Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Can a dog transmit Hep C?

Species: Dog
Breed: German Shepherd
Age: 2-5 years
Recently my nephew was bitten by a k-9 dog in a mistaken identity situation. My nephew has now been diagnosed with Hep C. Is it possible that this police dog could've bitten someone with the Hep C virus and then transmitted this to my nephew and could the dog be at risk and should I mention this the police department to have the dog checked. Thanks for your help.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear that these things are happening.

It is extremely unlikely, actually almost impossible, that the Hep C was transmitted to your nephew by the dog who bit him.

While dogs can get a disease called hepatitis this is totally different than the type of hepatitis that people get.

Hepatitis is not contagious from dogs to people or from people to dogs.

In theory, if a dog bit a person with Hep C and had fresh blood from that person in his mouth and then immediately bit another person then the spread of the fresh blood (from the person, not from the dog) could spread hepatitis C.

I hope this answers your question and I hope your nephew is ok!

Dr. Marie


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Red bumps on belly. My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a few red bumps on his belly(mostly around his... (16385 views)

Can dogs get chlamydia? I recently found out that i had Chlamydia, my dog hank has a bad habit of getting... (50064 views)

Panleukopenia vaccine. we have two 12 week old kittens. last week we looked after two 7 week old kittens... (11923 views)

PNST in a dog. My Jack Russell (8 years old) was just diagnosed with a PNST. Which was discovered... (15856 views)

Mucus in kitten's eyes. I found a kittin this moring it appeared to have mucus around the eyes and nose. I... (29100 views)

Tracheal collapse. I was wondering if a mild case of collapse trachea in a 5 month old puppy will... (9349 views)

Sluggish Boxer My Boxer got sluggish on the 20th of March so we took him to the vets. They did... (11511 views)

Hind end pain in beagle. I'm wondering if we need a set of fresh eyes about this ongoing situation, perhaps a... (27105 views)

Large red spots on dog's stomach. When I got home from work today, my dog had several large red spots on his stomach.... (204163 views)

Cat's foot is swollen. His left back foot is swollen and his paw. Ever since it was swollen he has been... (9964 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.