What diseases can be contracted from a dog. What can you get from dogs and cats

Unfortunately, our faithful four-legged friends are susceptible to a number of dangerous infectious, viral, bacterial diseases. Owners, breeders of dogs should remember that some purely canine infections, parasitic diseases, under certain circumstances, can be transmitted to people. In addition, there is a whole group of canine diseases and pathologies that have a common name with diseases diagnosed in humans. Therefore, in this review, we decided to look at which dog diseases are transmitted to humans.

Infectious diseases of dogs, ways of infection

Bacteria, viruses, pathogens enter the dog's body in various ways: through infected food, household items, dog ammunition, bowls, bedding, airborne (aerogenic) way. Dog infestation dangerous infections most often occurs with close contact of healthy individuals with infected individuals. The causative agent of infections can enter the dog's body in the alimentary way, when eating infected feed (meat, internal organs of sick farm animals).

The risk group includes small puppies with fragile, not formed immunity, older dogs age groups, animals with a weakened immune system, reduced body resistance. Predisposing factors include unfavorable conditions of detention, lack of proper care, non-observance of sanitary and hygienic standards when dogs are kept in groups in aviaries and kennels.

The spread of viruses is facilitated by the transportation of dogs with violations of the rules for transporting animals, excessive physical exercise, malnutrition, prolonged hypothermia, frequent stressful situations weakening the body, secondary chronic infections and pathologies.

Helminthiases

Acute echinococcosis

Ringworm, other dermatological diseases

Rabies in dogs

Everything above listed diseases most often in veterinary practice they are diagnosed in dogs in our regions. In the list of the most dangerous diseases that are transmitted to humans from a dog, other animals can be called rabies.

Rabies is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected animal. The virus of a dangerous disease is found in high concentrations in the saliva of infected animals. For infection, it is enough that the minimum amount of a sick animal gets on the mucous membranes and even in a microscopic wound. As you can see, if a person has weakened immunity, for infection to occur, it is enough just for a dog infected with rabies to lick his hands.

After entering the body, the rabies virus instantly spreads from the bloodstream throughout the body, localizing in various organs and systems. First of all, the organs of the central and peripheral systems are affected. If you do not take action, the disease becomes the cause of death.

The insidiousness of an infectious disease lies in the fact that rabies in dogs can manifest itself in various forms and the first signs of infection pet may not be noticed immediately. But the main characteristic sign that makes it clear that something is wrong with the dog is abrupt change behavior, phobia.

Canine rabies is not treatable and infected dogs are euthanized.

Helminthiases

The most dangerous helminth infections for humans include:

echinococcosis;

toxocariasis;

alveoccocosis;

toxascariasis;

diffilobothriasis;

dipilidosis.

The presence of helminths in the body of your dog can be determined by the following signs:

violation of the digestive processes;

refusal to feed or vice versa increased appetite, but the dog does not gain weight;

frequent signs vomiting, nausea;

shortness of breath, cough, difficulty eating;

deterioration of the coat;

diarrhea followed by constipation.

Mucus is present in the feces, fragments, segments of helminths can be seen. Treatment of helminthiases requires complex diagnostics and immediate treatment. With strong helminthic invasions, complete blockage, rupture of the intestine can occur, which will inevitably cause death.

Helminthiases represent real danger for young children and pregnant women. For this reason, several times a year, give your dog anthelmintic drugs, after consulting with a veterinarian.

Chlamydia in dogs

Chlamydia in dogs is a dangerous infectious disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms of the genus Chlamydia (Chlamydia), of which several species are known. In dogs, an infection that is characterized by various forms clinical manifestations(rhinitis, bronchitis. pathology of pregnancy, childbirth), causes Chl. psittaci. Chlamydia is transmitted from a dog to a person by airborne droplets. The causative agent is found in secretions from the genital organs, vaginal sercrete, semen, blood, nasal, eye discharges. The danger of chlamydia lies in the hidden, latent course of infection.

Treatment of chlamydia-infected dogs is lengthy, as pathological microorganisms are intracellular organisms.

Leptospirosis

Another dangerous zooanthroponotic disease of dogs and other mammals transmitted from animals to humans is leptospirosis. The infection is caused by leptospira living in polluted water bodies, soil, and other objects. environment. Infection is possible by aerogenic contact. Leptospira enter the human body through the damaged epidermis, mucous membranes.

Reproduction of leptospira in the body occurs in the structures of the epithelium, cells of internal organs, in particular in the liver, kidneys, spleen.

Dermatomycosis

Dermatomycosis is a common group of diseases for animals and humans that cause pathogenic microscopic fungi. the disease is characterized by severe lesions of the skin, coat.

The most commonly diagnosed dermatomycoses include microsporia, trichophytosis. Characteristic features disease is the presence of bald areas on the body (in the area of ​​​​the ears, croup, on the muzzle) of an irregular round shape. A person can become infected with ringworm by direct contact with sick animals.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious infectious disease that poses a deadly danger to animals and humans. The causative agent of the disease is aerobic mycobacteria, which, after penetrating the body, are localized in various organs - in the lungs, lymph nodes. At the site of introduction into the organ, a nodule is formed - a tuberculous granuloma, which is subsequently encapsulated.

