Can you get strep throat from your dog?

Many a dog have been unfairly blamed of passing Strep throat to the two legged members of the family. Think again. If possible at all, this is more of a case of man bite dog, than the other way around. Humans and dogs have their own kind of Strep bacteria and although sharing is theoretically possible, it is highly unlikely. A throat swab of the dog is costly and usually unrewarding, and although we have all on occasion treated a dog with antibiotics, it is more to put the family’s worries at ease than it is for Spot’s sake.