap [10].
Staphylococcus aureus with methicillin resistance (MRSA) is a leading cause of fatal infections in people. This pathogen has reportedly been isolated from a variety of animals, including pigs, horses, cattle, cats, and dogs, according to several studies. Some of them held the opinion that companion animals were the primary carriers of MRSA, being able to do so through contact with their owners. However, it appears that patients with compromised immune systems are more likely to contract MRSA from animals. However, some data suggested that this bacterium could spread to healthy people who keep an infected animal [45,46]. Traditional anti-staphylococcal medications are not any more efficient at treating MRSA infections. As a result, modern medications like vancomycin, linezolid, and daptomycin are frequently used to treat MRSA infections [47].
S. In the nasal cavity of many animals, including dogs, pigeons, and horses, the gram-positive bacteria intermedius normally has coagulase activity. According to some evidence, this pathogen could also be isolated from the healthy dogs’ gingiva [41]. S. Although intermedius is not a typical zoonotic pathogen in humans, numerous studies have shown that this bacterium is a potential pathogen linked to dog bite wounds and that cellulitis can occur in victims of this infection [42,43]. This pathogen should be discriminated from staphylococcus aureus. The most effective medications for treating this infection are penicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate [44].
How Can We Safely Care for a Pet?
The following advice will help your family safely take care of pets:
If you have concerns about infections from pets, speak to your doctor. Consult your veterinarian if you have any worries regarding the health of your pet.
FAQ
Can humans get skin rashes from dogs?
Hives and eczema are two signs and symptoms of allergic dermatitis, which can be brought on by direct contact with a pet that causes allergies. Itchy skin.
Are dog rashes contagious?
Both contagious and non-contagious infectious skin conditions can affect dogs, and they typically fall into one of four categories: parasitic, bacterial, fungal, or viral. The majority of contagious skin conditions in dogs are spread through an open wound, blister, or sore on your pet’s body.
What diseases can be transferred from dogs to humans?
- Rabies. The Rhabdoviridae family of viruses includes the single-stranded RNA virus known as rabies.
- Noroviruses. …
- Pasteurella. …
- Salmonella.
- Brucella.
- Yersinia enterocolitica.
- Campylobacter.
- Capnocytophaga.
Can dogs transmit infections to humans?
Even though dogs can be good for their owners’ health and happiness, owners should be aware that even young dogs occasionally carry dangerous pathogens that can make people sick. Numerous illnesses, ranging from minor skin infections to serious diseases, can be brought on by dog germs.