In dogs, tuberculosis is caused by mycobacteria of the human, bovine type. Unfortunately, infectious disease, due to its high contagiousness, is not treatable, and most often veterinarians recommend euthanizing a sick pet.

Prevention of infectious diseases in dogs

Create for a dog optimal conditions content, choose the right, balanced fortified diet. If the dog is kept on a natural diet, add mineral and vitamin supplements to the diet. What vitamins your beloved pet needs will be determined by a veterinarian.

Watch your behavior carefully general condition your dog. Noticing the first deterioration in well-being, immediately contact a veterinarian. Do not self-medicate, because due to the similarity clinical symptoms It is very important to conduct a comprehensive, differential diagnosis in a timely manner.

Man, as a particle of nature, always strives to be closer to it. Maybe that's why in every second dwelling you can find a cat or a dog, a hamster or a rabbit. Pets are becoming an important part of our lives. And the dog is also a faithful, reliable friend, what else to look for among people. But dog friendship, alas, is not always as safe as it seems. And the point is not even that a dog in a fit of anger can bite, but that it can infect the owner or another person with one of the dangerous diseases that it can carry. Therefore, before you get a pet, you need to ask not only how to care for him, but also the question of what can be infected from a dog?

Man and dog

Diseases transmitted to humans from animals have a common name - zooanthroposes. In general, there are about 30 such diseases. And in most cases, cats and dogs, both street and domestic, are the culprits of human disease.

It turns out that having a pet, you must always be on the alert, visit the veterinarian regularly, make the necessary vaccinations that will protect not only the animal itself, but also the owner. It is clear that with yard dogs everything is much more complicated. Our humanity does not allow taking lives creature, but there is not always anyone to care for him, treat, bathe, instill. So it turns out that by petting a homeless dog somewhere on the street, you can capture a bouquet of diseases that will become a science for life.

But not always the dog wags its tail and expects affection from a person. There are aggressive animals, and the reason for their aggression often lies in the person himself. It may well happen that the dog was offended by one person, and a completely different person suffered from his teeth. There is simply aggressive breeds, which you don’t even need to offend, so that they show their “inside”. Aggressive animals can be during estrus.

A healthy trained animal is unlikely to harm a person, unless, of course, it was trained for this purpose. But the behavior of an unhealthy dog ​​can be unpredictable. But what disease made the dog so restless and how dangerous it is for humans, you can’t always determine by eye.

The conclusion is this: you need to be careful and know what you can get from a dog so that, if not to prevent infection, then at least to know how to behave in case of suspicious symptoms. This information will be useful to women and men, the elderly and children, because no one is immune, for example, from the bite of a sick dog. And we will try to consider the most common zooanthroposes and answer questions that concern our readers.

What diseases can be contracted from a dog?

Before we begin to get acquainted with the diseases that a pet or street pet can give us, let's talk about whether the dog should be blamed. Even we, people, the most intelligent of the creatures living on the planet, do not always take care of our health, despite the fact that we have every opportunity to prevent the development of the vast majority of diseases. But dogs do not have such an opportunity, unless the person takes care and vaccinates the pet in advance. After all, a dog does not even know what danger it can carry to someone who considers it best friend. Therefore, you should not blame the animal, you should think about your behavior and attitude towards it, and, of course, about what you can get from a dog if you do not take precautions.

Oh, these microscopic microorganisms are capable of knocking down both humans and animals, causing the most dangerous disorders in the body. True, not all bacteria and viruses are able to migrate between humans and animals, and it is not always advisable for them to change their place of residence (the conditions are unsuitable). Let's consider several popular examples when a "canine" disease is transmitted (or not transmitted) to a person, as well as issues related to purely human viruses.

Bacterial pathologies

The very name "bacterial diseases" suggests that the causative agent of the disease is a certain bacterium, a pathogen. So the question of what can be infected from a dog can be answered with confidence: bacteria. Let's try to figure out which bacteria are dangerous for both dogs and humans.

• Leptospira are bacteria from the genus Spirochetes. They cause such a dangerous disease in animals and humans as leptospirosis. This disease can be called differently: canine fever, infectious jaundice, Vasiliev-Weil disease, etc. But the meaning remains the same: under the influence of leptospira, the animal begins to have a fever, the skin turns yellow, appetite disappears, weakness and apathy appear. If the disease is acute or lightning fast, the animal most often dies. But the disease can also be chronic, and some dogs can be carriers of the infection for up to 3 years.

Leptospira can be found in urine, feces, milk, semen, discharge from the nose and genitals, as well as in exhaled air, which means that they may well get on any surface that a person will contact, or into water. They enter the human body through any damage to the skin: wounds, scratches, bites, etc. The incubation period for leptospirosis ranges from 2 to 4.5 weeks.

In humans, the disease is also manifested by chills, fever up to 40 ° C, headaches and muscle pain, redness and swelling of the face, skin rashes, urinary retention, a drop in blood pressure, etc.

If the disease is not treated, it gives dangerous complications: serious illnesses liver and kidneys with violation of their functions, inflammation meninges and brain (meningitis and encephalitis), inflammation in the iris of the eye (iritis), etc.

• Listeria is a gram-positive bacillus that feels great in the external environment and is not afraid of the cold, continuing to multiply actively even in a refrigerator. It is considered the causative agent of listeriosis - a disease of animals and humans.

