Can Your Pets Catch STDs From Humans? Understanding Cross-Species Infection Risks

No - most human STDs cannot be transmitted to pets, as these infections are highly species-specific. While some zoonotic diseases (infections passed between animals and humans) do exist, the vast majority of sexually transmitted infections in people, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and syphilis, do not pose a threat to dogs, cats, or other household pets. Still, there are rare exceptions that require awareness.

1. What Are Zoonotic Diseases?

Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted between humans and animals - either from animal to human (like rabies) or, more rarely, from human to animal (reverse zoonosis). However, most sexually transmitted infections in humans are not zoonotic.

📌 According to the CDC, over 60% of known infectious diseases in people are zoonotic, but they typically involve bacteria or parasites - not STDs like HIV or gonorrhea.
👉 CDC: Zoonotic Diseases

2. Human STDs That Do Not Affect Pets

You cannot give your dog or cat the following common STDs:

• Chlamydia (human-specific strain differs from feline chlamydia)

• Gonorrhea

• Syphilis

• HIV or AIDS

• Herpes (HSV-1 or HSV-2)

• Trichomoniasis

• Hepatitis B or C

These infections require human-to-human biological compatibility and specific receptors that don’t exist in animal species.

🐶 Example: Canine herpesvirus (CHV) is not related to human herpesvirus, and cannot be passed between species.

3. STDs and Animals: What Infections Do Exist in Pets?

Although your pets can’t catch your STDs, they can have their own sexually transmitted diseases or infections acquired via other routes.

🐕 Dogs:

• Brucellosis (bacterial STD in dogs - not transmissible to humans via sex, but possible via contact with fluids)

• Canine herpesvirus (affects fertility and newborn puppies)

• Transmissible venereal tumor (TVT) - unique cancer spread through sexual contact between dogs

🐈 Cats:

• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) - similar to HIV but species-specific

• Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) - spread via saliva, not sexually

• Chlamydophila felis - respiratory, not genital infection

Importantly, none of these can be passed to or from humans.

4. Rare Exceptions and Risks

While highly unlikely, there are a few documented cases or theoretical concerns about reverse zoonotic transmission (from human to animal):

• MRSA (a bacterial skin infection) has been transmitted between humans and pets

• Giardia or intestinal parasites may transfer via poor hygiene, but not sexually

• Hepatitis A has shown zoonotic characteristics in some experimental conditions, but this remains rare

There is no evidence that casual contact, co-sleeping with your pet, or even skin-to-skin affection poses an STD risk.

5. Protecting Your Health - and Theirs

Although your pets are not at risk from your STDs, mutual protection and hygiene are still essential:

• ✅ Wash hands after cleaning up waste

• ✅ Avoid sharing food or utensils

• ✅ Get regular veterinary checkups

• ✅ Practice safe sex - especially important if you live in a shared household

And for yourself? The best protection is regular STD testing - especially if you’ve had new or multiple partners.

🟦 Our trusted partner STDCheck offers confidential 10-panel testing, with quick, accurate results - so you can protect your health and your peace of mind.

Conclusion

No - your pets cannot catch human STDs.
Most sexually transmitted infections are specific to human biology and cannot survive in animals. However, pets have their own health concerns, and a small number of zoonotic infections can still transfer through non-sexual contact.

To stay safe: care for your pets, keep hygiene top of mind, and get tested regularly to protect everyone in your household - furry or otherwise.