Dogs are common pets in many Vietnamese families. Beyond guarding homes, many consider dogs family members, frequently hugging, petting, sleeping with them, or letting pets lick their faces. However, these close habits can increase the risk of transmitting some pathogens from dogs to humans.

Doctor Pham Dinh Dong, Medical Manager at VNVC Vaccination System, points out four common habits of dog owners that can increase the risk of pathogen transmission from dogs to humans:

Inadequate hygiene for dogs

Dogs have thick fur and frequently come into contact with soil, grass, and outdoor environments. Without regular bathing, their fur can accumulate dirt, bacteria, fungi, ticks, fleas, and the eggs of various worms and flukes.

According to Doctor Dong, individuals who frequently interact with unhygienic dogs risk developing skin diseases, fungal infections, or parasitic infestations. Common examples include canine roundworms, liver flukes, and threadworms. Worm eggs can spread into the environment, clinging to dog fur or household items. Humans can become infected by inadvertently touching their mouth with contaminated hands. Larvae then migrate to organs such as the liver, lungs, eyes, and even the brain, causing damage to multiple systems.

Hugging dogs and letting them lick faces

Many people habitually hug, kiss, or allow dogs to lick their faces and hands as a display of affection. However, a dog's mouth, fur, and claws can carry bacteria, parasites, or other pathogens from the environment.

The risk of infection increases if owners have skin abrasions or touch their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Furthermore, humans can be exposed to rabies if bitten or scratched by a dog, or if its saliva directly contacts mucous membranes or open wounds.

Children, who frequently interact with dogs, require close monitoring to ensure their health safety. Photo: Vecteezy

Children, who frequently interact with dogs, require close monitoring to ensure their health safety. Photo: Vecteezy

Manually removing ticks and fleas

Dog ticks and fleas can bite humans, causing itching, dermatitis, and allergies. They also act as vectors for various bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause diseases such as typhus, blood infections, and plague. Vietnam has recorded cases of human infestation by dog ticks and fleas, particularly among the elderly and young children.

Consequently, upon discovering ticks or fleas on their dogs, many people often remove them by hand, even using their bare hands to kill these parasites. However, Doctor Dong warns that this practice is not recommended as it increases the risk of direct contact with the parasites.

Sharing a room or bed

Allowing dogs to sleep in the same bed or bedroom is a common habit in many pet-owning households. However, this increases owners' exposure to shed fur, dander, saliva, ticks, fleas, and other allergens or parasites that dogs carry.

According to Doctor Dong, this risk is particularly significant for young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems, as these groups are more susceptible to animal-borne pathogens.

Prevention methods

To prevent diseases, Doctor Dong advises owners to clean, brush, and bathe their dogs according to veterinary instructions; regularly deworm and protect against ticks and fleas; and ensure their dogs receive full health check-ups and vaccinations, especially for rabies. After playing with dogs, individuals should wash their hands with soap, limit dogs from licking their eyes, nose, mouth, or open wounds, and avoid letting dogs sleep in the same bed.

An uncle takes his nephew for rabies vaccination at VNVC Hai Ba Trung, TP HCM, after the boy was bitten by a family dog. Photo: Hoang Duong

An uncle takes his nephew for rabies vaccination at VNVC Hai Ba Trung, TP HCM, after the boy was bitten by a family dog. Photo: Hoang Duong

If bitten or scratched by a dog, or if its saliva contacts an open wound or mucous membrane, immediately wash the wound under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes, disinfect it, and visit a vaccination center as soon as possible for risk assessment and to receive rabies vaccine and anti-rabies serum if necessary.

"There is currently no cure for rabies, and the fatality rate is almost 100% once symptoms appear. Correct initial treatment and full vaccination are the only preventive measures," Doctor Dong emphasized.

Additionally, dog owners or those frequently exposed to dogs can receive pre-exposure rabies vaccination, consisting of three vaccine doses on days 0, 7, and 21 or 28. If unfortunate exposure to the rabies virus occurs afterward, only two additional vaccine doses are required, without the need for rabies serum.

Furthermore, maintaining pet hygiene, ensuring full vaccination, and altering unsafe contact habits also help reduce the risk of many dog-to-human transmitted diseases.

Anh Duong