Is my dog's fur a health risk for my 3-year-old child living at home?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some people can be allergic to cats and therefore can react to cat hair and dander. Otherwise, aside from getting it in your eye with a scratch, or in your throat with itchiness, it is not 'dangerous'.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think if you keep Bailey out of the room during the hair dying process, use good ventilation and then do not allow her back in that room until the smell is gone if good enough. I can't imagine her coughing from just smelling your hair so I do not think you need to avoid her. Have a great day!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should not cause him any harm by shaving his fur. I recommend also giving him a good bath with warm water and Dawn dish soap to try to eliminate even more parasites. Be careful not to get any soap in his eyes, though! I hope this is helpful. I'm so glad that you were able to find him and he is home safe!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. If that is the case, that is not transmissible to humans. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hello, and thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Ginger needs to be seen by a veterinarian for a diagnosis on what's going on with her skin, but if she is very itchy and if you have a rash that's similar to hers, I'd definitely recommend you both get that checked right away (you by your doctor, of course :-) ). There is a skin mite called sarcoptes that can infect a dog's skin and cause intense itching, and this mite can also be spread to people. Thankfully, if that's the case, it's easy to treat - but does require a prescription medication from the veterinarian. So, definitely have her checked as soon as possible. Hope this helps!

Thank you for your question. There is no evidence of pets being able to transfer the virus to human via pets becoming infected themselves or via acting as a fomite (meaning the virus gets on their fur and then you pet them and catch it, you can read more at https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19-faq-pet-owners_031520.pdf). The virus lives better on solid smooth surfaces like doorknobs, and doesn't stay well on softer porous surfaces like fur. I think your plan sounds like a good one. You could also ask your friend to wear a mask while grooming the dog and wash her hands prior to seeing him, which should decrease chances of possible from her being passed to your pup via respiratory droplets. If your dog will also be wearing a collar while she sees him, you could also wipe down the collar with disinfecting wipes. Best of luck during these difficult times!

This should not be a problem, as a matter of fact, this kind of close contact with animals at a young age can help your baby develop a strong immune system and be less likely to develop pet allergies. Always keep an eye on them just to be safe, but if they love each other I say let them enjoy each other's company and companionship.