Recently, a friend with "itchy eyes" and I were discussing the mysterious origins of this frustrating condition.
We both remembered a parasite called "eye mites" or Demodex. Although Demodex are everywhere, they rarely cross species from dog to human.
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Thus began my quest to understand:
What diseases can we get from our beloved Bouviers?
Zoonotic diseases are infections or diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. While over 100 diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans, most are rare in North America.
Domestic animals, including Bouviers, can potentially spread diseases to people, but it rarely occurs. Bouvies pose a minimal zoonotic risk to their human companions, although the risk may be slightly higher for people with compromised immune systems.
Basic hygiene principles, such as hand washing, can help prevent the transmission of zoonotic diseases.
The most common zoonotic diseases in Bouvs include:
ringworm (rare with regular pet worming protocols),
salmonellosis (from anything consumed that was contaminated with stool),
leptospirosis (preventable with vaccination),
campylobacter infection (food poisoning from raw or undercooked poultry),
Giardia infection (rarely transferrable),
cryptosporidium infection (from anything consumed that was contaminated with stool),
roundworms (rare with regular pet worming protocols),
hookworms (rare with regular pet worming protocols),
tapeworms (rare with regular pet worming protocols),
mange (cannot thrive on humans, dies quickly), and
rabies (preventable with vaccination)
Rabies is almost always fatal in humans, while certain infectious organisms can cause severe gastroenteritis and liver and kidney disease.
Simple prevention and good health practices, such as prompt diagnosis and treatment of any illness in your Bouviers, regular bathing and grooming, deworming, wearing gloves when gardening or working in areas where animals may have urinated or defecated, and proper waste disposal, can help reduce the risk of contracting zoonotic diseases from your Bouvs.
It is also possible for humans to transmit diseases to your Bouvs, such as viral respiratory infections, tuberculosis, ringworm, MRSA bacteria, and fleas. Not COVID-19.
Additionally, certain infections like Campylobacter and Salmonella can be passed from infected family members to your Bouvs.
Vector-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease and Babesiosis spread by ticks, can also be transmitted to both Bouvies and humans.
Source: VCA Hospitals
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