We love having our dogs lick our faces -- but is it safe? After all, dogs use their tongues as toilet paper. And how many of our furry friends love to snack on stool – whether it is their own, another dog, or that special treat above all others: 'Kitty Roca'. All of us baby boomers grew up with the comforting advice from Dear Abbey that dog mouths were cleaner than ours.
by Charles M. Schulz
So, do we have anything to worry about? The good news, the average person really doesn't have much to worry about. Thankfully, our healthy immune systems are up to the task of a couple of wet ones from Binky Boo. Research from Kansas State University shows that dog owners who enjoy close physical contact and bonding activities with their animals are no more likely to carry transmitted bacteria than those who keep their pets at a distance
Still, there are a few things to be aware of. Children, chemotherapy patients, and the elderly should be more careful with excessive face washings from their pets. Dogs do get worms and other parasites and some of these are transmissible to us. The usual victims? Toddlers and young kids. Children are not as careful about where their hands go and also not as good about washing their hands. Not to mention the French kiss that Barkley likes to plant. The solution? First, follow the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommendation and de-worm your dog monthly with a product like Sentinel or Heartguard. Second, have your pets stool checked by your veterinarian at least once per year. And third, teach children to keep their mouths closed when Fluffy gives her kisses and to wash their hands after playing with the dog.
Likewise, there could be a risk if your dog is on a raw food (BARF) diet. Studies show that approximately 75% of all raw food diets are contaminated with pathological bacteria such as Salmonella and others. Most dogs, while not becoming ill themselves, will shed these pathogens in their stool. Again most of us can handle these pathogens with healthy immune systems. Those that are immune-compromised should not feed these diets.
Another potential problem with Bandit 'stealing' a kiss is strep throat. Pets don't give us strep but we can give it to them! They can only give it back to us if we have already given it to them, maybe through kisses. Our pets can effectively act as reservoirs for this disease. Make sure your veterinarian and physician are aware of pets in the house if anyone suffers from recurrent Strep.
Lastly, watch the dogs with the smooshed in faces such as Pugs and Boston Terriers. Many times the facial folds on these breeds can be infected with bacteria that can be contagious. If Pugsley has a stinky face, he could have a PSEUDOMONAS infection in his facial folds. Get him checked by your veterinarian. You both will be more comfortable!
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