In animals, the disease is manifested by apathy, which after 3-7 days is replaced by uncontrolled aggression. Depending on the form of the disease, the symptoms may differ: paresis of the limbs, convulsive syndrome, fever, development of mastitis in bitches, etc. If the CNS is affected, the animal dies.

Listeria is also found in any physiological secretions of sick animals and infection carriers. Thus, both the dog itself and everything with which it comes into contact can become a source of infection. The incubation period can be from 7 days to 1 month.

In humans, listeriosis manifests itself in the form of diarrhea, nausea with bouts of vomiting, and sometimes fever, which resembles the course of many pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

The disease can occur in various forms and has dangerous complications: meningitis, encephalitis, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), arthritis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia. We are talking about inflammatory processes affecting the brain, heart, joints, bones, lungs.

• Staphylococci are Gram-positive bacteria that can cause various pathologies inflammation in both animals and humans. In animals, staphylococcal infection develops mainly against the background of other pathologies that are accompanied by skin itching (dermatitis). The dog begins to actively itch, tearing the skin, where the infection gets, which can be found literally everywhere. Suppurations form at the site of the wounds.

When asked if it is possible to get staphylococcus from a dog, the answer is yes. But, alas, much more often people get a bacterium as a reward not from animals, but from contact with dirty objects through unwashed hands or by airborne droplets. Wounds on the skin or mucous membranes are also a risk factor.

Most often, children or people become infected from animals. old age and those with severely weakened immune systems.

You can get infected from a dog with a bacterial disease through friendly contact with the animal itself, with a bite with damage skin, upon contact with infected surfaces, But again, provided that there was a wound on the skin at the point of contact. Infection of a person through unwashed hands is not excluded.

Viral pathologies

Since we are talking about contact with animals, we need to understand that it may not always end successfully. Often, showing aggression, a dog can bite a person. And the question immediately arises, what can be infected from a dog bite?

Pro bacterial infections and we already know the possibility of getting them during an animal bite, but what about viruses that also provoke various diseases?

• Rabies virus or neurotropic virus. It is considered the causative agent of the well-known pathology - rabies (other names: rabies, hydrophobia). This is an extremely dangerous disease, which in animals is not even treatable. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the dog is euthanized.

In animals, the disease can occur in 3 forms, which differ markedly in their symptoms:

Rampant Form: at first the dog is either lethargic and timid, or overly affectionate and intrusive, then it becomes restless, alert, and then overly aggressive. The dog may react violently to bright lights, screams, noise. After the attack comes lethargy and apathy. The dog may refuse food, but gnaws and chews through inedible objects. Salivation appears, the voice becomes hoarse, turning into a howl. Distinctive feature Rabies is the inability to swallow water.

Silent form: the dog is too affectionate, all the time trying to lick the owner, then salivation and anxiety appear, the lower jaw sags, it becomes difficult to swallow, especially water.

Atypical form: signs of inflammatory pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis or enteritis).

Animals incubation period can last from 5 days (in puppies) to 2 months, in isolated cases - up to a year.

The question of whether it is possible to catch rabies from a dog has long been considered irrelevant, because dogs are the main carriers of the virus. Another thing, how can you get rabies from a dog? Infection usually occurs through the bite of an animal. But since the virus is contained in the saliva of a dog that can obsessively lick the owner, the possibility of infection through lesions on the skin in the place that the animal actively licked or where it left its saliva is not ruled out.

Depending on the site of the bite, the incubation period in humans lasts from 5 to 40 days, and sometimes up to 1 year. The higher the bite is located on the body, the faster the disease will develop, which usually has 3 stages:

Stage 1 (1-3 days): drawing pains, itching and inflammation at the site of the bite, temperature in the range of 37-37.3 ° C, headaches, general weakness, depression, fear, sometimes hallucinations, nightmares, impaired appetite and sleep.

Stage 2 (2-3 days): the appearance of hydrophobia (a person cannot drink, spasms in the throat occur even from the sound of water), rare convulsive breathing, convulsions in the body, groundless fear from every sharp sound or movement, dilated pupils, salivation, rapid pulse, hyperhidrosis;

a person is excited, there are attacks of aggression and inappropriate behavior(beating, biting, tearing his hair, etc.), at the end of the attack, the patient becomes normal and adequate.

Stage 3 (about 1 day): violation of sensitivity, paralysis of muscles and organs, unusual calmness, temperature of the order of 42 ° C, increased heart rate, low blood pressure. Next comes death.

Don't be afraid, because it usually doesn't come to that. After a dog bite, a sober person will definitely go to the hospital, where he will be vaccinated (modern KOKAV vaccine) on the same day. The main thing is not to delay the trip to the doctor. If more than 2 weeks have passed since the bite, the vaccine may no longer help. And the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease suggests that no treatment will help a person.

Readers may ask such an unusual question: is it possible to catch rabies from a vaccinated dog? Veterinarians say that a vaccinated dog cannot get rabies. Another thing is if she received the virus even before that (the incubation period can be long), and the vaccine did not have time to work, or was in close contact with a sick dog, so that the saliva of an infected animal remained in her mouth. As you can see, the probability of infection from a vaccinated dog is very, very small.

Moreover, doctors say that it is also unlikely to become infected from a domestic unvaccinated dog if the animal does not communicate with yard dogs.

