Can dog ear parasites transfer to humans, specifically in their ears?

Ear mites do not appear to be very contagious to humans, but some people have reported a skin rash if their pets had ear mites. I have never seen this, but it is possible. There have not been reports of humans getting ear mites in their ears, so that does not appear to be a problem. I have attached a handout with some FAQ's on ear mites below. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=664 I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

You are unlikely to get an eye infection and there are some diseases and parasite that dogs can pass to be people, but this not something you need to worry about. If her ears are not better after a week of medication she will need a recheck though.

There are intestinal parasites that are contagious to humans. These are hookworms and roundworms. They are contagious via fecal oral contact. Cleaning with regular cleaning products should take care of the problem. And also washing your hands before you eat. I have been in the veterinary profession for 16 years and have never gotten parasites myself. More than likely as long as you're cleaning regularly and washing your hands, you should be OK. Good luck!

Sarcoptic mange can actually cross species, but should not last long on humans. They may make you feel itchy for a little while, but will go away within 24 hours. I've had a great amount of exposure to dogs with sarcoptes and have had the transient itchiness on my arms too. It has never lasted more than a couple of hours on me. In the meantime, rinse your arms with some cool water and soap. Wash your sheets and consider not having close contact with your dog until the infestation is under control. If you are itching for more than 24 hours and have red spots on your arms, then you should consult your physician.

Poor Buddy! No, if Buddy has mites, they are not harmful to you or your unborn child. It is not very common for dogs to get ear mites, but they do occur. I would be more concerned about a potential bacterial or yeast infection in Buddy's ears, as that is a much more common condition and causes dogs to shake their head and scratch their ears. Often you will see brown/black debris in the ears with an infection as well that can be mistaken for mites. Regardless, I would take Buddy in for an exam with your vet and to get his ears swabbed to determine the underlying cause and to get some medication to put in his ears to resolve the issue.

Unfortunately we are not allowed or qualified to give you this kind of advise, only a human doctor will be able to help you with that. generally speaking it is very unlikely that you caught the same infection as your poor dog did as most of these infections are very specific to dogs and do not affect humans.

I am sorry to hear that everyone has been so sick! The one parasite that can transfer between species that produces symptoms you describe is something called giardia. You may consider asking your physician to test you for it. Other possibilities include salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and campylobacter. When testing my patients for these more rare diseases I use a test through idexx called a GI fast panel PCR. You may Consider asking your veterinarian to run this test. Using proper hygiene when handling pets is important as well as making sure they are not eating any forms of raw diet that can transmit disease. Best of luck and I hope you improve soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.