Dogs can carry all kinds of bugs that are potentially contagious to people, often without obvious symptoms. Believe it or not, your cute, furry friend could be harboring thousands of disgusting parasites right now! Thankfully, the risk of your family contracting a zoonotic disease from your dog is low, as long as certain precautions are taken. You are much more likely to catch disease from other humans than you are from your dog, but it is always good to be aware of potential health risks for your family. What is a zoonotic disease? A zoonosis is a disease that is transmissible between animals and humans. Certain people are at much higher risk for contracting zoonotic diseases from dogs. This includes the very young, the very old, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals, such as those infected with HIV or being treated for cancer. How are zoonotic diseases transmitted? Zoonotic diseases are...