Zoonosis: When A Dog Kiss Can Do More Harm Than Good

It’s good to give hugs to your pets, but avoid giving kisses. Kisses seem kind, but dogs have filthy mouths. It is critical to remember that dogs like to eat from garbage cans, drink from toilet bowls, and love to smell and licking some of their body parts. There is an old wives tale that says that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than that of a human. That way of thinking can put you and your family at risk of contracting a zoonotic disease.

A dog kiss can put you at risk of getting infected with one of the following conditions:
(1) Campylobacter ( a bacteria that produce food poisoning)
(2) Giardia ( a bacteria that produce severe diarrhea)
(3) Salmonella
(4) Meningitis

So, please remember that is better be safe than sorry.

Jose Feneque, DVM
(404) 366-4370