Dog diseases

[Christine]

Besides worms and fleas, what can cats catch from dogs? I'm getting a sphynx soon and I am worried just like a new momma Thanks!

 

[Bella07]

Hello, welcome to the site! And congrats on your new soon to be addition!
I am not too sure with the specifics, but I am pretty sure that skin diseases can be passed between dogs and cats. I do know that cats can't catch canine distemper or dog parvo. As long as your dog and cat are both vaccinated and UTD on shots, then they should be fine! I own both cats and dogs, and everyone is safe and happy at my house.
Good Luck

 

[Christine]

Thanks....there is a stray that I'm thinking of adopting. I will take him to the vet if I decide to keep him around (outside) and make sure he gets a clean bill of health and any needed shots.

 

[dragynflye]

if you are planning on keeping him outside, it would be better for the dog if you found him a home that would love him and let him be inside as part of the family.

other than that, parasites like fleas, ear mites, ringworm, ect are the only things that can be shared between dogs and cats (and humans, for that matter).

 

[Christine]

Really? We live in the country and he has tons of space to run and would have food, water, and shelter. He won't be tied up....just fed and loved.

 

[Sleepyheadkitten]

Worms- giardia, coccidia, tapeworms, roundworms, blah blah blah- can be passed between species too.

Wouldn't keep me from adopting a dog in need though!

 

[Gadzukz]

Really? We live in the country and he has tons of space to run and would have food, water, and shelter. He won't be tied up....just fed and loved.

Dogs are strong pack animals, your dog can not be part of your pack living outside without at least another dog. You won't have as strong a bond with your pet, you can't possibly spend the time outdoors with him that it would require. Beyond that, there are times when it is just too hot or cold for him to be outdoors. It is possible to build a shelter to alleviate those problems, but much simpler to allow him indoors. Your dog will not reach his full potential being an outdoor only dog. IMO, he will not be emotionally fulfilled.

It is a commitment you make to that pet to include them as part of your family.

If you can't bear to have your dog indoors, and he is in immediate need of a home, perhaps you can take him temporarily and help him find a home.

I do not mean to be harsh at all, but why would you even want a dog that stayed outside all the time?

 

[ckutkuhn7]

Really? We live in the country and he has tons of space to run and would have food, water, and shelter. He won't be tied up....just fed and loved.

My parents live in the country and had the perfect outdoor space for their Siberian Husky (Whisper was her name) which they got from a breeder and even bred her themselves. After 4 wonderful years and 2 amazing litters she was diagnosed with heartworms. She went to the vet when she was suppose to and everything. My parents never once missed an appointment for her and had all precautionary test that could and should be done, done. She had a dog house big enough to walk into, it was like a little house but for dogs. However, the medicine used to treat the heartworms was too much for her system (they tried treating it several times and she would clear up and then they would come back) and they lost her anyhow. My parents did so much for that dog and loved her dearly and there was nothing they could do to save her.
I'm not a big advocate for dogs usually but if your going to own one I'd defintley recommend keeping them indoors.

 

[ckutkuhn7]

I do not mean to be harsh at all, but why would you even want a dog that stayed outside all the time?

I understand what you mean....However, my point of view even tho I know different now, growing up and living in North Carolina most of my life, I never knew any different until I moved north to Ohio. Everyone in NC kept their dogs outside. I know why its better now to have them inside from just what my parents went through but just wanted to mention that in some parts of our world thats just how things are done. Just my two cents.........

 

[Cathie]

I don't know of any other diseases, but for the indoor/outdoor part of this.
I have had dogs both ways. But ended up with heartworms, so that was not a factor. We tried having the lab inside, but he was misarable. He HATED being in the house. He would much rather be under the house. We lived in Fla, so it was HOT, but he was happy.
I think Country dogs are different than city dogs. They have their 'Pack" with you and the other animals. We had to eother Pick Crip up of DRAG him into the vets, or any other building. Not worth it for him to be that unhappy. Trying to keep in indoors after his heartworm treatment was hard for us all.

 

[holly_savage]

I have to agree on the outdoors is ok thing...some dogs are much happier outside than inside...of course an outside dog must be equiped to handle the elements. Dalmations are not a good outdoor dog...at least not in northern Ontario...would barely take a step out the door to pee and poo in the winter and would run back in the house!

I grew up on a farm in northern Ontario and we always had farm dogs. We were the local dumping ground for peoples unwanted pets, but we always cared for them until we found them a home. We had a couple of dogs inside, but the majority were always kept outside.
In the middle of winter one year I went out to feed the dogs...we had 9 at that time...mom, dad and her 7 puppies (born at the end of November and they spent their first few months outside in their dog house with Mom and Dad in -25 to -30 degree C weather (not sure how that translates...but it has to be around -15 F I think), anyhow, that morning I went out, I noticed a strange little dog gobbling up our dog's food!
You have to picture this probably 3 pound chihuaha and terrier mix fighting off a 70 lbs Husky mom and a 40 lbs mutt (dad) and all 7 3-4 month old pups... and this little dog kept them all at bay while she gorged on their food! The poor thing was starving and freezing, she a this thin little scraggly coat. Someone had actually dumped this poor little thing out in the country where there are only about 10 families in a 100 square mile radius! And we knew them all, it wasn't any of their dogs!

