Can a puppy that has parasites pass them on to humans?

Question

I brought my new puppy home and he has diarrhea. (or soft stools.. soft yellow... did it right in the kennel carrier I brought him home in)! (He also vomited but that MAY have been due to car sickness or nervous stomach).

Of course, I handled him a lot and he'd squiggle and quickly lick my mouth before I knew it.

I had made an appt with the vet and then got VERY SICK myself... so I couldn't take him. I had profuse violent water streaking diarrhea for 2 solid days straight and vomiting. I was so weak I stayed in bed for 2 days, I could barely get up.

I am OK now.

It could have been a coincidence of getting a stomach virus, but is it possible for puppies to pass on parasites, such as giardia, tapeworms, flukes, whipworms, coccidia, etc. to humans....

and other pets in the household, including both dogs and cats?

Thanks

P.S. I once had chronic giardia for over a year, couldn't get rid of it ... finally did... never did find out HOW I got it 10 years ago

Thank you. I am bring a stool sample to the vet tomorrow.

If he has something can he pass something on to my other dog or my cat?

Answer 1

The question is, while you were sick, what was the puppy doing? Was he eating and drinking or was he violently ill too. Large dogs especially get car sick, but small ones do also. Did he start salivating, then wretching and - boom - it was over? If so he was car sick. It is common for puppies to at times have loose stools and have nothing wrong. How old is the puppy? A six week old puppy is more likely to have loose stools than a 12 week old puppy.

Any change in environment can cause a puppy to get stressed. If a puppy moves to a new home and leaves his brothers and sisters - that is stressful. If he doesn't know you - that is stressful. Anything like that can cause a puppy to get loose stools or a sick tummy.

As far as your question about parasites - a puppy or dog can pass parasites on to you. You usually have to get into their stools, but they can be transferred via mouth. I truly doubt you got a disease from a puppy in an hour or two.

If the puppy's stools are now solid and he's quit vomiting and you have had him three days, he is probably adjusted to your home. As with all puppies he needs to be on a worming schedule and a vaccination schedule. Did you ask the breeder when he was last wormed and when he had his last shot? Wormings too close together or shots too close togethre are not good either. They can make a puppy sick and have loose stools or even vomit.

Giardia are often in the water supply. Everyone in college years ago got sick with giardia as it was in the drinking water. If you have any question about the purity of your water, I recommend distilled or bottled. That is the only water I drink. It is best for your pet too.

Answer 2

The only parasite the pup could actually pass to you is giardia. A few others are SLIGHTLY possible to be passed to you if you happened to eat some of the puppies poop. But other than that NO... The pup could not give you parasites directly. And it would NOT show up within a matter of days - it would have to be weeks.

As for your other pets. YES, they could also pick up parasites from this puppy's poop. So make sure you clean it up well, and pick up immediately after him.

Nothing could be passed to you & your other pets just by slobber, kisses, or touching (except giardia). It would have to be from the puppy's poop into you or your pets' mouths & swallowed.

Did you find out what it was? Has the pup been vaccinated?? I hope it is not parvo. That can be a devastating and expensive disease. Definitely go to the vet if you haven't yet... Have the puppy vaccinated & wormed.

Answer 3

That's a big fat YES!!! Especially if the puppy licks your face (puppy kisses are the #1 way that humans get sick). Sounds like it could have been giardia, did the vet ever do a fecal? You need a special smear to catch giardia on a fecal. It's the most common one that humans catch, it lives in ground water and is EXTREMELY common in pet store dogs and large kennels. Campers get it a lot from drinking river water. Clean everything with a bleach solution: 1 cup to a gallon of water. This will minimize your other animals getting sick, or the pup picking it up again. You can get coccidia too, but not common. Whipworms and roundworms migrate through the skin (and rarely other organs-they can go anywhere) in humans, then die in about 14 days because they can't navigate the human body to make it to the inestines. Tapeworms are possible, but need fecal-oral contact so not likely. Fleas carry tapeworm eggs, so pets usually get tapes from swallowing fleas while grooming (or by hunting). Hooks and rounds can crawl right through your skin, especially hooks, they stay alive on the ground for a long long time and are the reason dogs aren't allowed on beaches. You can also catch sarcoptic mange (mites) and ringworm (a fungus)

http://www.petsandparasites.org/showflash.html

Answer 4

Some worms such as roundworms and hookworms can be passed on to humans but it isn't common in countries where proper hygeine is practiced. Basic good hygeine..handwashing is all that is needed plus making sure to keep poop picked up in your yard and don't walk barefoot in areas where dogs/cats defecate.
You will NOT get tapeworms, giardia, coccidia, whipworms from your dog.
Don't worry about the fact that he licked you.

Giardia usually comes from drinking water that contains the giardia parasite.

Answer 5

This sounds like giardiasis. I had it last year and lost 40 pounds. What a helluva way to lose weight. I now never let a dog kiss me as a result.

Giardiasis is passed by dogs, cats, birds, children in daycares. Not a joke.

These things can be passed on around between animals so all should be treated simultaneously.

Giardiasis is the only one I know about that goes from critter to critter. Very easily. I know I got mine from one of the poodles and all three of them treated while I did the round, 3 times, of sledge hammer anti biotics. That being said, thank heavens we were between litters at the time! This is an example, your situation, why it is best to get your puppy from a good source. If one of our buyers had come home with such a pup, we would have assumed all costs of care, and possibly your own if need be. It is one of the bonuses when you go to a responsible breeder.

You would be advised to be treated at the same time if need be. I hated collecting my own samples!

Good luck.

Answer 6

People with weak stomachs, don't read this. You've been warned.

Yes we can get some parasites from our canine companions. Generally it is due to improper hygiene causing a person to ingest the dog's feces unintentionally and hopefully unknowingly. In rare instances, certain illnesses can be contracted by contact with the canine mouth. You should ask your vet what diseases and parasites are in your area and if those particular diseases can be transferred from canine to human. The link below shows what happens to a person who has canine hookworms. There are other parasites you can access with the links on the left for information on them. Most tell somewhere in the article if other species can contract it. You can find other websites on which diseases, parasites, and bacteria can infect humans by using a search engine. Just practice common sense hygiene and don't worry about it. Parasites, bacteria, viruses, etc are everywhere. Unless you have a compromised immune system, simply washing your hands before eating, handling food, or touching your face should suffice.

Answer 7

It is possible for humans to become infected with some of the parasites found in canine feces. Some parasites are absorbed through the skin, so if you step barefoot on an infected area, it is possible to pick up the parasite. To my knowledge, it is not very common and does not pose as big a threat to humans as it does to animals. Check with your vet or doctor to get a better answer.

Answer 8

It is possible I'd ask the vet what the dog had and go get yourself checked out at the doctor just in case. I'm sure what ever if anything can be treated with at least antibiotics. I know its possible if you don't wash your hands properly after picking up some of the puppy's feces...and I'm not saying you didn't but anything is possible. Better to be safe than sorry.

Answer 9

A puppy can pass parasites to humans. Handling the puppy transfers more parasites than licking. Cleaning the vomit, urine and stool will also transfer parasites. If you think your puppy has parasites you should take him to the Vet. You should also see a doctor if you got violently ill just after bringing the puppy home.

Answer 10

Yes, dogs can pass on parasites. Have you had the little guy checked for parvo? This is very serious, and you need to get him in right away. Best of luck to him. Poor little guy.