| Dogs and puppies can pass germs, diseases and | | | | swallow the flea (which may easily happen |
| worms on to people, but it does not occur | | | | during grooming) to allow the tapeworms to |
| often. There are certain precautions that you | | | | hatch and grown in the dog. For a person to |
| can take to help prevent this from happening. | | | | become infected with Dipylidium, or tapeworm, |
| First and foremost, make sure that the dog or | | | | he or she must accidentally swallow an |
| puppy you are playing with looks healthy. Do | | | | infected flea. Most reported cases involve |
| not touch or contact an obviously sick dog. | | | | children. The risk of infection with this |
| Make sure that your personal dog has regular | | | | tapeworm in humans is low. |
| check ups and is checked for worms by your | | | | |
| veterinarian. Look for obvious signs of | | | | Giardia Infection (giardiasis): A parasitic |
| disease such as spots missing fur on your | | | | disease associated with various animals, |
| dog. Hot spots or places that your dog keeps | | | | including dogs and their environment |
| chewing or biting at can be another sign of | | | | (including water). The Giardia parasite lives |
| infection. | | | | in the intestine of infected humans or |
| | | | animals. Millions of germs can be released in |
| One of the best lines of defense from getting | | | | a bowel movement from an infected human or |
| sick from contact with a dog is to wash your | | | | animal. Giardia is found in soil, food, |
| hands well, especially with anti-bacterial | | | | water, or surfaces that have been |
| soap. After dog or puppy contact, keep your | | | | contaminated with the feces from infected |
| hands away from your face, especially your | | | | humans or animals. |
| mouth. Do not eat finger foods after dog | | | | |
| contact until you can wash. Do not let your | | | | Hookworm Infection: A parasitic disease |
| dog lick you on your face. Try not to have | | | | associated with dogs and cats and their |
| contact with dog saliva, urine or dog feces. | | | | environment. Puppies and kittens are |
| | | | especially likely to have hookworm |
| Dogs and puppies can carry a fair variety of | | | | infections. Animals that are infected pass |
| bacteria, parasites, fungus and worms. Some | | | | hookworm eggs in their stools. The eggs can |
| of these are fairly common in dogs and others | | | | hatch into larvae, and both eggs and larvae |
| are quite rare. Some people are more likely | | | | may be found in dirt where animals have been. |
| than others to catch these diseases. Some of | | | | Eggs or larvae can get into your body when |
| the factors associated with catching the | | | | you accidentally eat or have direct contact |
| diseases depend upon the persons age and | | | | with contaminated dirt. For example, this can |
| status of their health. People who are more | | | | happen if a child is walking barefoot or |
| likely to get diseases from dogs include | | | | playing in an area where dogs or cats have |
| infants, children younger than 5 years old, | | | | been. |
| organ transplant patients, people with HIV | | | | |
| AIDS, and people being treated for cancer. | | | | Leishmania Infection (leishaniasis): A |
| | | | parasitic disease associated with dogs and |
| The following diseases may be carried by | | | | sand flies outside the United States. |
| dogs: | | | | |
| | | | Leptospira Infection (leptospirosis): A |
| Brucella canis Infection (brucellosis): A | | | | bacterial disease associated with wild and |
| bacterial disease rarely associated with | | | | domestic animals, including dogs. In people, |
| dogs. | | | | the symptoms are often like the flu, but |
| | | | sometimes leptospirosis can develop into a |
| Campylobacter Infection (campylobacteriosis): | | | | more severe, life-threatening illness with |
| A bacterial disease associated with dogs, | | | | infections in the kidney, liver, brain, lung, |
| cats, and farm animals. If your dog has | | | | and heart. |
| diarrhea, you may want to consult with your | | | | |
| veterinarian, as this disease may be the | | | | Lyme Disease: A bacterial disease that can |
| culprit and it is passable to humans. If you | | | | affect dogs and ticks. People get Lyme |
| develop symptoms, including diarrhea, | | | | disease when they are bitten by ticks |
| vomiting, abdominal cramps, and/or nausea, | | | | carrying B. burgdorferi, and this is in |
| contact your physician. Be sure to inform him | | | | certain parts of the country. |
| or her of your pet and if it is ill. | | | | |
| | | | Q Fever (Coxiella burnettii): A bacterial |
| Cryptosporidium (cryptosporidiosis): A | | | | disease occasionally associated with dogs, |
| parasitic disease associated with dogs, | | | | but more often associated with sheep, cattle |
| especially puppies, cats, and farm animals. | | | | and goats, especially their birth products. |
| Animals can carry this parasite in their | | | | |
| feces and pass it to people. Animals do not | | | | Rabies: A viral disease associated with |
| have to be ill to pass Cryptosporidium to | | | | various animals, including dogs. This is |
| humans, they may just carry the disease. This | | | | fairly rare in the US. |
| disease usually causes a mild to severe | | | | |
| infection of the gastrointestinal system, | | | | Ringworm: A fungal disease associated with |
| including watery diarrhea, fever, abdominal | | | | dogs. Ringworm is transmitted from direct |
| cramps, nausea, and vomiting. | | | | contact with an infected animal's skin or |
| | | | hair. Dogs and cats, especially kittens or |
| Dipylidium Infection (tapeworm): A parasitic | | | | puppies, can have ringworm that can be passed |
| disease associated with dogs, cats and fleas. | | | | to people. |
| Fleas carry the tapeworm and the dog must | | | | |