You might think it’s cute—that big, wet, slobbery tongue popping out of your dog’s jaw and affectionately licking your face.
But what if I told you there was something pretty sinister about it?
No, I’m not saying your beloved Fido is trying to hurt you. Your little (or big) furry friend is genuinely trying to be affectionate.
Too bad the same can’t be said for all the bacteria on a dog’s tongue.
Are dogs’ mouths really cleaner than humans’ mouths?
No, it’s a complete myth.
Marty Becker, author of Chicken Soup for the Animal Lover’s Soul, explains it well when he says:
“All you have to do is look, observe and feel and you will realize that it is not true.
They’re raiding the trash. You know, we kiss each other on the cheek when we say hello, they kiss each other on the backside.”
John Oxford, professor of virology and bacteriology at Queen Mary University of London, discusses the number of bacteria your dog’s nose and mouth can carry.
“It’s not just what’s carried by saliva. Dogs spend half their lives with their noses in dirty corners or sniffing dog poop, so their snouts are full of bacteria, viruses, and germs of all kinds.”
These viruses and germs can cause diseases that can be detrimental to human health, as one woman in the United Kingdom learned the hard way.
She contracted an infection from the saliva of her Italian Greyhounds. She didn’t even realize anything was wrong until she was on the phone with a loved one and began to notice her speech was slurred.
By the time the ambulance arrived, she was slumped in her chair, her health rapidly deteriorating. She recovered with two weeks of intensive care and a lot of antibiotics.
Blood tests showed that the infection was caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus bacteria, which are commonly found in the mouths of dogs and cats.
She’s not alone – there have been 13 similar cases in the UK.
This isn’t the only disease Fido can transmit to you through dog kisses.
There’s also ringworm.
Continued on the next page
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