Norovirus can be transmitted by dogs

[pemmie]

Yikes. Just an FYI for those with dogs...

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-sp...mitted-by-dogs

[xxrachmarie]

Do you know if cats do? I don't have a dog, but 3 cats...ugh now I have to be afraid of her too *sigh*

[staystrongxx]

Well, my dog only goes in my back yard..not out into the streets? Am I safe in her case?

I also have 7 cats and one is an outdoor/indoor cat..so now I'll be worried about her bringing in germs:/

[JadeNight]

Honestly, I wouldn't even worry about it..

Not only does the article state at the very end "But even though your pet could carry the virus, doctors say you’re more likely to get it from a person than a puppy." it also says they took 92 fecal samples, and found human strains in 4 of them, and only 2 of the dogs that tested positive were actually experiencing symptoms, and it's unclear if it's from a human strain.

I think if you continue to wash your hands after you pick up after your dog, this article should be irrelevant. Who knows that their next animal discovery will be! there is always an experiment going on to counter ones that others have done etc etc

[Cynna]

Most viruses are not spread animal to human and visa/versa. You should be washing your hands after coming in contact with dog poop or dog vomit. Dog poop can have worms, ecoli, or other stuff in it. As a general rule you should not encourage a pet to eat human vomit or human poop. If your animal appears sick, contact your vet.

I would be more concerned if the article was from an accredited vet agency such as the AVMA or a health agency like the CDC.

[LostNoob]

What about cats?
Cats are safe right?
My cats a very outdoorsy animal spending very little time indoors (and when he is he's curled up on my bed.
Now I'm worried about letting my cat near me...

[Cynna]

Pet you cat, pet your dog. Live you life. Vomiting is not dangerous. Do not forsake your pets and the things you love because of the minute chance you could get sick.

[Grace47]

Very seldom is an illness passed from cat or dog to human. The most common things I can think of are pink eye or ringworm. I have gotten both from animals. I grew up on a farm and have spent my entire life around animals and honestly, other than those two things, I have never gotten anything from an animal. I have not had pet reptiles, but you can get salmonella from them as per the CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/features/salmonellafrogturtle/

This article is totally unclear. I do believe animals can get diseases from people but not necessarily vise versa. I have given my cats colds, but I have never gotten a cold from them. The only animals I know for sure can pass their diseases onto humans are pigs and sometimes birds - aka swine/bird flus. It is totally possible the dog got sick from the people not the people from the dog.

[jkl81]

I have experienced a close bond with a dog in the past, I really refuse to let my emetophobia take that away from me the next time I have one. I really hope it's unlikely. Viruses can sometimes be species jumpers, but I'm not really sure that this constitutes proof that dogs are efficient vectors of norovirus. It's worth noting that many times a virus (like some forms of bird and swine flu) can jump from humans to animals or vice versa, but what makes them a big problem is when they can efficiently spread from individual to individual. It would be much more worrying if it were proven that dogs can easily spread human noro amongst themselves.

[Kinetic]

I don't really believe this article to be honest, I have NEVER picked up anything from my dog, so why should I start worrying now.

[Tonster]

Gross, but as farmers we have had samonella - and err - dont read anymore if your sensitive - the dogs got crook I think because they ate human v*, while we had it. And I sadly no other people who actually allow dogs to clean it up in the car if they v* - so who knows how they catch things and then pass it on?
Gross sorry.

[McEwan]

I don't believe much of what I read on the internet ever. The media - and people in general - are all into drama and sensasionalism these days. My two dogs are the gleaming rays of light in my life and have never caused me illness. All I can say is - refrain from ingesting dog poo and yack. Refrain from eating anyone's poo and yack - and wash wash wash your hands, food, and keep your home and belongings clean and we will all be just fine.

The pic on that silly article also says a lot - if a person who is ill with noro touches the family dog and contaminates him/her - and the someone else touches the dog and then doesn't wash their hands before eating - or kisses the dog - bingo - noro spread.

Keep clean - stay aware - be smart and infection is low risk.

And don't believe everything you read. 2/3 of what the media (or internet self-proclaimed writers) report is highly inaccurate and overly dramatic.

[jkl81]

The bad thing is that sometimes dogs really like to investigate nasty stuff like poop and v*. I could see it being a problem if they did this and then turned around and gave you a kiss. If they ever are exposed to noro they probably got it from us. Again I'll worry when dogs can spread it easily amongst themselves and to humans and that's proven, even then, that wouldn't stop me from wanting one.