Sick dogs and human transmission?

Me again with a pet problem.  As you can probably tell, this is our first dog and we're still learning the ropes.

Anyway, we've got a sick dog. He's been throwing up since yesterday and has the shivers on and off. Actually, I think we noticed the shivers last week. We've got a call in to the vet, but I'm just not sure how serious this is!

One other question, of *utmost* concern to me. Can humans catch nasty things from dogs? I'm most concerned about my little boys who get very, very close to him and might have been licked on the face/mouth.  We've all been sick as dogs for the past two weeks, and I can't help but wonder if there's a connection. 

I'm not an expert, but think about this - dogs lick their backsides and dog feces are toxic and can contain all kinds of bacteria. So you should always wash your hands after touching a dog before handling food, rubbing eyes, etc.

Having said that, I believe it is generally the case that children who grow up around dogs are less likely to be allergic to them when they are older. The same goes for cats. The implication being that it is impossible to stop kids and dogs sharing stuff.

If I had a child who has been sick for two weeks I would take them to the Doctor.

Andy

If you're referring to colds and viruses, you can not catch these from your dog or cat (I just asked because I thought the cat gave a cold to my son).  If it's a bacterial infection, you can pick up the bacteria and if you're not healthy, develop an infection your self. 

As an example, my dog had a bacterial infection on her intestines.  It took over 1 month to diagnose this as there were other problems that had the same symptoms.  I never caught anything from her even though I was cleaning up all sorts of bodily fluids from my carpet and house. 

But if you're all sick and not getting better all y'all should goto the doctor. 

It is under very rare cirumstances that a gastrointestinal illness is passed between humans and dogs, but E. coli and Salmonella can be passed from animal to human or vice versa.

Thanks all for your comments.

Firstly, (and I'm very sorry I didn't make this clear initially) of course I've taken my kids to the doctor. I'm not a complete idiot. We've all had colds and coughs, and I've had strep. And, of course, I'm on antibiotics too.

Yes, Andy, it's impossible to keep my kids and the dog apart. They love each other! If I forbid my kids to get close to my dog, well ... then, what's the point of even having the dog?

If you're referring to colds and viruses, you can not catch these from your dog or cat (I just asked because I thought the cat gave a cold to my son). 

...I never caught anything from her even though I was cleaning up all sorts of bodily fluids from my carpet and house. 

Thanks for that. 

It is under very rare cirumstances that a gastrointestinal illness is passed between humans and dogs, but E. coli and Salmonella can be passed from animal to human or vice versa.

Thanks. No one has any tummy trouble at the moment, but I just want to be aware of what to watch out for.

Swine flu can be passed from humans to cats and dogs. There have been several reports of it here in Colorado.