10 Tips to Keep Your Dog from Making You Sick

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García

Last update: 27 December, 2022

The transmission of a disease between a person and a dog is easier than it seems. To prevent it, we need to properly vaccinate our pets and give hygiene the importance that it deserves.

The word “zoonosis” refers to diseases that animals can give to humans. The theory says that the opposite is also possible, that is, humans transmitting diseases to animals by “reverse zoonosis.” Below we’ll look at guidelines that will help keep our dogs from making us sick.

Vaccination plan

It is very important to keep up on your dog’s vaccination and de-worming. That way, you will be preventing diseases like rabies or leptospirosis, which are a great danger to the health of both the animal and the owner.

Breast milk

Through a female dog’s breast milk, she will transmit antibodies for various diseases to her puppies. For this reason, it’s important that puppies are fed with this milk as long as possible.

Kisses and licks

Even if your pet is well-cared for and clean, it is never a good idea to get in the habit of giving him kisses on the nose or letting him lick your face. They smell all kinds of things, including the tails of other dogs, where a great number of bacteria and parasites live.

Even if it’s sweet and loving for your friend to lick your face, you can’t forget that they usually clean their genitals with their tongue; they also lick even more repulsive things, to be honest. We should find other ways to show our love.

Paws

When you come back from walking your pet, it’s advisable to clean his paws well. They usually get wet, stay damp, and create an ideal environment for fungi.

Baths and brushing

Wash your dog frequently for hygienic reasons and make sure he does not have fungi or fleas. If you see any type of change on his skin, it’s best not to touch it with your bare hands. Instead, go to the vet’s office.

Disinfecting his space

The space where your furry friend sleeps must be kept very clean and free from infections.

Be careful when going for walks

When taking your pet out for a walk to places where there are usually other dogs, or if you live in the country, make sure that your dog doesn’t come into contact with other animals’ urine and feces. You want to prevent diseases like brucellosis.

Don’t let him drink sewage water. If he gets into swampy areas and other wet areas, wash him immediately when you get home. You should also keep him from coming into contact with wild animals or animals that carry diseases, like rats.

Don’t make him sick either

If you have a contagious disease, be careful to not get your pet sick. It has been shown that we can give them certain diseases, such as mumps, golden staph, tuberculosis, and even fleas. However, it should be pointed out that this is very rare and historically cases have been very isolated.

Diseases like ringworm

Ringworm is one disease that your pet can give you. The spores of the ringworm are produced by fungi, and your pet could pick up the fungal infection. You will see the symptoms of this disease in the dog’s skin: lesions, patches of hair loss, red spots, etc.

Hookworm

Hookworms suck on the intestinal mucus of dogs, causing a loss of blood that could be fatal, especially in puppies. The eggs of these parasites found in pet droppings could be transferred through your skin if you step on feces with bare feet.

The symptoms of this disease in your dog are mainly diarrhea and weight loss. As for hookworms in human beings, even though it’s not common, symptoms include: skin rash with itchiness, coughing, wheezing, stomach aches, anemia, and loss of appetite.

Effective treatment usually involves de-worming medications for pets. Humans should see a doctor.