It isn’t uncommon for people that own chickens to also own one or multiple dogs. Many keep livestock dogs to protect their chickens from predators.
But what about protecting the dogs from harm? Can dogs get sick from chickens? They sure can!
Many diseases that chickens carry are species specific and cannot be passed to any other species, but there are some serious illnesses that chickens can carry and pass on to dogs.
1. Can Dogs Get Salmonella from Chickens?
Yes, dogs can get salmonella from chickens! Salmonella is a bacterial disease transmitted through chicken manure, raw eggs and either undercooked or raw chicken meat. A dog can contract salmonella from an infected chicken in many ways:
- by eating chicken manure
- by drinking or eating out of a chicken waterer or feed bowl that is soiled with chicken droppings
- eating uncooked chicken eggs
- by eating undercooked chicken eggs
- by eating undercooked chicken meat
- eating a live chicken
- by walking in chicken feces and then licking its paws
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Symptoms of Salmonella in Dogs
| SYMPTOMS OF SALMONELLA IN DOGS |
|---|
| YOUR DOG MAY NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AT ALL |
| DIARRHEA (MAY HAVE BLOOD OR MUCUS IN STOOL) |
| MAY SEEM VERY TIRED |
| LACK OF APPETITE |
| DOG MAY VOMIT |
| MAY HAVE A FEVER |
| DEHYDRATION |
| SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES |
| DEPRESSION |
How to Prevent Salmonella in Dogs
Most healthy dogs with good immune systems will not contract salmonella. But, the best prevention is to avoid exposing them to the bacteria in the first place. This would mean:
- Take precautions to help prevent salmonella with your flock.
- chicken coop hygiene: keeping feed and water bowls clean and litter management
- control coccidia in chickens
- maintain chicken gut flora
- Don’t let your dog eat raw eggs.
- Don’t feed your dog raw or undercooked chicken meat.
- Keep dog out of chicken coop or area where chicken manure is present.
- Wipe down dogs paws after walking through chicken manure.
- Don’t let dog eat or drink out of chicken feed and water bowls.
2. Can Dogs Get Coccidiosis from Chickens?
NO, dogs can’t get coccidiosis from chickens. Coccidiosis is species specific. There are certain strains that dogs carry and different strains that chickens carry. In other words, the strains that poultry carry cannot be passed on to dogs and the strains that dogs carry cannot be passed on to poultry.
While dogs cannot get coccidiosis from chickens, humans can. So it is important to take the appropriate precautions to avoid getting it yourself.
3. Can Dogs Get Worms from Chickens?
Yes, a dog can get capillaria worms or “hairworms” from eating contaminated chicken poop. These are parasitic roundworms that like to take up residence in a dog’s nose, respiratory tract and bladder.
There are also many species specific worms that cannot be passed from an infected chicken to a dog.
Tapeworms are species specific and cannot be transmitted from your chickens to your dog.
Gapeworm or Syngamus trachea is a type of roundworm that is also species specific and cannot be passed from your chickens to a dog.
Symptoms of Hairworms in Dogs
| SYMPTOMS OF HAIRWORMS IN DOGS |
|---|
| SNEEZING |
| DISCHARGE FROM NOSE |
| SNEEZING |
| WHEEZING |
| COUGHING |
| PAINFUL URINATION |
| BLOOD IN URINE |
| DIFFICULTY URINATING |
| INCONTINENCE(ACCIDENTS) |
How to Prevent Hairworms in Dogs
There are several things that you can do to prevent your dog from picking up hairworms from poultry. The number one way is to keep your chickens healthy and to keep their environment clean. This includes keeping the chicken coop, run, laying boxes, bedding, food and water sanitary.
