Dog and snake diseases?

[Hartman3216]

Here is a weird question. I was told by a friend at work that owning both snakes and dogs can, "heighten cross contamination/diseases in the snakes, dogs and even us." I have never heard of this and thought since snakes are reptiles and dogs are mammals, they're not going to carry the same possibly diseases? I've heard that snakes can carry salmonella and pass it to us, but I think that's a simple fix of washing your hands before digging in your face. I ask since I'm like many people on these boards and own a dog and a snake. This is more of curiosity than paranoia and I never have my dog near the snake anyways since he scares the crap out of him.

Thanks

[Kaorte]

Yeah.. I have never heard of such a thing. Sounds like a bunch of nonsense! How does having a dog have anything to do with heightening diseases in the snakes? Its not like they are allergic to dogs...

[wilomn]

Your friend is a Custodial Engineer?

You've got more chance of getting salmonella from your kitchen counter than either of your pets. In fact, you have a better chance of getting something from your friend. Does he wash regularly after evacuating his bowels, sneeze often, or cough without covering his pie hole?

[loonunit]

Yeah, there aren't even very many diseases that humans and dogs can share. Other than salmonella (which is really mostly a problem for humans) I can't think of anything that has crossed the species barrier from snakes to humans, let alone snake to dogs. Or vice versa.

(I do try not to cough on my snakes when I have a respiratory infection. But that's not scientifically motivated.)

[wilomn]

There are bacteria and parasites that can make the reptile/human jump, but not many and not easily. Washing and keeping your fingers out of your mouth are helpful.

[3skulls]

I would only think of parasites. Ticks coming in with your dog. If your dog eats up some snake poo.

[Kaorte]

I would only think of parasites. Ticks coming in with your dog. If your dog eats up some snake poo.

Aren't ticks specific to warm-blood or cold-blood?

[ewaldrep]

Your friend may have been talking out of his backside but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Here is an article discussing new findings about snakes as possible carriers for West Nile.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1001171217.htm

[loonunit]

Yes, dog ticks are specific to dogs, snake mites are specific to snakes. Those aren't likely to make the jump. Some internal mouse parasites can make the leap to snakes, but that's millions of years of evolution triggered by millions of years of snakes eating mice.

[wilomn]

The thing about parasites, those who prefer your epidermis to your innards, is that they like to taste to make sure you're what they want for dinner before actually dining. They take 'samples' even of the wrong species and once is all it takes to transfers those little beasties that our arachnid pals as hosts. You will probably never have this happen or even know anyone it's happened to, but it is possible.