Human diseases that are dangerous for your dog or puppy

Everyone knows that after communicating with the animal, you need to wash your hands thoroughly to avoid infection. But few people realize that pets, after talking with people, also sometimes need to “wash their paws”. The fact is that there are human diseases that are dangerous for dogs!

Diseases common to humans and animals are called “anthropozoonoses.” In practice, of course, they are rare. More precisely, cases of infection of animals from humans are rare, but reverse situations are much more typical.
Most often, such a scenario is recorded in the poorest countries of the world, where people and almost semi-wild animals are in the same room all the time (and often eat from the same dishes). In addition, the category of anthropozoonoses includes very dangerous infectious diseases, the causative agents of which are characterized by a high degree of virulence. However, it is the latter reason that makes possible the manifestation of these pathologies in states with a much higher standard of living.
In addition, everyone needs to remember that if some of the diseases described below are detected, they should immediately notify the medical organizations and the sanitary-epidemiological service of the area where sick people and animals live! Many of the pathologies listed below are deadly, their foci should be immediately eliminated!

Disease 1 – Anthrax

Infectious disease of humans and animals, accompanied by the development of severe, acute fever. The causative agent belongs to the class of bacilli. Its peculiarity is the formation of very stable capsules, which in the external environment can persist for decades, or even centuries (in places with permafrost). Infection usually occurs by contact with decomposition products of corpses. Slaughterhouses and cattle cemeteries are especially dangerous, as well as areas where leather and wool processing enterprises were located in the past. In addition, there are cases of infection of people and animals in territories where military laboratories were located in the past.
Refers to diseases used as bacteriological weapons. Each case is immediately reported to the veterinary and medical services, as well as the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If at least one fact of infection is recorded (regardless of who is ill), quarantine is entered.
As for the infection of animals, this sometimes happens with the pets of the owners working in meat processing enterprises, as well as in light industry enterprises involved in the processing of wool and leather. The causative agent enters the body of animals through the mucous membranes, less often through damaged areas of the skin.
Fortunately, anthrax, although it belongs to the category of especially dangerous diseases, can be treated very simply and without much effort: old antibiotics of the penicillin series (except for the extremely dangerous acute pulmonary form) help a lot.

Disease 2 – Rabies

Just note that cases of transmission of rabies from person to animal science are unknown. But this is theoretically possible and it is possible that this happens in remote areas of Africa and Southeast Asia.
Rabies itself is a deadly and incurable disease after the onset of symptoms. Each of his cases is immediately notified not only of the veterinary but also of the medical service of a particular locality. With two or more episodes of infection, quarantine is entered. Rabies can occur in three forms: Wild, classic. It is characterized by severe aggression, fear of water, lack of appetite, and constant salivation. Paralytic, quiet form.

There is usually no aggression, an animal or person dies from complete muscle paralysis.

Atypical rabies. It is characterized by gastrointestinal lesions.

There is no treatment. The only way to protect is vaccination. Strictly required for people working with animals or in conditions where contact with wild/stray animals is possible

Disease 3 – Leptospirosis

In contrast to both of the above diseases, leptospirosis is transmitted more often from people to animals. The causative agent is excreted in the urine, and therefore the dog may well get sick by drinking from a puddle that the sick person had relieved before.
The disease is characterized by severe intermittent fever, high body temperature, blood appears in the urine of a sick dog (or person), and yellowness of mucous membranes and even skin is characteristic. It is treated using antibiotics.

Disease 4 – Psittacosis

Avian pathology, which is often transmitted both from animals to humans, and vice versa. In birds, it often is asymptomatic, but in humans, it is accompanied by severe chills, weakness, and apathy. Ill breeders can infect their pets, as the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets. As in the past case, antibiotics are prescribed (they will not kill the virus itself, but will prevent the development of secondary infections).