Could a dog have/transmit C Diff?

[girlvet]

Hi..is it possible for clostridium difficile to be transmitted to and from puppy to human?  Would a dog necessarily have symptoms if she were a carrier?  Thanks for any input.

[susiecrmchz]

This is not a fact! The Stomach acids DO NOT KILL THE C.DIFF SPORES !!! They are easily transmitted to the intestinal tract and are highly resistant to many cures! Dogs or cats can get it, carry it or receive transmission from and to Humans!! Highly contagious, difficult to cure, infectious disease. Friend of mine in hospital with it now her pets are also ill!

[jcason23]

yes a dog can get it and it can be passed back and forth from the pet to the person.. i have researched it and it is transferrable through people to pets and so forth!!!!!

[1Cindi]

Hi.  I have been searching for a few days on anything regarding c diff & dogs.  I have had what I would consider a very severe, resistant strain f C-Difficile since April, 2015--on my 9th month!  Have had all the initial meds, and 3, yes 3, fecal transfers!!!  To no end, it keeps returning within 15 days tops.  I had the same question several months ago, wether or not my dog and I could be reinfecting each other, or he me?  He's a little dog who goes everywhere with me, including sleeping.  He is always a picky eater.  Once in a while, he will be lethargic and looks at me as though he just doesn't feel good.  He had some diarrhea a few months ago, but not for long.  Poop looks good.  He feels good.  My vet said its highly unlikely he could get C-Diff.  So I put the question out of my mind.  My Aunt recently brought it up again after talking to her niece who is a Vet.  Now I find out that it IS possible!       So, I would like to know:  what symptoms would my dog display, or could he and I transmit back and forth and he be asymptomatic?  What can be done about this?  I have gotten LITTLE information from docs and the Infectious Disease here in my town.  Seems little is known about it, and the bacteria is mutating constantly.  I don't to die from this, please help or refer me!  TY jcason23

[Migwans]

My dog was a regular visitor to nursing homes where residents would feed him treats when he became very ill with severe diarrhea.  Already a naturally underweight and somewhat immune impaired dog, I almost lost him. The vet said "This is a strange question, but has he been to a hospital recently?" I told him about the nursing home, he theorized C Dif, then immediately prescribed human antibiotics.  He was correct and the dog survived, but became severely allergic to the medication so it's out of the question. (I had to cook rice and chicken and other homemade foods for him for several years, he couldn't even handle dog food.)    

Its 4 years later, he is now nearly 15 and is suddenly exhibiting symptoms again. His general health was already declining due to age.  I don't know if he can survive another round.

[Jocelyn12]

Why do you say flagyl is fatal my mom is on it right now for c diff ???? Please reply !!! Have you recovered ??

[Volleyball_meme]

I think they were staying the c diff could be fatal not flagyl.

[SandraTop]

Acids in the stomach do not kill the c.diff bacteria. Antibiotics such as Flagyl or Cippro are used to treat this condition, which can be fatal. Both my son AND my Frenchie are currently being treated for C.diff.

[MyAngelJoey]

I was just diagnosed with Cdiff and like you, have not felt so sick!  I am very worried that I too will be unable to get rid of it.  I wish you the best.  Ironically, although I was on antibiotics, I too was dealing with 6 puppies, including cleaning their pen.  Makes me really wonder.

[myoreo]

Im so sorry to hear about your dog getting sick. I have had my first battle with Cdiff and I am still in the healing stage.It is very sad how much the Drs dont tell you or they dont know. I usto work in the hospital and so did my mother for years and neither of us knew just how bad this bug is and that you dont even have to be in a nursing home to get it. Why there isnt a warning or suggestions for probiotics to take with the Flagyl antibiotic Is dumbfounding to me.  I know that what helped me fight the infection was probiotics. Two kinds... the one with Sacchrromyces Boulardii . I dont know what kind they have for dogs, but I would get your dog tested and do the antibiotic with probitotics.  My best to you and your family this is one very nasty disabling  infection. I hope this helps someone.
G.