• Hepatitis virus is a microorganism from the group of adenoviruses. In dogs, it causes infectious viral hepatitis (Rubart's disease), which is characterized by an inflammatory process in the liver.

In animals, it manifests itself in the form of: fever up to 41 ° C, depression, loss of appetite, bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, enlargement and redness of the tonsils, the appearance of a whitish cloudy spot on the eyes, lightening of feces and darkening of urine, sometimes yellowish tint on the skin and mucous membranes.

Young dogs usually die, and those who survive suffer from liver disease.

A fair question arises, is it possible to catch hepatitis from a dog? A dog can get the disease quite easily through touch, but it will be safe for a person. So the disease is terrible for the animal, but not for its owner.

• HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that subsequently causes AIDS. The very name of the virus suggests that this virus mainly affects people.

Can dogs get HIV? No, it can only be a short-term carrier of an infection that cannot live outside the human body for a long time.

However, according to many studies, insects can also become carriers of HIV. So maybe dogs can reward a person with such a dangerous disease, which is absolutely safe for them?

Let's not sin against the truth, the probability of such infection exists, but it is so negligible that it is simply not taken into account. How likely is it that a dog, having bitten to the blood of a patient with HIV infection, will attack healthy person and bring infected blood into the wound? That is the chance of getting infected.

• Rotavirus or rotavirus infection (aka intestinal or stomach flu) is a virus whose various strains cause severe symptoms in various animals, including dogs, and in humans. The main symptoms: intoxication, diarrhea, dehydration, plus all kinds of cold symptoms.

Rotavirus infection is highly contagious and has a short incubation period (up to 12 hours). It is dangerous for people weak immunity, children and old people. Can a dog get rotavirus from a sick owner? Fortunately, no, because for puppies, with which the owners are especially busy, the disease can be fatal (for adult dogs, rotavirus is not terrible).

In humans and dogs, the disease is caused by different strains of the virus, so the transmission of the disease between them is impossible.

• Canine distemper virus is a microorganism from the morbillivirus family that causes a disease called distemper in dogs. And what else can you call a disease that affects mainly young animals aged 3-12 months?

Distemper (plague of carnivores) is a very dangerous disease for animals that affects respiratory system, digestive organs, skin and central nervous system. Quite often, the disease leads to the death of the dog.

Symptoms: high temperature (under 40 ° C), vomiting, diarrhea, copious purulent discharge from the nose and eyes, convulsions.

Can a person get distemper from a dog? No, the canine distemper virus is not terrible for humans, the measles virus, which also belongs to the morbillivirus family, is another matter. But a person, like a cat (itself does not get sick), is a virus carrier, it may well be if he cared for a sick animal. In the external environment, the virus can survive up to 2-3 months. In this case, the owner becomes dangerous for his dog if it has not been vaccinated in due time and is susceptible to infection.

And finally, a question that is directly related to the viral infection, which we often call the common cold. So is it possible to catch a cold from a dog, because it causes the same symptoms in humans and animals: sneezing, coughing, runny nose, watery eyes?

You should not worry about this, because, as in the case of rotavirus infection, the symptoms of the disease in humans and dogs or cats are caused by completely different viruses. So do not be afraid to treat your pet for fear of getting sick yourself.

These inedible mushrooms

Not only bacteria and viruses can cause dangerous diseases in dogs. Some fungi also have this ability, which, having settled on the skin of an animal, cause him terrible anxiety. But is it capable fungal infection to live on the human body and what exactly is to beware of, you still need to figure it out. So, what, having a fungal nature, can be infected from a dog?

Mycoses are called diseases in dogs, the causative agents of which are fungal flora. The most common of mycoses is lichen or mycosporia. It is him that people fear the most, and for good reason. You can get lichen from a dog by simply petting a sick animal, which is often practiced by young children and ardent animal lovers.

Basically, lichen can have various forms, which differ in the causative agent of the disease (and it can be not only a fungus, but also a virus), the nature of the rashes on the skin of the animal, the localization of the spots and the degree of contagiousness. characteristic symptom depriving are considered: colored or flaky spots on the skin that itch a lot, so the animal constantly itches and spreads the infection throughout the body, hair loss at the site of the fungus. Sometimes lichen manifests itself in the form of scabs on the skin and lightening of the tips of the coat, which ceases to shine, looks untidy, and clumps.

The fungus that causes lichen settles mainly in the epidermal layers of the skin of a dog or cat. Individual elements can be on the animal's coat, especially after the dog has combed the itchy spot. It is enough just to run your hand over the coat of a sick animal, and then touch your skin or hair, and the fungus will gladly accept the invitation to settle in a “new home”.

A person has a disease called ringworm, and it is caused by zoophilic dermatophytes (a type of fungus). It is called a ringworm because it really loves places on the skin covered with hairs that fall out under its influence. The incubation period of the disease, if it is obtained from an animal, is not more than a week. The risk of getting sick is higher in people with weakened immune systems or skin wounds. Care of a sick animal is also a risk factor. The treatment of lichen in animals is quite long, therefore, if the rules of hygiene are not followed, the likelihood of infection is very high. It is especially dangerous if the animal has not been isolated for the duration of treatment. In this case, fungal spores can be found for a long time on any surface with which the sick animal has come into contact.

Enterobiasis is considered a disease in which infection can occur in only one way - through contact between people. Dogs, cats and other animals are not carriers of worms, so you can be calm in this regard.

