Go Ahead, Kiss your Dog
Are pet owners at risk when the sleep with their animals or allow licking of faces etc.?
In a recent study, it was found that people who let their dogs sleep with them or allow them to lick their faces are no more likely than other dog owners to have the same strains of E. coli bacteria as their dogs
A researcher at the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine said it's known that diseases can be shared between dogs and people and that about 75% of emerging diseases are transferable between humans and other animals.
This study focused on E. coli which is common in the gastrointestinal tracts of both humans and dogs. Fecal samples from dogs and their owners were examined and it was found that 10% of human-dog pairs had the same E. coli strains and that these strains were more resistant to common antibiotics than expected. However, owners had more multiple drug-resistant strains than their dogs.
This certainly makes us think that dogs are not likely to spread multiple drug-resistant E. coli to their owners, but perhaps owners may spread them to their dogs. And our overuse of antibiotics may actually produce more resistant strains putting our animals at a higher risk.
Again, there was no evidence from the study that owners who sleep with their dog or allow face licking were more likely to have shared strains of E. coli but the study did find an association between antibiotic-resistant E. coli and owners who didn't wash their hands after petting their dogs or before cooking meals.
The bottom line appears to be that close human-dog bonding behaviors aren't more likely to spread germs and this is good news because of the physical and psychological benefits of pet ownership.
Future research might look at cat owners and shared E. coli. More Americans own cats than dogs, and cats interact with people in different ways than dogs.
In a recent study, it was found that people who let their dogs sleep with them or allow them to lick their faces are no more likely than other dog owners to have the same strains of E. coli bacteria as their dogs
A researcher at the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine said it's known that diseases can be shared between dogs and people and that about 75% of emerging diseases are transferable between humans and other animals.
This study focused on E. coli which is common in the gastrointestinal tracts of both humans and dogs. Fecal samples from dogs and their owners were examined and it was found that 10% of human-dog pairs had the same E. coli strains and that these strains were more resistant to common antibiotics than expected. However, owners had more multiple drug-resistant strains than their dogs.
This certainly makes us think that dogs are not likely to spread multiple drug-resistant E. coli to their owners, but perhaps owners may spread them to their dogs. And our overuse of antibiotics may actually produce more resistant strains putting our animals at a higher risk.
Again, there was no evidence from the study that owners who sleep with their dog or allow face licking were more likely to have shared strains of E. coli but the study did find an association between antibiotic-resistant E. coli and owners who didn't wash their hands after petting their dogs or before cooking meals.
The bottom line appears to be that close human-dog bonding behaviors aren't more likely to spread germs and this is good news because of the physical and psychological benefits of pet ownership.
Future research might look at cat owners and shared E. coli. More Americans own cats than dogs, and cats interact with people in different ways than dogs.
posted by Anonymous at 5:49 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home