Can Norwalk virus live ON dogs?

[Girlygirl1980s]

My landlord has a sv*, and my question is whether the virus could live on an animal. I pet their dogs all the time. Who knows how often they wash their hands, so I'm worried they weren't super clean, pet the dogs, then I pet the dogs and caught it. Do you think it is possible? I wash my hands like crazy, but now I'm worried!

[johnlp]

Possible? Yes. Probible? No!

[longgone]

I have read somewhere that it does but I am not sure if that's really true.

[daffodil]

Just wash right after petting the dogs, and you will be fine![img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[Girlygirl1980s]

I usually do (because they're pretty stinky), but I'm never sure if I wash well enough or long enough after something like that. I do my best and longest handwashing in public bathrooms!

[chicajojobe]

Like John said, it's technically possible, but extremely</span> improbable! I'm sure that there have been zero cases of norwalk transmitted that way.

I've worked in two animal clinics, so I've handled hundreds of strange dogs pretty upclose any of which could have had sick owners. While restraining them for the veterianrians I had to hold them in a headlock right up against my neck. There's virtually no v*ing diseases you can get from a dog unless you consume something which is contaminated with fecal matter. You said that you wash your hands, so you'll be just fine.

[sage]

Agreed - possible, but not probable. A dog would be about the same as a doorknob, I suppose. Wash your hands for at least 15 seconds (the time it takes to sing the ABC song, or happy birthday twice!)