Roundworms are considered the second most popular. These are already large roundworms (up to 40 cm in length), causing pathologies called ascariasis, which can affect both humans and animals. Ascaris settle mainly in gastrointestinal tract, giving preference to the small intestine, which subsequently becomes inflamed. However, they are quite active and can easily get to respiratory organs, get into the organs of hearing, nasal passages, appendix, etc. Due to ascariasis, pneumonia, diseases of the liver and pancreas, peritonitis, bronchitis, intestinal obstruction and other dangerous pathologies can develop.

So far, we have been talking about human roundworms. In animals, worms are completely different. They are accustomed to living in completely different conditions, with more high temperatures. For example, a dog's body temperature approaches 39 degrees.

Is it possible to get roundworm from a dog? Human - no, because they are transmitted only from person to person and cannot live outside the human body. As for canine roundworms, the danger can be represented by such a variety of roundworms as toxocara, the probability of infection with reduced immunity is 80%.

Toxocara are roundworms about 10-18 cm long, capable of active migration throughout the body, as a result of which they can be found in the liver, heart, eyes, lungs, brain, pancreas, and skeletal muscles. A person can become infected with these helminths from the nematode genus both by drinking contaminated water and food, and by contact with a sick animal. Dogs are considered especially dangerous in this regard, infection from a cat is less likely, because they suffer from toxocariasis much less often.

Human can long time be a carrier of Toxocara larvae without knowing it. But with a decrease in immunity, they quickly turn into worms and begin to travel through the body.

Symptoms of toxocariasis: getting worse general well-being, the temperature rises to 37-38 degrees, appetite worsens, nausea and vomiting appear. There may be a cough. Body weight is reduced. Patients complain of muscle pain and swollen lymph nodes. Allergic rashes often appear on the skin.

Another pathology associated with nematodes that can be diagnosed in humans and dogs is called. This is not a common disease, because its transmission requires an intermediary. Blood-sucking insects act as an intermediary.

Everything seems to be clear with roundworms, but how are things with flat views worms?

The main source of infection are hunting dogs and farm animals. The larvae, which are transmitted from a diseased organism to a healthy one, nest in the dog's feces, from where they can get on the coat or various items. Infection occurs through contact with a dog or contaminated surfaces.

In the body of the host, the larvae form cysts filled with fluid, in which they remain until maturation. Such cysts can be found in various organs.

The probability of transmission from a dog to a person is also in the cucumber tapeworm, which causes dipilidiosis. To infect a person from a dog, again, an intermediary is needed, and fleas are it. You can become infected with a cucumber tapeworm only by accidentally swallowing a flea, in the body of which there is a worm larva.

But not only worms can be residents of the internal organs of a dog and a person. They can also be the simplest organisms.

Toxoplasma is just one of the types of protozoa that can be found in a dog's body. The disease that develops under their influence is called toxoplasmosis.

Can you get toxoplasmosis from a dog? Of course you can, and very easily, just by contacting or caring for your own or a stray dog.

It is believed that approximately half of the world's population is infected with toxoplasma. Some people with good immunity the disease may be asymptomatic. For others (with acute form) observed strong rise temperature, enlarged liver and spleen, vomiting, headaches, convulsions, paralysis. Chronic form proceeds with low temperature, fatigue, headaches and swollen lymph nodes.

The disease can be accompanied by damage to various organs and systems. In pregnant women, pathology causes miscarriages. With brain damage, there is a risk of developing schizophrenia.

Giardia is another fairly popular type of protozoan, which is quietly located outside the body in the form of cysts. Giardia feel great both in the human body and inside a dog or other animal.

Can you get Giardia from a dog? Why not? True, the likelihood of such infection is much lower than when drinking contaminated water. The fact is that only cysts are considered infectious, which can be found in the feces of an animal. The likelihood of Giardia cysts from feces getting on food or human hands is very small, unless they end up on the dog's coat. Therefore, infection with Giardia from animals is rare.

The danger to humans from worms in the body of a dog is that helminthiases can occur without pronounced symptoms. Weight loss and deterioration (or vice versa, increase) in a pet's appetite are often associated with other causes. An obvious specific symptom can only be anal itching and the appearance of worms in the feces or at the exit from the anus, which is not always the case and not with all helminths. It turns out that the owner may not even suspect what danger is next to him and what the hidden disease of the dog can turn into.

Lice and fleas

The answer to the question will sound like this: you can get infected, but it's not dangerous, because lice in animals and people are completely different insects. Human lice are attracted to our blood, while dog fleas will not like it. Once on a person’s head, the flea will not linger there for a long time, and will look for opportunities to return to where they feed deliciously.

Ticks

The most famous mite-caused disease in humans and animals is scabies. True, not everyone knows that the reason skin itching is a tick, and not uncleanliness at all. The association between scabies and dirt arose because the disease is very common among the homeless. But the reason is not at all in the dirt, but in the fact that scabies is very contagious. The scabies mite is a nocturnal insect, and only during this period the female can be on the surface of the skin for intercourse. The tick is transmitted by close contact of the skin of a sick person with the body of a healthy person, especially at night, which is very popular among people without a permanent place of residence.

Now, as for the animals. The question of whether it is possible to get scabies from a dog has a very difficult answer. To begin with, the scabies mite has several varieties that settle either on humans or on animals. Everyone has their own preferences.

