That's Fit

I have a 7-year-old English Bulldog who, other than minor allergies, is as healthy as can be. Considering how much time he spends lazing on the back of my couch it's amazing he's as fit as he is. But a year or so ago he caught quite the stomach bug. I spent several days nursing him back to health. A few days later I was sick, too. I wondered for a moment if I had caught the bug from him. But then I thought, no, because things like that aren't communicable between species. Or are they?

For the most part, illnesses that dogs are susceptible to can't be passed to humans. There are some things that can be passed on though -- ticks, fleas, and worms to name a few. To reduce the risk of puppy illnesses, have your dog vaccinated and visit the vet regularly. Also, dogs need exercise and proper nutrition to stay healthy. As for you and your family, be sure to clean up after your dog frequently and practice good hand-washing habits.

It's amazing to me how we advance science and technology, curing diseases and illnesses left and right, and still somehow some of the oldest ailments on Earth, like the bubonic plague, still come around to haunt us.

This comes up because although the threat of bio-terrorism is nothing new, researchers are now looking into the possibilities of both the bubonic and pneumonic plagues being used as weapons. Because they are so easy to "make" (it's as simple as growing bacteria), distribute widely (aerosol-type weapons), and deadly they just might be the new attack ammunition of choice for terrorists.

So at least we're aware and working on the situation, but in the meantime keep your bio-masks at the ready...jk.