Expert says kissing dog on mouth can result in loss of limbs or death, pet owners willing to take the risk | April 23, 2025

Despite knowing where your sweet pet’s tongue has been, few people can resist kisses from an adorable dog or kitty.

But many people are either unaware – or don’t care – that allowing a dog or cat to kiss your face can lead to serious bacterial infections, which can lead to potential loss of limbs or even, in some cases, be fatal!

People generally fall into one of two camps when it comes to letting your pet’s tongue touch your lips.

One is “give me more,” while the other says, “no thanks.

While puppy and kitty kisses can be adorable, if you consider where that animal’s tongue has been – their nether region, eating poop-stained grass – the expression of love might not seem so cute anymore.

Moreover, while your fur baby is getting to lick a clean area of your skin, what he’s leaving behind can be life-threatening to the human.

One TikTok user says, “Do you kiss your dog on the mouth? Because if so, it’s time to stop.”

The user, who goes by the handle “medexplained2you,” is a PA (physician’s assistant) who writes the disclaimer on his profile lest anyone be angered later on, “not professional medical advice.”

“You could actually lose your limbs over it.” He continues, “I’m unfortunately not kidding, because kissing your dog on the mouth can actually cause an infection with something called Capnocytophaga Canimorsus.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, Capnocytophaga is a bacteria that lives inside the mouths of dogs and cats. The germs, that do not make cats or dogs sick, can spread to humans through scratches, bites, and other close forms of contact with domesticated  pets.

The CDC writes, “Capnocytophaga infection can cause serious complications, including heart attack, kidney failure, and gangrene. Some people may need to have fingers, toes, or even limbs amputated because of complications from severe infection.”

The CDC reports that people who have the infection will start showing symptoms within three to five days, and about 3 in 10 people who develop a severe infection (like sepsis) will die.

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