But it is impossible to completely exclude the transmission of a dog tick to a person. If an adult or child actively hugs an infected dog in the evening, it is possible that the female tick will try to change the situation. But this will not do her any good, since being on the human body does not allow the scabies mite to completely pass. life cycle from larva to adult. In the end, both the tick and its larvae will die, so the disease will not last long.

Can you get demodicosis from a dog? Opinions differ on this. On the one hand, demodex, like the scabies mite, has several varieties depending on the animal whose body is its habitat. It would seem that a dog tick should not live on a person. But you can find many reports when the subcutaneous tick of a dog was the cause of the disease in humans.

So is it possible to get infected from a dog subcutaneous tick? It is possible, in the same way as scabies. But be that as it may, it is safe to say that the disease will not last long. After all, the conditions of life in the body of a person and an animal are completely different. More low temperature human body will not allow ticks to actively multiply.

Can a child get infected from a dog?

When a four-legged friend appears in the family, announcing the area with a ringing joyful bark, when the owners pay attention to him, children are especially delighted. For them, a dog and a friend, and soft toy, which can be squeezed, hugged and even saddled, if the size of the animal allows. Let's talk about how safe such a toy is.

Dogs, like people, can have many different diseases, some of which are considered contagious and can be dangerous to humans. Bacteria and viruses, helminths and protozoa - this is an incomplete list of what makes a dog not so attractive neighbor for adults, those for children.

The fact is that the immune system the child is still in the formative stage for several years after birth. Defense Forces small organism much weaker than in adults, so children (especially babies from 0 to 3 years old) get sick even with those diseases that an adult body copes with once or twice. And this despite the fact that babies closely communicate with animals (both domestic and stray) much more and more actively than adults who mostly care for animals, and do not hug and kiss them, which is typical for babies.

It is clear that a sick dog is more dangerous for a child than for an adult. What can a child get from a dog? Yes, with all those diseases that we wrote about above: leptospirosis, listeriosis, staphylococcal infection, rabies (if parents overlook, but this is unlikely), fungal infection (it is also popular in childhood terribly contagious lichen), helminths and even ticks (even if the disease does not last long).

And if the body of an adult in most cases is able to resist the disease, then it is very difficult for a child's body to cope with it. The same lichen in adults does not occur as often and does not reach such a distribution as in a child. Not to mention caution. Adult man hardly after close communication with a yard dog, he will smooth his hair or take on his face, and this is quite characteristic of a child.

A sane adult will not take food after contact with a dog. unwashed hands, but a child, seeing a delicious apple or cookie, is unlikely to think about caution and the possibility of infection with helminths.

It must be said that infection in adults in most cases occurs for the same reason as in children. This is primarily a failure to comply with basic hygiene requirements. Unwashed hands become a source of infection not only in the case of dogs. Even if you have a sick animal at home, you can get infected with a non-canine disease if you cook and eat food with unwashed hands, if you take your face with the same hands, spend cosmetic procedures(for example, squeezing blackheads) and medical procedures (skin treatment, injections, etc.).

It's just that dogs increase the probability and widen the circle somewhat. possible pathologies. So, when getting a pet, you should always remember this, accustoming both yourself and your children to cleanliness.

What about small dogs? dwarf breeds Now it’s not enough, and they are becoming increasingly popular, then everything is not so simple here either. It would seem that you took a healthy puppy, do not let him out on the streets, and the problem of infectious diseases is solved. But even a puppy or a small dog that has never been outside is not absolutely safe. And we humans are a danger to them.

Everyone knows how dogs love to play with shoes. But it is on shoes that we can bring home any infection. The dog gnawed the shoe, rubbed its hair against it, and now it has problems that will most likely then pass to us, and first of all to our children.

But if everything is clear with hand and body hygiene, you can somehow take care of it, then everything is much more complicated with shoes. After all, it is not enough to remove your shoes away from the pet, you would also need to wipe the floor every time you enter the house, and this is already problematic.

The only reliable way to protect yourself and your dog is to get your pet vaccinated and regularly checked by a veterinarian. In principle, there is a vaccine for almost every disease that can be contagious to humans. And veterinarians actively suggest vaccinating pets and regularly deworming and treating them. by special means from fleas and ticks (you can use special collars).

But due to the fact that drugs are not cheap today, dog owners are in no hurry to buy them, not realizing the consequences, which can be much more expensive. Especially if one of the owners of the dog is a child.

Some do not want to resort to vaccination, considering it a waste of money that does not cure the disease. This is facilitated by references to cases of human infection from dogs that were vaccinated. But if you look into them in more detail, it turns out that the owner of the dog, who did not adhere to the vaccination regimen, was primarily to blame.

Is it possible to get infected from a vaccinated dog? It is possible, but only if the vaccination was not carried out on time, and the dog managed to catch the infection even before the introduction of the vaccine. Given that any disease has an incubation period, neither the owner nor the veterinarian could even be aware of the infection.

The chance of getting infected from a vaccinated animal is extremely low. Still, it becomes contagious when the disease enters the open phase, and the vaccine at this time in most cases begins to act and the animal's body is actively fighting pathogens.

