4 Diseases your dog may be carrying

[Linda]

Your dog's mouth, coat and paws may not be as clean as you think.
In fact, your dog could easily be carrying infectious bacteria that can make you and your family sick.

Dogs love to roll around in the dirt and grass but when they do, they can pick up some infectious diseases that can be passed along to you. These are called zoonotic diseases.

Here are just 4 examples:

1. Parasite eggs - Your dog can ingest parasite eggs or pick them up on his paws and coat whenever he comes in contact with infected garden soil or sand. When you touch your dog, that infection can be transmitted to you.

2. Bird droppings - Inhaling the dust from dried bird droppings can cause a bacterial disease called psittacosis. If your dog sniffs dried bird droppings, he will inhale the dust. If he walks through the dried bird droppings or rolls around in them, the dust gets on his paws and in his coat. When you pet him or hug him, you can inhale the dust and become infected.

3. Dog urine - Coming into contact with infected dog urine causes a bacterial infection called leptospirosis. Infected urine can easily get on your dog's paws or coat. If you touch him (or anything that has come into contact with the infected dog urine), you can also become infected.

4. Ringworm - This disease has nothing to do with worms. It is a contagious fungal infection that be passed from your dog to you through contact.

So what can you do to protect your dog, your family and yourself?

Good hygiene is the key ... for both of you.

Your dog may LOOK clean, but considering the nasty things he can come into contact with on a daily basis, it's best to make sure that he really IS clean. So, good grooming is essential.

Some dogs need to be bathed every month or two, while others must be groomed every week. If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors or if he has a long thick coat, he needs to be bathed more often. And any time you notice doggy odor, it means it's also time for a bath.

[Rosemary Levesque]

Just a note on doggy odor... how a dog smells can have a lot to do with internal health and the immune system. Dogs should not smell "doggy". Aside from rolling in something nasty, your dog should smell good enough to bury your face in for a good snuggle! Sniff the ears too. Odors from the ears can signal an ear infection.
Rather than treat on the outside with shampoos, lotions and scented applications of "whatever", create healthy insides. Raw diet and fresh foods are a good start. Eliminating chemicals, pesticides, home cleaning products, etc, are also important. Adding immune builders like Agaricus mushroom, colostrum, and removing toxins inside are all so valuable. You'll see the difference... and you'll have a dog that can manage some of those nasty germs they come into contact with as well.
More information on my blog my blog

[Linda]

Very true Rosemary and thanks for reminding us!

[Sylvia Vetter]

Yes Rosemay, TU for info. Just a little to add! We took in a small schnauzer mix boy dog who was deserted on our street! Cutie pie but smelled a horrible odor, like nothing I ever smelled, not rotten smell, even after bath!!! Took to vet of course and learned that he was terribly malnourished (we already knew he was too thin). Doc said he had not been eating nourishing, dog appropriate food and that caused his odor! Guess what--Doc was right. After eating "dog food" about a week he smelled wonderful after another bath!! That was 6 years ago, he is our darling Beau boy!
P.S. He had never been allowed "in house" but he learned house training in about 2 weeks--a little genius! I HAVE to get some pictures on this site! Sylvia

Rosemary Levesque said:

Just a note on doggy odor... how a dog smells can have a lot to do with internal health and the immune system. Dogs should not smell "doggy". Aside from rolling in something nasty, your dog should smell good enough to bury your face in for a good snuggle! Sniff the ears too. Odors from the ears can signal an ear infection.
Rather than treat on the outside with shampoos, lotions and scented applications of "whatever", create healthy insides. Raw diet and fresh foods are a good start. Eliminating chemicals, pesticides, home cleaning products, etc, are also important. Adding immune builders like Agaricus mushroom, colostrum, and removing toxins inside are all so valuable. You'll see the difference... and you'll have a dog that can manage some of those nasty germs they come into contact with as well.
More information on my blog my blog