Does chickenpox spread to dogs? - discover the answer here

Chickenpox is a very contagious disease when it has not been passed through. The treatment consists of alleviating the symptoms because it does not have a cure as such. However, there is a vaccine to prevent it. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus. It courses with granites or small blisters filled with fluid, which usually appear all over the body, and is more common in children. Adults who have not gone through chickenpox should be protected and kept away, since contracting it as an adult can lead to more complications. Knowing that it is such a contagious disease, you will be wondering if pets could also suffer from it. In this article we give you the answer to the question " does chickenpox spread to dogs? " And we solve all doubts.

What is chickenpox?

It is a very contagious type of virus caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) . It is usually an illness of children and spread quickly in school or daycare. However, it can be suffered at any age, although in babies it is much less common. It is not a very dangerous disease although it can cause complications, especially depending on the health situation and the age of the person.

Varicella usually appears once in a lifetime and when it has gone away it disappears, that is, a new contagion is not possible because the virus remains dormant and has not completely disappeared, and can be reactivated at some point in our life. In such a case, instead of a chickenpox picture again, there is usually an outbreak of herpes zoster.

This disease is contagious from the time of incubation, until the last blister has dried or disappeared. It is transmitted in different ways:

• By direct contact when an unaffected person touches the blisters or injuries of a person who is.
• Through coughing or sneezing.
• Through contaminated objects, although it is usually less common.
• It is also contagious from mother to fetus if you suffer from being pregnant.

The symptoms of chickenpox are itching, the appearance of pimples or blisters all over the body, fever, tiredness, headache, malaise and even can cause lack of appetite.

Does chickenpox affect dogs?

As we have seen, chickenpox is a highly contagious disease. So, can there be contagion to my dog?

Chickenpox is a virus that only affects people, not dogs or other pets. Therefore, chickenpox is NOT spread to dogs . If you are suffering or your children are having chickenpox, you should not worry about if you touch the dog, it will not get infected. If you have rashes or red spots or scratch it most likely has been some type of allergic dermatitis or some other cause, but it will not be chicken pox. Also, in the same way if you see that you scratch, you should not fear because you have chickenpox and can infect your children or you.

Animals have many diseases the same as humans and the treatment can be very similar, but the truth is that, in most cases, it is not possible to infect them when we are sick.

Why does my dog ​​scratch a lot if it's not chicken pox?

There are many reasons why your dog may scratch or show symptoms similar to chickenpox, which have nothing to do with it. Dogs can suffer many types of dermatitis, in addition to being infected with some insects that can cause them itching or suffer small wounds from other problems or diseases. The main causes why your dog scratches or presents symptoms similar to those of chickenpox in humans are:

Dermatitis in dogs

• Allergic dermatitis: also called atopic dermatitis. It is the one that occurs when the animal has an allergy to any product, food, substance or mite. Just like people, dogs also suffer from allergies that manifest on their skin. They can appear spots, reddened skin or even pustules. But, above all, they will feel itching that will try to alleviate scratching. You must be careful not to hurt yourself. It is best to take him to the vet to diagnose the cause and treat him.
• Contact dermatitis: it is very similar to allergic contact, but in this case it has been due to contact with a chemical such as chlorine, disinfectants, tissues, paints or other substances.
• Fungal dermatitis: it is common in races with wrinkles in the skin because this area is wet and it is easier for fungi to proliferate. A dog that suffers from this type of dermatitis may suffer color changes in their skin, hair loss, itching or even dryness. It is very common for dogs to scratch due to itching.

Fleas and ticks in dogs

Fleas and ticks can be considered as the number one enemies of dogs. The fleas cause them a lot of itching that they will try to alleviate scratching and, in addition, their skin could be irritated. The ticks suck the blood of our hairy making it feel very itchy and also present irritation. To find out if you have fleas or ticks, check it well by removing its fur to look everywhere. You can detect fleas, which are like small insects, or ticks that you will see hooked on the skin or, the bites of these parasites that are like pimples. To eliminate them there are special antiparasitários shampoos. You can also prevent it with collars, pipettes and anti-parasitic tablets.