And now, as a bonus, consider a question that many will find ridiculous. Can you get cancer from a dog? It would seem, and here cancer to dogs? However, it has been scientifically and practically proven that our four-legged friends, it turns out, can get sick. oncological diseases just like their owners. And they treat cancer in dogs, like in humans, with chemotherapy. But dogs can only transmit cancer cells to animals from the canine order. According to doctors, other animals and people do not need to be afraid of infection.

As you can see, our smaller friends have not only purely canine diseases, but also those that can be dangerous to humans. The list of answers to the question of what can be infected from a dog is not so small, and the diseases are not at all harmless. Therefore, first of all, it is worth thinking not so much about which “dog” diseases are dangerous for humans, but about possible ways avoid infection. And this is, first of all, hygiene and sanitation, as well as the prevention of diseases in the animals themselves (at least out of love for their pets). After all, not only we, people, have the right to a happy healthy life.

Moreover, if the dog early age not accustomed to good manners, or the owner does not pay due attention to his pet during a walk, it is possible that the dog will have forbidden “goodies”, for example, bones, pieces of meat that may contain eggs, worm larvae. Do not forget that the main route of infection with worms is alimentary, oral-fecal, less often contact.

A dog can get infected, for example, swallowing a flea, after eating raw meat products, not passed heat treatment, drinking water from a puddle or picking up a "delicacy" from the ground, seeded with larvae.

Miniature owners, ornamental breeds dogs that rarely go for a walk or constantly sit on the hands of their owners on the street should understand that the larvae, helminth eggs can get into the house on the soles of shoes, household items, clothing.

Do not forget that our smaller brothers are very contact, friendly, active pets. On walks, dogs communicate with their relatives, other animals that may be infected with worms.

Dog showing his love licks his hands, the face of the owner. Some owners allow dogs to climb on the sofa, bed. Undoubtedly, children are crazy about their pets. The child plays with the dog, cares for her, kisses, hugs her pet. Thus, with constant contact with the dog, infection with worms occurs.

Read also: How to cook porridge for a dog: products and rules

The danger of helminthic invasions for humans, manifestations of helminthiases

Important! Most often people are diagnosed with echinococoosis. With this disease, echinococcus larvae migrate from the bloodstream to the liver, spleen, brain, spinal cord, and kidneys. Can affect bone and muscle structures. This type helminths provokes the development of cysts, neoplasms during internal organs.

Helminths are especially dangerous during pregnancy. strong helminthic invasion can cause miscarriage, provoke premature birth, various violations of embryogenesis.

Helminth infections in more occurs due to reduced resistance, weakening of the immune system. The risk group is Small children, weakened viral infections, chronic pathologies, diseases people.

Among the main symptoms that indicate human infection with helminthiasis can be noted:

• violation of digestive processes;
• unstable stool (constipation, diarrhea);
• pallor, yellowness of mucous membranes;
• frequent bouts of nausea, vomiting;
• weight loss;
• itching in the anus;
• bad breath;
• allergic rashes;
• sleep disturbance, lethargy, apathy, decreased performance;
• profuse salivation;
• cough, shortness of breath, fever;
• periodic severe cramps, abdominal pain.

Can dogs get flu?

No one likes to get sick with a cold or viral diseases. Often, at these moments, only our four-legged pets remain next to us. They faithfully look into our eyes, warm us when we are cold, and try in every possible way to ease our pain (oh). However, do they run the risk of contracting the flu or a cold from us? Yes, and in general, can a person infect a dog with the flu? Or is it still worth taking precautions with respect to our four-legged pets?

Ways to get the flu

Before answering the question of whether a person can infect a dog with the flu, let's turn to the mechanism by which the virus itself enters the human body. We could have been hypothermic, or caught the disease from its carrier.

Accordingly, our pet can get sick if:

• viruses, fungi, bacteria will get into his body;
• it will become supercooled - it is enough to swim in cold water, drink cold water or just walk longer than usual in bad weather;
• his body is weakened, and the immune system can not cope with the bacteria that enter the mucous membranes.

At the same time, pay attention to a very important point.

According to veterinarians, human influenza viruses, other respiratory viral diseases, for dogs do not pose a threat. That is, theoretically, the owner cannot infect a dog with influenza.

But, do not rush to think that the danger has passed.

dog flu

Animals, dogs in particular, have their own viruses. So, for example, in Russia, in 2004, the canine flu virus was detected. Then the breed of greyhounds suffered from it most of all. At the same time, flu symptoms were very similar to human symptoms:

• animals showed a high
• dogs coughing and sneezing
• General lethargy and loss of appetite were observed.

Why can a dog get the flu?

