Lifestyle

Kissing a Cat / Dog Might Not be Advisable if The Pet Has Bad Oral Hygiene

2019-06-10 , 4:00 am

Let’s face it, dogs and cats are cute. Way cuter than some of us can ever be, unfortunately.

So we don’t blame you if you couldn’t resist showing some love to that cute, loveable, utterly squeezable and huggable best friend who just mooches off you. And by that, we mean kissing them on the mouth, letting them lick you everywhere (and by everywhere, we mean everywhere).

Well, I bet you won’t do that after reading this. ‘Cuz I love dogs and there’s no way I’m letting my friend’s dog get near me after I knew about this.

Kissing Your Dog or Cat, Is it Advisable?

How do you know if someone has bad oral hygiene? Just smell his breath. Bad breath typically comes from bacteria within the mouth. “Just look, watch and smell”, and you’ll realise a dog’s mouth isn’t as clean as you think according to Marty Becker, author of Chicken Soup for the Dog Owner’s Soul, a veterinarian and fellow dog lover.

They raid the garbage cans, kiss other dogs on the butt and their mouth goes everywhere.

Cats clean themselves with their tongues. Enough said.

70-Year-Old Woman Contracted Serious Infection, Her Italian Greyhound The Most Likely Suspect

Last year, the news of a 70-year-old woman who had a serious infection from a bacteria, capnocytophaga canimorsus which is present in the mouths of dogs and cats. She looked for medical help after she noticed her speech sounding more and more slurred.

Infections like this are not uncommon, really, but what made this case so unique is the fact that she apparently contracted the infection without getting bitten or scratched. Instead, she claimed that she gets licked often by her dog.

It is suspected that her age and weakened immune system contributed to the infection.

Other Infections You Can Get From Your Beloved Pet

Forewarn is half the battle won (okay, I might have twisted the saying) but it holds true for this situation. Knowing the possible consequences might just spur you on to do something about it before it’s too late.

So here you go. Other possible infections include ringworms, tapeworms, Bubonic plague, Giardia and Campylobacter which causes diarrhoea, among many others. For a full list, check this out.

But All is Not Lost

However, here’s some good news (finally!). Germs present in your dog’s mouth are generally dog-specific so you’re pretty safe but you got to take some precautions. Make sure your dog is kept up-to-date with vaccination and make sure they’re clean. Then you’re good to go.

You might want to keep the babies away from your pets’ saliva as they have a weaker immune system. #JustaFriendlyAdvice

Kissing a Cat / Dog Might Not be Advisable if The Pet Has Bad Oral Hygiene

Kissing Your Dog or Cat, Is it Advisable?

70-Year-Old Woman Contracted Serious Infection, Her Italian Greyhound The Most Likely Suspect

Other Infections You Can Get From Your Beloved Pet

But All is Not Lost

Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:

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