If you own a farm with goats, and also have a dog, you may be wondering if it is bad for them to interact with each other. As goats and dogs are both usually non aggressive mammals, they often get along with each other without a problem. While they should never share the same food, it is usually fine for them to use the same water as long as it is fresh and clean.

While dogs and goats can certainly be good companions, you may be wondering if there are any specific health reasons why a dog shouldn’t come in contact with a goat. In today’s article, we are going to cover the question can a dog get sick from a goat, and we are going to provide specific disease that your dog might be at risk for.

Can a dog get sick from a goat?

Yes, is it possible for a dog to get sick from a goat. There are a couple diseases that can be transmitted from goats to dogs. Most of the time, these diseases are transmitted from the stool of your goat. As dogs are natural scavengers and have a curiosity through the roof, they are unfortunately prone to digging up goat poop, which can have a variety of diseases present.  

What diseases can a dog get from a goat?

A dog can get the following diseases from a goat: E coli, Rabies, and Pneumonia.

E Coli

E coli can spread from a goat’s feces to a dog. Dogs can also get e coli from consuming raw meat. Most of the time, the symptoms of e coli are not life threatening for dogs. Common symptoms of e coli in dogs include diarrhea, vomiting, and a lack of appetite. 

Rabies

While rabies is not common in goats, it can certainly be spread from a goat to a dog. Dog’s are more at risk for rabies than goats. A goat can transmit rabies to a dog with any sort of physical contact, from a bite to even just touching fur with one another. The main symptoms of goats are aggressive behavior, foaming at the mouth, and lethargy. It is very important that you spot rabies right away, because it is almost always fatal once a dog contracts it. 90% of the time, a dog will die within 5 days of contracting rabies. 

Pneumonia 

There are many different strains of pneumonia that can spread from a goat to a dog. By definition, pneumonia in goats is the inflammation of a goat’s long that is caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungus. Pneumonia can also be caused by parasites. Any of these causes can also be transmitted from a goat to a dog. Since pneumonia is a respiratory illness, the symptoms in goats include trouble breathing, coughing, runny nose, and lethargy. 

How to stop a goat from spreading disease to dog

Hygiene is very important. Make sure your goats and dogs are living in clean conditions. They should always have clean water available. Also, you should always prevent your dog from snooping around the poop from your goat, as that is how most of the diseases are contracted. It is also important to keep a close eye on your goat so you know immediately when it is sick.