Can a Dog Catch Diseases From a Backyard Flock?

[cassie]

Anything is possible I suppose. Your dog can catch flu from you. A friend of mine almost died from IBR, a cattle disease. I just think it is a case of not worth worrying about. But that's me.

 

[casportpony]

I think your vet is just being silly. I have had dogs and poultry of various kinds, including ducks for years, and I have never, and I mean never, had any of the dogs get sick from exposure to the poultry or other livestock.

X2!

 

[guineafowlSA]

My Belgian Shepherd puppy got sick with Guardia and I have free range chickens. There is little doubt that she got it from the chickens as she eats the chicken poop she comes across - if she gets a chance, whereas my other two dogs are fine. But they don't eat the poo!

 

[Dreyadin]

Giardia is a protozoa.

There's actually quite a few different kinds of Giardia (as in some will make certain species sick- and not others.) Before you blame your pet poultry.. keep in mind your dog could get it from a number of other exposures. It's common. Our neighbor's puppy (he now is ours) got it drinking out of a puddle- in the middle of suburbia. No chickens.. no ducks.. no raccoons.

It's just as how chickens can get things like scaley leg mites from wild birds... or a dog can pick up fleas/ worms/ etc. from wildlife in the yard.

Our dog has been around "his" birds since they were a few days old. (Heck.. we have an injured rooster currently hanging out on our very well covered living room couch- and the dog sleeps at the foot of it to babysit him.)

If your dog has Giardia.. clean up asap their poop. Make sure to use gloves.. wash the shovel (not in an area the dog visits.) Wash wash wash. Try to keep where they go to relieve themselves seperate from other dogs until the meds have run their course.

I don't recall the meds being pricey.

 

[Mycoolbreeze]

It is very possible for a dog or human with a compromised immune system to contract salmonella & potentially other diseases chickens carry. There's also the possibility of healthy humans & dogs contracting salmonella. Let's be honest chickens are filthy little creatures. No matter how clean you keep them & their environments even otherwise healthy chickens are natural carriers of salmonella as are some other animals. Although it's probably unlikely it's certainly not impossible for healthy dogs or humans to get sick from your poultry pets.
Here's some surprising FYI links regarding disease trasmission from byc's.
http://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2010/10/thinking-about-keeping-live-poultry/

https://mikethechickenvet.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/zoonotic-diseases-and-chickens/

 

[hanagirl]

If my dog gets sick from my chickens, it would serve her right. I TOLD her not to eat the chicken pewp!!

Stupid nasty dog never listens...

what an awful thing to say! dogs are only as smart as their owners! stupid nasty human

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Welcome to BYC!

-Kathy

 

[Lindsay1182]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/artic...-external-and-internal-parasites-of-chickens/

Here's a good resource for common parasites found in chickens. Remember parasites cause the disease state or illness. I was reading this thread and felt there is some confusion.
All parasites have a life cycle, where the most important is the sexual reproduction portion occurs. This is generally done in a host more specifically a species, even a particular organ system. Therefore it's easier to narrow down what was present for that to occur. So those of you that have chicken with giardia and dogs with giardia, your dogs either brought it home and the chickens got it from their poop. Or you have contaminated water, where whomever has that water will be ill. Giardia aka Beaver Fever is generally contaminated water from poo or fecal oral route.
Most parasites that seem prone to chickens are worms like helminths or particular protozoans that are soil based.
My flock free ranges 2 acres, they even are on the deck sometimes. One of my dogs follows the chickens and lays near them throughout the day. Drinking their water and pretty sure she's eats some poo. One of the cats also plays with a few of the hens. I think i may just start quarterly deworming cats and dogs, then clean the entire yard of poo shortly after....they will reinfect themselves post deworming if they step in poo with eggs, which are not visible to the naked eye.
Any thoughts?