Why You Should Stop Kissing Your Pets

Why You Should Stop Kissing Your Pets

Dogs love to dig through trash and hover over dog droppings. Because of that, they can carry bacteria, viruses and germs of all sorts.  These viruses and germs may be harmful to humans. Bacterium capnocytophaga canimorsus is commonly found in the mouths of dogs and cats. It can lead to fever, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, reduced energy and weakness. The symptoms can vary from mild, flu-like symptoms to full-blown fulminant septicemia. There have even been cases of serious blood disorders and meningitis.

Pets may be infected with ringworm and you can catch this infection from kissing them. This fungal infection is relatively harmless but it can be very frustrating to treat.

Just one lick from your dog may give you mrsa infection. It usually affects the skin. Be careful, as you can get it from licking or any other contact with a pet too.

Cats also can carry common bacteria, such as pasteurella, staphylococcus, E-coli and salmonella. All of them are highly contagious. If your cat scratches you, you can get bartonella or cat scratch fever. It can result in painful and swollen lymph nodes. You can get toxoplasmosis through unsafe handling of a litter box. This parasitic disease is especially dangerous for pregnant women.

What To Do?

• Do not feed your pets at the table and never share your dishes with them.
• Do not kiss your pets and Do not let them lick your face.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after having any contact with animals.
• Vaccinate your pet against common diseases promptly.
• Use special antibacterial and anti-fungal shampoos when you wash your pets.
• Make sure your pet has no contact with wild or stray animals of any kind.
• When walking your dog, make sure they do not eat anything off the street.
• Regularly clean and disinfect your pet’s feeding bowl.
• Use disinfecting solutions when doing general cleaning in the house.
• Wear gloves when cleaning a litter box an wash hands after that.
• See your vet immediately if your pet is not feeling well, if it refuses to eat, or suffers from digestive disorders.