We brought her into the house, after catching her with a fishing net! Got her warmed up, spent 2 weeks nursing this poor little thing back to health...warm oatmeal with cooked ground beef does wonders for a sick dog! We kept her for a couple of months and finally gave her to Grandmere (who loves little indoor dogs!)

Anyways, I have gone way off topic here... I just wanted to add my two cents too! Some dogs, if properly acclimatized, can handle just about any weather, you just have to provide them with the appropriate shelter for the conditions, and all of our outdoor dogs were happy, healthy, smart and loving dogs.

 

[kerrie78]

I have a lot of friends that are farmers so their dogs are working dogs, they are kept outside & are perfectly happy & healthy. Heartworms are caused from mosquitoes & not giving heartworm preventitive on a monthly basis, not from living outside. Don't get me wrong any pet kept outside MUST be given proper shelter from the elements & proper vet care. IMHO would I keep a pet outside? No not if it was just to be a pet, if it was a 100% working yes.

 

[gizmo6370]

I think that kennel cough / Bordetella can be transfert between cats and dogs also....

 

[ilovemysphynx]

Hi Christine and Welcome! Congrats on your soon to be first sphynx you are going to just love having one!
As far as the dog and diseases the other answers you have gotten are great and I don't have anything to add.
As for the dog living outside well I see your point and there are different ways of life every place. We have always had dogs and have 2 now they live indoors and our yard if fenced so they go out to go potty or play but are in most of the time. On the other hand my sister in law and her family live in Indiana and the have a lab that they rescued that had to have surgery and they keep it out side nit allowed in the house at all. When he told me this on the phone I thought it was kind of mean but we go there often to visit and last summer when we where there I saw how happy the dog was, he has a giant dog house a person can live in it but he really only goes in it at night, they have a giant yard that is surrounded by fields and horses next door. He runs in the corn fields or just hangs on the deck all day, he runs and plays with her kids and seems to love life. He never even tries to go in the house.
So I guess my point is that depending on where you live and how you have been raised this is normal and if not for her and seeing this I would think you are wrong like most others because of how and where I was raised, but now I see both sides and think if you are giving this lab a good home with proper care then best of luck and enjoy him.

 

[Gadzukz]

I understand what you mean....However, my point of view even tho I know different now, growing up and living in North Carolina most of my life, I never knew any different until I moved north to Ohio. Everyone in NC kept their dogs outside. I know why its better now to have them inside from just what my parents went through but just wanted to mention that in some parts of our world thats just how things are done. Just my two cents.........

I know what you are saying here, I am in SC and it is quite the norm. I am the odd one for letting a dog as big as a mastiff in my house! most people let the little ones in and keep the big ones out. The HW issue can be prevented with monthly HW prev such as Advantage multi or hartguard, so wouldn't neccessarily factor into indoor/outdoor.

I do agree that some dogs prefer outdoors, my JRT is one of them, but they should at least have another dog to bond with. and go on daily walks with their owner.

Sorry, I am a huge dog advocate and can't agree with keeping a dog outdoors. I do not believe that a single dog kept outdoors can be emotionally fulfilled. But if you must do this please provide daily exercise with you, and consider obedience classes, it is something you can do with your dog to help bond.

As for the working dog part from kerrie, I totally agree that this is a different situation altogether, I have many professional border collie friends and also I train police K9. Working dogs have a job to do and are able to meet the needs of their breed by performing those jobs, they are different in many ways from a pet dog. People who work their dogs form an intense partnership with them and is why I recommend doing some obedience work with your dog.

 

[Christine]

There are tons of dogs around! That makes me feel better. Our neighbors have always had tons of dogs for all their kids lol. If the dog seems happy we will leave him be. If not we will definitely try to find him a home. I hate to see any animal suffer

As for the kennel cough and bordetella.....how would I deal with that? I've never really dealt with this particular thing before. I have always had shelter cats and was too young when I had them to even know anything about diseases...my parents just took them to the vet for necessary shots. Can the dog be tested for that stuff, can it be prevented??? Thanks for all the helpful replies.

 

[Gadzukz]

Yes there are yearly vaccines to prevent any of those in your dog, the good news is it is part of a normal vacc schedule. Also you should give your dog a monthly HW/flea product (I use advantage multi) that will prevent any mange, fleas, earmites, heartworm, whipworm, and roundworm. it protects your dog, and your cat. and is relatively inexpensive for one dog. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! They may still get tapeworms, but it is unlikely as tapes come from fleas, but they can pick it up from eating a rat or squirrel in the yard, you will know as it looks like rice in their poo, and a simple pill gets rid of those should you encounter it.

 

[Christine]

Thank you very much....I don't want to compromise the life or health of any animal. I'll be getting a quote from the vet!

 

[Nofuratu]

Really with dogs you just need to worry about annual vaccines and heartworm/flea meds to prevent catching them. Your vet staff will discuss which brands are right for you and give you the dates to start them depending on where you live. In eastern Canada Heartworm meds are given once a month usually starting June 1st to Nov 1st.

If you are taking in a stray dog your vet will reccomend deworming probably and will check to see if it is spayed or neutered. If not, you should get that done asap. Neutered animals live longer and its neccessary to prevent more unwanted animals.

As far as indoor/outdoor goes I think dogs should have the option of being indoor or outdoor. They are pack animals and if they dont have others to hang out with outside they willwant to come in and be with you....depends on the dog.

As long as the dog isnt chained up, which you allready stated it wouldnt be....that is a big problem where we live....very sad. Good luck with your possible new dog!