[crpbabe]

I wrk in a nursing home. I had to be sent home becuz a patient got there stool that was infected with c-diff on my clothing. I put clothes in a bag til i can get them cleaned and my 8 yr old dog got into the bag. Now she has the runs and it has mucus in it like human c-diff does. Wat should i do???

[Catwoods]

Taking my Bolognese to vet in one hour!  Has been vomiting bile and listless for a couple of days and now this morning--bloody diahrrea!  I have JUST gotten over taking Flagyl for one week for treatment of C-Diff diagnosis and have been desperately sick for a few months.  My puppy just turned one year old and I am so worried!  Will keep all posted and thank you for all of this information!

[AnnaMaria2500]

After several months of going over and over the situation, I think whatever digestive problem my dog had was secondary to another problem.  I think what really killed her was to do with her history of benign growths.  I think one grew into one of her organs and disrupted its function.  After she died, my symptoms cleared up in a week or so.  It was not C. diff, but I think we did have the same problem going on whatever it was.  Without her to pass it back and forth with me, it stopped.  
Still, be careful with C. diff.  Our previous vet, who was supposed to be very bright and even taught at Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, didn't know about dogs being able to get and give C. diff or MRSA.  I asked him about those when I had them and he was totally unaware that it was possible for the dog to get them too.

[Reemas]

So sorry to hear about your situation
We also lost our dog to C-diff
This is a bit of our story
I acquired C-diff through an antibiotic given to me through my dentist . I was misdiagnosed at hospitals for the first part because of lack of knowledge in this field about this sickness.
Our dog also got sick and we took him to the vet with the same symptoms as I had and told them C-Diff over and over
He had a drink from our toilet when I was sick at home and that is how he got it .It is something that can happen all to easy these days and could spread so rapidly  
They assured us it wasn't  because of lack of their knowledge and we should put him down so we did . Found out later they NEVER tested him for C diff and we are devastated.
They have refused all my efforts to have a talk with them for 9 months .
"The need for more education about C- diff needs to be addressed Doctors Dentists Vets and the general public need to have greater access to information about it's presence in society C-Diff in the past has been associated with hospitals but that is not the case any more The dangers and side effects of these certain antibiotics need to be informed to the patient when given . Care practicers need to know this is more common of a sickness than they think The consequences from these drugs have been and still are devastating to the victim and family alike The absence of this knowledge has caused confusion and and doubt in the medical system More education and exposure would prevent misdiagnosis and wasted time and delayed treatment not to mention frustration sickness pain and some cases death C- Diff and it's causes need to be public knowledge

[carol411]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-Social/-Fecal-Transplantation/show/1446004

I found this on another forum.  It seems to work for C diff.  

[girlvet]

My goodness I just saw all of these responses - thank you so much all.  Anna Im so sorry about your baby!  When I posted that I had actually already researched and lived with the disease for so long, it simply "hit" me about the possibility of our pets.  Its such a complicated ugly infection for humans to endure, information about pets and transmission was extremely difficult to find.  It is an eye opener though from what I was able to gather.  At that time, the Michigan State University veterinary program was researching the issue, as well as handling mail in samples for testing.  That may now be outdated of course, but they were extremely helpful when I did have questions.  Good health to all!

[AnnaMaria2500]

I'm not sure, but my dog died yesterday.  We've BOTH had diarrhea and intestinal problems since we went to a different vet back in August.  I had us both tested for Giardia, parasites, etc.  I was also tested for C. diff, but the tests all came back negative.  However, I had C. diff a few years ago and my first test then came back negative too.  I don't know what killed my baby, but I'm still having symptoms.  She seemed mostly fine, but had loose stools, until the day before she died.  Please be careful.

