In the exam room of our veterinary clinic we see a full range of the way people interact with their pets, from big slobbery kisses from their Great Danes to madly pumping the antibacterial hand sanitizer after touching a kitten’s head.
While the use of hand sanitizer may be extreme we may want to re-consider letting our dogs kiss us. While for most people getting licked by a dog is harmless, and of the millions of bacteria in a dog’s mouth many will not transmit between humans and dogs.
The bacteria in pets’ mouths could be living in plaque causing bad breath (as well as breaking down their periodontal tissue and loosening well rooted teeth). There could also be bacteria your dog has licked off the ground, a garbage can, a dead squirrel or another dogs posterior and although often harmless-not something you want on your skin.
Some bacteria and parasites can be passed from dogs to humans (including roundworm and Salmonella), pet owners with toddlers and those with weakened immune systems are more susceptible and should practice good hand washing practices always when interacting with pets.
Remembering that every child doesn’t want to be hugged and kissed by their great aunt, not every dog wants to be hugged and kissed by someone, especially a small child. Many nasty bites to the face have come from people and often toddlers not respecting the clues that the dog is giving when they go in for what they perceive as an affectionate moment. It is important to look for clues such as the dog looking away, licking his lips and trying to remove himself from the situation.
Although there are several studies done on looking at potential healing powers of dog saliva currently the jury is still out. Research has dispelled the myth that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth, and we may want to think of other ways other than kissing to bond with and show affection to our pets.