And although cases of canine flu, registered in 2004, fortunately, no longer had a recurrence, nevertheless, most often dogs get colds, not because of the penetration of viruses and harmful bacteria into their bodies, but because their bodies overcooled. In addition, the following circumstances can contribute to the occurrence of a cold in a dog:

1. Passive lifestyle of the dog, lack of walks in sufficient and high-quality quantity (o). As a result, the animal's immune barrier is automatically lowered, and it becomes more vulnerable to viruses. That is why experts recommend not to forget about long walks in good weather, as well as additional insulation in bad weather. Snow and rain outside the window is not a reason to refuse a walk, rather it is a reason to get it and go for a walk on a shortened program.
2. The next point follows smoothly from the previous point. Very often the dog's body suffers from real hypothermia. If the dog has a short coat, she needs clothes in autumn and winter. If the animal lives on the street, in a booth, it must be sufficiently insulated and windproof. You should not experiment with bathing dogs in open water in bad weather. Animals also need to be protected from drafts.
3. An unbalanced diet and lack of vitamins, all this causes the immune system to start to give up, and can not cope with the attack of viruses and bacteria. Especially enhanced nutrition is needed in winter and spring period. Then also is relevant.
4. The lack of vaccination and preventive examinations by veterinarians increases the risk that the animal will get sick.
5. Dry indoor air – use of heaters, especially in winter period year, leads to the fact that the air in the room becomes dry. This automatically leads to overdrying of the mucous membranes in the animal, and the latter can no longer resist viruses in this way. Instead of a barrier preventing the penetration of the disease into the body, they turn into a kind of gate. That is why pet owners need to additionally moisten dry air and monitor its performance using a special hygrometer device, and not by eye. What may seem comfortable to you and me may be completely unsafe for a dog.

Dog flu video

Today we talked about whether the owner can infect a pet with the flu. Human viruses are not dangerous for dogs. But, in the case of canine flu, a person can be a carrier of the disease. Same, improper care behind a pet provokes the development of viral and colds him. Therefore, it is important to take good care of your dog. If you are still faced with symptoms similar to those of the human flu, that's just, it's not you who is sneezing, but your dog - do not hesitate to visit the veterinarian. Trying to cure a dog of flu at home is quite difficult. In addition, the health of a pet is not at all something worth risking ...

Has your dog ever had the flu? Do you take precautions for your pet when you have the flu? We will be interested to know your answers.

Worm diseases are a well-known problem, all dog breeders must have encountered these pathologies. Inexperienced lovers, having learned that their pets have worms, often ask veterinarians the same question: “Is it possible to get worms from a dog”? In this article we will try to answer it.

In addition, a person, unlike his pets, at least occasionally washes his hands, and is not inclined to eat rotten food from garbage dumps. But dogs are a completely different matter. Therefore, they are always more likely to be infected.

But the immune system is always much weaker in the following individuals:

• Small children (who also love to squeeze pets).
• Starikov.
• People recovering from serious illnesses.

All of the above categories of people have a much higher risk of contracting helminthiases, and therefore they should minimize contact with sick animals.

Methods of infection

Remember! Never kiss a dog! Although helminthiases are transmitted through saliva extremely rarely and only with a combination of certain factors, it is more than realistic to pick up something infectious in such cases.

How not to get worms from a dog: a list of recommendations

We’ll tell you right away about how not to get infected by “guests” from your pet. Considering that most dog worms do not pose an immediate danger to humans, you won’t have to do anything particularly difficult:

Finally, if something really serious (such as echinococcosis) is suspected, the dog should be isolated in private room. Ideally, it is generally better to keep the dog in a separate outdoor enclosure and be sure to burn all his feces.

If the pet is a “free bird”, kept in the yard on a free range (or even in an aviary), then everything becomes even more complicated. For the duration of treatment, we highly recommend fixing it in one place. Simply put, it is better to put the dog on a chain. It is desirable that this place has a dense flooring or rammed earth. All feces must be carefully collected, raking the underlying layer of soil with a scoop, and then also burning them.

Remember! To some, all these precautions may seem ridiculous and even ridiculous, but do not forget that the already mentioned echinococcosis or related alveococcosis is fatal. dangerous diseases often leading to death or severe disability in people.

As for the enclosure, after treatment, the floors in the enclosure must be treated using the same chlorine bleaches, and then the boards should be treated with a blowtorch. All this will not be superfluous, if only because helminthiases are not infectious diseases, immunity to them is not formed.

Special care must be taken when bringing a new pet into the house. It must be treated with antihelminthic drugs, the first ten days it is necessary to isolate the new pet from the "old-timers".

The most dangerous worms for humans

Summarizing all of the above, two main conclusions can easily be drawn:

Cysts are dangerous (including) for their size and tendency to gradually grow. When such a neoplasm grows, it compresses the surrounding tissues. If a cyst has formed, for example, in the brain (and such cases are not uncommon), everything will end badly.

The presence of such a “tumor” in the heart, lungs or liver will also not lead to anything good. A ruptured cyst is also very dangerous. If the liquid flows out of it, for example, into the human abdominal cavity, full-fledged worms cannot grow from scolex, but the development of peritonitis is a very real prospect.

Pork tapeworm

The same thing will happen as in the case of echinococci / alveococci.

Toxocariasis

Toxocara is one of the most common worms in dogs. Hypothetically, for humans, they are not so dangerous, since they need intermediate hosts for maturation ... But in this case, people can also be such.

These larvae often cause abscesses and other inflammatory processes directly in the internal organs of a person. If such an abscess bursts (and this can happen at any time), a person may die from sepsis, peritonitis, or a similar pathology.

If the worms are transmitted from a domestic dog: what are the symptoms

Let's summarize. Yes, from domestic dog and in fact, you can get worms. But in practice, only gross non-observance of the simplest personal hygiene measures, as well as the lack of care for the animal itself, leads to this.

Simply put, there is indeed a danger of infection, but it is not as great as it is commonly thought. And “hundreds of types of worms transmitted to humans from dogs” (as some media write about) do not exist in nature at all.