| Who can forget Lucy's reaction when Snoopy gives | | | | 40 percent of dog bites to the hands become |
| her a big, wet smack on the lips? "I've been kissed | | | | infected. |
| by a dog! I have dog germs! Get hot water, get | | | | Licks to Your Face May Not be So Bad After All |
| some disinfectant, get some iodine!" Lucy, it seems, is | | | | A separate study by Dr. Kate Stenske, a clinical |
| in the minority... as far as pet lovers go, anyway. A | | | | assistant professor at K-State's College of Veterinary |
| poll by PDSA, the UK's leading veterinary charity, | | | | Medicine, also found that regular bonding behaviors |
| found two-thirds of dog owners kiss their pets. | | | | between pets and their owners are not a significant |
| Another survey, this one commissioned by Del Monte | | | | cause for concern. "I became interested in the topic |
| Food and involving 1,000 dog owners, found that 32 | | | | because there is such a strong bond between dogs |
| percent smooch their pooch! Still other surveys have | | | | and their owners," Stenske said. "If you look at one |
| found that more than half of pet owners let their | | | | study, 84 percent of people say their dog is like a |
| pets lick their face, and wouldn't have it any other | | | | child to them." Close to half of dog owners share |
| way. | | | | food with their dogs, and more than half sleep with |
| And when it comes to their pet being in danger, 58 | | | | their dogs in their bed and let their dogs lick them on |
| percent of pet owners said they'd be willing to go | | | | the face, Stenske said. "We also know diseases can |
| "mouth to muzzle" and give their cat or dog CPR in | | | | be shared between dogs and people," Stenske said in |
| an emergency. In fact, the recent Associated poll | | | | a K-State press release. "About 75 percent of |
| found that 63 percent of dog owners and 53 percent | | | | emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning they are |
| of cat owners said they'd be at least somewhat | | | | transferrable between humans and other animals. |
| likely to perform CPR on their pets. | | | | With these two pieces of knowledge, I wanted to |
| For those of you who fall into the growing group of | | | | examine the public health aspects of such activities." |
| pet owners who happily take a lick on the face or | | | | So Stenske studied fecal samples from dogs and |
| plant a smooch on your pooch... should you be | | | | owners, checking for E. coli strains. She found that 10 |
| worried? Should we all really be following Lucy's lead | | | | percent of dogs and their owners shared the same E. |
| and, instead of nuzzling up to our furry friends be | | | | coli strains. What does this mean? Bonding behaviors |
| running for the disinfectant? | | | | like sharing the bed or allowing licks on your face |
| Are Canine Kisses Safe? | | | | were not likely to increase shared E. coli. However, |
| It's a question many pet lovers scoff at, but the | | | | Stenske did find an association between |
| truth is it is possible to get germs from your pet, and | | | | antibiotic-resistant E. coli and owners who didn't wash |
| vice versa. Recent research by Dr. Richard Oehler | | | | their hands after petting their dogs or before cooking |
| and colleagues at the University of South Florida | | | | meals. |
| College of Medicine in Tampa found that dogs and | | | | Can the Kisses Continue? |
| cats can transmit the drug-resistant bacteria known | | | | The research is fairly unanimous that petting and |
| as MRSA along with at least 30 other potentially | | | | bonding with your pets is not likely to cause illness, as |
| disease-causing organisms. "Pet owners are often | | | | long as you're healthy. Still, practicing good hygiene by |
| unaware of the potential for transmission of | | | | keeping your pet clean and healthy is important. |
| life-threatening pathogens from their canine and feline | | | | Washing your hands after interacting with your pet -- |
| companions," the researchers told ABC News. In | | | | especially before eating, cooking or handling food -- is |
| most cases, however, the researchers pointed out | | | | a good common sense approach to follow. |
| that transferring germs just from routine contact is | | | | Sources |
| relatively rare. Instead, most bugs are transmitted by | | | | American Journal of Veterinary Research, November |
| bites or scratches. About 20 percent of dog and cat | | | | 2009;70(11):1401-6. |
| bites can result in serious infection, with hands being | | | | Lancet Infectious Diseases, July 2009;9(7):439-47. |
| the body part most likely to develop infections; up to | | | | |