[chapterette]

My dog was recently diagnosed with C-Diff. My partner was quite shocked when the vet said that I probably brought it home on my shoes (I work in a hospital ICU)! My poor dog is on pills for 7 days - I hope this is the one and only time C-Diff comes to our house.
Interesting to note that the vet NEVER mentioned hand washing etc after handling our dog.

[Sandra_G]

I can only tell you that my Mom had c-diff  for a long long time. It finally "went away" & came back a year later worse than ever. My dog & my sisters dog was always around Mom & never got c-diff & neither did we. Mom always washed her hands real good & we were careful too.
That disease reeks havock on the body & is so awfully painful. I feel for anyone who has it. My best to you.

[Ghilly]

C. diff IS zoonotic, but I'm pretty sure the only way it can be passed is by the oral/fecal route.  Otherwise, the only other way I know for sure you can get it is if you take an antibiotic that kills off too much of the good bacteria in your gut and allows the c.diff to start multiplying out of control.  This is why it always makes me nervous when I have to go to the doctor for any type of upper respiratory infection or something, and they hand me a prescription for one of those super-antibiotics that you only need to take 3 or 5 doses of and you're done, because those antibiotics have wreaked more havoc on the digestive tracts of people I know than anything else I can name.  My cousin's ex-husband actually ended up with Crohn's (sp?) disease from taking one of those antibiotics after cutting his finger with a knife at work while he was cutting up raw chicken.  The ER doc said that because it was chicken, he was treating it as if  he already had salmonella, and since he didn't have a serious infection, the bacteria attacked every organism in his gut and left him in a horrible state.  He's permanently disabled from it.

Ghilly

[bsn_alvarado]

From the research that I have done trying to find the answer to this one indicates that there is NO research that proves this, but clinical findings are such that there is a strong possibility of this. Also, it is best to err on the side of caution and make sure to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with the animal or its excrements. The other thing I would like to point out is that it CAN be ingested and transmitted.

[girlvet]

Thanks Jaybay...I actually have recurring C Diff (going on five months now..ughh) and you are correct, it is as ill as I ever want to be.  My doc cant figure out why the normal treatment protocol isnt working, and my vet had no idea wtf C Diff even "was" when I asked him about the puppy-to-human transmission odds..lol.  Cheers!

[1stprncssmom]

C-dificile resistant, to medication & diet requires fecal-transplant (bacterial therapy) where stool from a family member & instilled in the patient. The only other possibility is a removal of the colon. I currently am preparing for the transplant

[Jaybay]

You will probably get better information from Dr. Cheng on the free Ask a Vet forum.  I know people usually get a c. diff infection after long-term, heavy-duty antibiotics, because they kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad, and c. diff is left with no competition.  Absoultely miserable bug, too.  IF I remember correctly, c. diff has to live in the intestines.  If you injest a bacterium on your hands, the acids in the stomach should take care of it.

[Jaybay]

You will probably get better information from Dr. Cheng on the free Ask a Vet forum.  I know people usually get a c. diff infection after long-term, heavy-duty antibiotics, because they kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad, and c. diff is left with no competition.  Absoultely miserable bug, too.  IF I remember correctly, c. diff has to live in the intestines.  If you injest a bacterium on your hands, the acids in the stomach should take care of it.

[Jaybay]

You will probably get better information from Dr. Cheng on the free Ask a Vet forum.  I know people usually get a c. diff infection after long-term, heavy-duty antibiotics, because they kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad, and c. diff is left with no competition.  Absoultely miserable bug, too.  IF I remember correctly, c. diff has to live in the intestines.  If you injest a bacterium on your hands, the acids in the stomach should take care of it.

[Jaybay]

You will probably get better information from Dr. Cheng on the free Ask a Vet forum.  I know people usually get a c. diff infection after long-term, heavy-duty antibiotics, because they kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad, and c. diff is left with no competition.  Absoultely miserable bug, too.  IF I remember correctly, c. diff has to live in the intestines.  If you injest a bacterium on your hands, the acids in the stomach should take care of it.