Can I get parasites from my dog?

If your dog has fleas, they can carry them in the house, and the fleas might bite you as well. Once a tick comes in on a dog, it can crawl on people as well. There have been perhaps a few instances of people getting heartworms from mosquitoes—from a dog that has it biting a person. Those are the most common things I think you would see.

Some parasites can be transmitted from dogs to humans. Good handwashing and sanitation are the best ways to avoid that, but children are not always perfect when they wash their hands before they eat, which is why we make sure that your dog does not have any parasites to can't be transmitted to anybody.

Many times, yes, you can. It is important to practice good hygiene, wash your hands, and clean up the stool when they're going to the bathroom. Throw it away, don't keep it out in the yard because you don't want to cross-contaminate everything. There are plenty of parasites that you won't catch from them, but it's out there. There are some diseases that you do need to be proactive about. It is not just a third-world country problem.

We need to be worried about our children because they're crawling around, picking things up, and putting stuff in their mouths. They love the dog, and they love putting their hands in their mouth. It's not an everyday thing that should keep you up at night, but be smart about it. Wash your hands, try to be clean, and clean up messes.

Parasites can be transmittable to people as well. Again, depending on the type of parasite, whether external or internal, we would have that discussion with you as far as if there are any concerns for that.

While it's not very common, there are instances where humans can be exposed to parasites from dogs. For example, a tick may catch a ride on your dog and then crawl off to attach to you. Fleas may not leave your dog or cat, but they can create a life cycle in your home and eventually bite humans. Some intestinal parasites can be shed in the feces of your dog and, through environmental exposure, could potentially penetrate your skin. Overall, the risk is relatively low, but it's essential to be aware of the possibility.

Depending on the parasite, you can contract parasites from your dog. For example, hookworms and roundworms can be transmitted to humans. To prevent infection, wash your hands thoroughly after handling pet feces, pick up feces from the yard, and wear shoes when outside. Following these guidelines should keep you safe from infection.