Dogs That Are Not Vaccinated Can Cause What Illnesses?

Dogs are truly "mans best friend." They not only give unconditional love, but they also perform valuable services to all mankind. From police dogs to seeing-eye dogs, it is up to their owners to make sure that the dog is protected against some of the many health problems that can befall them. Except for rabies, the transmittal of disease from dogs to humans is called zoonoses and is generally caused by parasites, fleas or ticks.

  1. Rabies

    • Rabies is not as prevalent today as it once was. Louis Pasteur invented the rabies vaccine in 1885, but it was not until the 1960s that the vaccine began to be widely used for the prevention of rabies in dogs. Rabies is a deadly disease that carries a 100 percent fatality rate without medical treatment. Attacking the central nervous system, some of the symptoms of rabies include difficulty swallowing, drooling, seizures, convulsions and anxiety. Rabies is generally spread through the saliva of dogs carrying the disease and most commonly dog bites. Rabies can also be contracted from other infected animals such as bats, raccoons, foxes and skunks.

    Lyme Disease

    • It is important to keep dogs tick-free. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, which can be transmitted to humans who were bitten by one of the ticks. Tick bites release a bacteria known as Borrella Burgdorferi into the blood stream. Lyme disease causes flu-like symptoms, red-circular patches on the skin and a general feeling of tiredness. Untreated, Lyme disease can lead to heart and nervous system problems and swelling of the joints. Symptoms can appear in as early as a few weeks to as long as a few years after the infection occurs. A blood test is required to determine if you have Lyme disease, which is usually treated with a lengthy course of antibiotics.

    Hookworm and Roundworms

    • Humans, especially children, can be infected with roundworms and hookworms that are transferred either by penetration through the skin or mouth. Hookworms and roundworms reside in dog feces. The sticky roundworm and hookworm eggs are easily deposited on the hands of humans and can be transmitted from pet to human by not thoroughly washing hands after handling anything that may have come in contact with dog feces. The hookworm and roundworm larvae deposited on the ground where a dog has defecated can penetrate a person's skin, causing infection.

    Mange

    • There are two types of mange that can infect dogs: Sarcoptic Mange and Demodectic Mange. Both create skin problems that cause hair loss on the dog. Sarcoptic mange is most common and is passed from one dog to another through direct contact. Both types of mange are caused by a mange mite. Mange causes dogs severe discomfort and constant itching. The dog usually scratches until the skin is raw and bleeding. The itching becomes more and more intense as the mange mites multiply. The mange mite can also affect humans, although it does not survive for long periods of time on the human body.