Capillaria are most commonly found in chicken feces. Chickens are not discreet about where they poop, so it is not uncommon to have feces in food, water, on perches and in various other areas within their environment. A dog that eats or drinks from objects that are contaminated with capillaria can likely become infected.
| TIPS TO HELP PREVENT HAIRWORMS IN DOGS |
|---|
| KEEP CHICKEN ENVIRONMENT CLEAN |
| DON’T ALLOW DOGS INSIDE DIRTY CHICKEN COOP/RUN |
| DISCOURAGE DOGS FROM EATING CHICKEN POOP (COMMON HOST) |
| DON’T ALLOW DOGS TO EAT AND DRINK OUT OF CHICKEN FEED BOWLS |
| DON’T ALLOW DOGS TO DRINK OUT OF CHICKEN WATERERS |
| DON’T ALLOW DOGS TO EAT EARTHWORMS (COMMON HOST) |
| CLEAN DOGS’ PAWS AFTER WALKING THROUGH DIRTY CHICKEN RUN/COOP |
4. Can Dogs Get Parvo from Chickens?
No, dogs cannot get parvo from chickens. Chicken parvoviruses (ChPV) and turkey parvoviruses (TuPV) can only be transmitted through turkeys and chickens. In other words, if a chicken is infected with parvo, your dog cannot contract it from them.
A dog can contract parvo from another dog that is infected with a dog parvovirus. It can also contract parvovirus from an infected dog’s feces. This feces can be on objects or in the soil. Extremely resilient strains can live up to 9 years!
5. Can Dogs Get Aspergillosis from Chickens?
Yes, dogs can get aspergillosis from being exposed to a chickens’ environment that it is present in. Canine aspergillosis is caused by a fungus, aspergillus fumigatus, that can be found in an unhealthy chicken’s environment. A dog can become infected by inhaling the spores.
Most strains of Aspergillus are do not cause infection, unless the host is immunocompromised or has been exposed to a large amount of the fungal spores.
There are over 180 different strains of Aspergillus fungi. The two most common strains in chicken aspergillosis are Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillous flavus. The two most common strains in dogs are Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillous terreus.
| STRAINS OF ASPERGILLUS CARRIED BY CHICKENS | STRAINS OF ASPERGILLUS CARRIED BY DOGS |
|---|---|
| ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS | ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS |
| ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS | ASPERGILLUS TERREUS |
The most common strain passed from chickens to dogs is Aspergillus fumigatus.
Symptoms of Aspergillosis in dogs
| SYMPTOMS OF ASPERGILLOSIS IN DOGS |
|---|
| DISCHARGE OF MUCUS, PUS OR BLOOD FROM USUALLY ONE NOSTRIL |
| SWOLLEN NOSE |
| SNEEZING |
| ULCERATED AT EDGE OF NOSTRIL |
| BLOODY NOSE |
| SMELLY NASAL DISCHARGE |
| MORE COMMON IN YOUNGER DOGS (UNDER 1 YEAR) |
| DECREASED APPETITE |
How to Prevent Aspergillosis in Dogs
- Keep your chicken’s environment clean.
- Maintain cleanliness in the coop, chicken run, nesting boxes, bedding, chicken feeders and waterers.
- Keep your dog healthy.
- Maintain healthy diet, exercise and routine vet visits.
- Don’t let your dog around when you are cleaning out the chicken coop and chicken run. This is when mold spores are greater. (You should wear a respirator mask when cleaning out the chicken coop too.)
- If you have a dog that is immunocompromised, it is best to not allow them around your chickens.
CONCLUSION: Can Dogs Get Sick from Chickens? 5 Serious Illnesses
Most illnesses that chickens get are species specific, meaning that chickens can only pass the illness to another animal in the poultry family. BUT there are a few illnesses that dogs, especially those that are immunocompromised, CAN contract from chickens.
| COMMON CHICKEN ILLNESSES | CAN CHICKENS PASS THIS ILLNESS TO DOGS? |
|---|---|
| SALMONELLA | YES |
| COCCIDIOSIS | NO |
| WORMS | YES |
| PARVO | NO |
| ASPERGILLOSIS | YES |
The number one thing that you can do to help stop the spread of chicken illnesses to your dogs is to keep your chicken’s environment clean. This means maintaining the coop, chicken run, bedding, nesting boxes, feeders and waterers.
