By Bill Johnson
Apr 10, 2010
Did you know that you could get sick from your pet? You and your pet can catch the same illnesses. These three dog diseases and symptoms may be of interest to you.
Tapeworms
The most common tapeworm is the Dipylidium caninum . It has also been called the cucumber tapeworm. This worm makes no distinction between dogs and humans. Young children often get this type of infection. It is passed to dogs from infected fleas. When the dog bites or licks, in will ingest fleas. The tapeworm eggs then hatch in the dog's digestive system. It is not uncommon for an adult tapeworm to reach 46 centimeters, or eighteen inches long.
Symptoms
A tapeworm infection is usually not a problem. …show more content…
Getting rid of fleas will help prevent them.
Lyme disease in dogs and humans
Lyme disease is becoming more common these days. The infection comes from ticks. Ticks have the bacteria in them It is given to the host when they bite them.
Symptoms of Lyme disease will be similar in you and your dog. Dogs may have joint pain and swelling similar to arthritis. They may have fever and be very lethargic. They may have loss of appetite. Testing for Lyme disease is difficult to do with dogs. It may or may not show up. Common tick control is advised to prevent Lyme disease. Spray your yard. Inspect your dog for ticks frequently. Be careful removing them. The best treatment is prevention. There is a vaccine for Lyme disease. The vaccine is given a few weeks apart and eventually once a year.
Leptospira illness
This disease is caused by bacteria. It can be passed from your dog to you. In the past, vaccinations were very effective preventing this disease. However, there is a more virulent strain. It has come from raccoons. It seems that dogs may be easily affected by the current strain. Infected raccoons have these bacteria in their kidneys. When they urinate in water, it is passed into the water.
Signs of