We talk all the time about diseases you could catch from your dog, but have you ever thought about diseases that you cannot catch from your dog? There are a handful of diseases that raise eyebrows and sometimes get blamed on pets, and our poor, innocent, pets have been taking the rap for them this whole time! Here’s a list of illnesses that have been blamed on dogs erroneously.
#1 – Pinworms
Pinworms are a human parasite. They do not infect dogs at all and dogs cannot serve as a source of infection to a human. When we think about worms, we all want to blame our dogs because we are aware that dogs do have worms, but as far as Pinworms go, don’t blame the dog.
#2 – Head Lice
Dogs have their own lice and the human head louse is not one of them. As gross as it may sound, human head lice can only come from another human and your dog is not to blame. Most of the canine lice are found on wild canids. Fortunately our standard flea control products for dogs will also control lice.
# 3 – Ebola Virus
We all saw Ebola virus in the news. An infected person’s dog was quarantined for fear that he could serve as a source of infection for people. Although dogs do show exposure to Ebola virus on serological tests, so far there has been no suggestion of dog to human transmission. Both the affected nurse and her precious King Charles spaniel survived their brush with this terrifying virus.
#4 – Lyme’s Disease
A problem shared by both people and dogs, but dogs cannot serve as a direct source of infection for people. Only an infected tick can spread the disease and he picks it up usually from his favorite host, the white footed mouse. Endemic areas include New England, the upper Ohio River Valley and the Pacific Northwest, so if you frequent these zones, you and your dog could be at risk, but fortunately not to each other.
#5 – Papillloma Virus
Papilloma virus has had its share of headlines. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been found to be a contributor to human cervical cancer. Dogs have a papilloma virus too, but theirs is specific to canine species and although it can cause masses to appear in the mouth and other mucosal surfaces of affected dogs, there is no known risk to humans (and it is self-limiting for most dogs as well).
Parasites and diseases exist that must be feared and we must be proactive about protecting our family, human and animal, but keep the blame where it is due. You don’t have to blame the dog for the scary, gross and dangerous items on this list.
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