What are the health risks of having a live-in dog in a one-room flat? Garden is toilet,but sleeps indoors.?

Dog is docile, quiet and lovable. My partner rescued him - was traumatised and abandoned as a puppy. Now I share studio with boyfriend and, although I vacuum all the time to remove hair, I've had recurrent eye infections, urinary infections and vaginal infections. May be no connection, but I'm worried. Boyfriend reluctant to have dog sleeping outside, although he's calm and no reason not to. Also does not believe there may be health risks. Despite my efforts, he does not keep to separate washing up cloths etc for the dog
I love dog very much but would be happier if I knew what the risks were. Flat is one large room with kitchen one end and living room/office at the other, with separate bathroom/WC. Door opens onto small garden, shared with three cats.

Honestly, aside from allergies, there are not health risks specific to living with indoor dogs. There is a risk for picking up worms (most often from picking up poop and not washing your hands), ringworm (a fungal infection), and fleas but these are minimal and rarely occur if the dog is healthy and you use parasite control (like flea and heartworm preventative). And honestly these risks are no higher than if you have regular contact with any animal whether they live outside or inside. In fact, if one were to make the argument, animals that live outside are more likely to carry these parasites because they are more likely to get into things an for infections to go unnoticed and untreated.

The infections you describe could be allergies, although they don't really sound like the usual presentation. Eye infections could easily be allergies, but urinary and vaginal infections usually aren't. However, if you are taking medication for the eye infections that could be a contributing factor for other infections (for example, antibiotics often create an environment that is favorable for yeast).

Also, I can think of many good reasons not to keep an outside dog. It is an unfortunate fact that outside pet dogs do not get as much attention as indoor dogs. Outside dogs are more prone to behavioral problems such as excessive barking, aggressiveness, and less serious annoyances such as jumping up on people and pulling on the lead during walks. Outside dogs are more likely to pick up parasites because they are harder to control in an outdoor environment (the local stray cat waltzes through your garden and suddenly your dog has been exposed to fleas, tapeworms, whipworms, and roundworms). Outdoor dogs are more likely to suffer if they become ill because it will take the owner longer to notice that something is wrong. Also, outdoor dogs are often at the mercy of the elements and people passing by...there are countless stories of dogs being poisoned by someone throwing a bag of anti-freeze laced food over the fence or having rocks thrown at them by neighbor kids.

I don't think there is any risk. I have had dogs and cats my whole life as well as many other pets and the sleep in be with me and I don't work so I'm home all the time with them they only go out to be good. I have never suffered from anything .

Very few, if the dog or cats have ringworm a person can catch it. If the animals are kept worm and flea free you can not really catch anything. I have had dogs and cats plus birds, hamsters etc for 33 yrs and never caught anything but ringworm that a rescue did share . My dogs and cats sleep in bed with me, they kiss me and I have shared food with them. My dogs have gone to dog shows, dog parks and obed class and have only caught kennel cough and fleas. KC is not a people disease and I use flea stuff so any fleas die in a few hours.

I have had a number of friends with dogs in their apartment and there wasn't any health risks. For the sake of the dog, you may want to spend extra time paper training them, a dog peeing in a one room flat is not fun. Also, since they won't have much room, take the dog for a walk as often and as long as you can.

Hope this helps

No risks whatsoever but just be sure to take him for walkies, get him his shots etc and flea and worming tablets..

Like Kit_kat I've had dogs all my life, that's over 50yrs, and they sleep on my bed. I doubt very much if your problems are caused by the dog. I would urge your bf to use seperate washing up cloths for the dog though although this would not cause the type of infections you describe. I strongly believe people keep their houses too sterile these days giving us no chance of building up a resistance to any nasty bugs out there.

There are no health risks in having a dog live with you unless you have allergies. The symptoms you are experiencing are not caused by allergies. Do you own the cats?

I've grown up with a dog in the house, which followed one of my family members around everywhere. (single dogs, at different times, one followed my Dad around, one followed my Mum around and one used to follow me around.)

We've never made a dog sleep outside or in a seperate room. they've always slept at the foot of one of our beds. We've never had any problems at all! I'd just put it down to coincidence. I personally don't know anyone who makes their dogs stay outside at night.

As long as the dog is healthy, with his flea protection collars, deworming, vaccines etc., he has no funghi, and as long as you keep standard hygiene measures (cleaning the house, not letting the dog pee and poop inside, not eating off the same plates and not washing your clothes together with the dog's stuff), I don't think there is any problem. You must of course clean your hands well before putting them in your mouth, eyes, etc. after you've touched the dog. About teh infections, just try to cure them with antibiotics and make sure you clean yourself well (hands, etc.) and don'
t let the dog touch the toilet, your underwear, lick your eyes, etc.

The risks are to the DOG...not to you. Keeping your place clean benefits everyone...and the infections you describe have ZERO to do with the animal. Keep the washing-up cloths separate for NORMAL hygienic reasons...that's only common sense...and see a Doctor about your recurrent infections!!!!! Dog need frequent exercise. and you should keep ALL stool cleaned up with a scoop.... especially if the garden is a shared area. Water it down to keep the grass from browning up from urine. You can train the dog to use a particular area so that there's less clean-up involved. BF should share in this clean-up. Good luck to all of you! Hugs, Gina C.

as long as he toilets outside and is defleaed and wormed regularly there should be no health risks to you.
You should keep to separate cloths for washing bowls and forks for cutting food as dog food can disagree with most human stomachs
i would reccomend a health check for both of you if you are worried but the risks are no worse than going to the toilet and not washing your hands after

I'm sorry, health risks for you or the dog!?? The poor thing shouldn't be cooped up in a tiny studio flat with two people and three cats! - What were you thinking??!!!!

My dogs live indoor and sleep on my bed. I dont think there are major health risks as long as your dogs are clean and healthy.
I do think is necessary to separate up washing for dogs' towels and clothes. I use separate dish washing sponge too.
I also have a habit to add Dettol to my laundry and clean my house frequently with Dettol.
I bathe my dogs weekly and I will clean their paws with water after their walks.

You don't need to make the dog sleep outside, apart from anything else it would traumatise the dog. If you keep getting infections it's probably because you have a health deficiency, so visit your doctor for advice. The dog may irritate your eyes but it wouldn't give you an infection, least of all somewhere intimate!
As an edit: If a dog has fleas it's more than likely caught them from a cat. It's true!

?? Your urinary and vaginal infections have nothing to do with the dog. That is something you and your boyfriend may need to discuss. Eye infection is probably from allergies which you could take something for those.

Your boyfriend is right the dog should not be left outside to its own devices.

As long as the dog relieves himself outside and is kept clean, there should be no health risks, other than pet allergies. The only symptom you describe that could be related back to the dog is maybe the eye infection, as some dogs put a lot of fine hair into the air, and even that is doubtful. The cats are a more likely culprit for your troubles as they carry a few diseases that can be transferred to humans, especially if they are using litterboxes in the house. That is also fairly unlikely. Most likely your health problems are completely unrelated to your pets, but are caused by something else.