Can You Kiss Your Pet?

Unfortunately letting a dog/cat lick your mouth or nose could be bad news for both of you and your pet. Statistics show that the vast majority of pet owners see their animals as family. But is it safe? Kissing your pets or being licked by your pets is dangerous because pets don’t brush their teeth every day (unless you’re a very conscientious owner) and so their mouths harbour a lot of bacteria, much of it harmful to humans. 

According to new scientific research, letting your dog kiss you on the lips could be really bad for your health . Both you and your pet could be struck down with illnesses that may not be treated with antibiotics.

Dogs spend half their life with their noses in nasty corners or hovering over dog droppings so their muzzles are full of bacteria, viruses, and germs of all sorts. These viruses and germs can cause serious health problems in humans. 

Ringworm (is a common fungal infection. It’s not caused by worms. The main symptom of ringworm is a red or silver rash. The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy. Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp (tinea capitis) and groin (jock itch) infection is one of the most common diseases that you can get from kissing your dog. If your pet is infected with ringworm and you kiss them, then you’ll catch this disease too. MRSA (is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body) infection usually affects the skin, and it can be caused by just one lick from your dog. Capnocytophaga сanimorsus is a bacterium that can cause serious health problems if it enters your body through an open wound.

Here are a list of things of dos and don’ts to help pet owners

• Don’t kiss your animals, don’t let them lick your face, don’t ever feed your pets at the table, and never share your dishes with them
• Wash your hands thoroughly after having any contact with animals
• Vaccinate your pet against common diseases promptly
• Use special antibacterial and antifungal shampoos when you wash your furry friends
• Make sure your dog or cat has no contact with wild or stray animals of any kind. When walking your dog, watch that they do not eat anything off the street
• Don’t feed your four-legged friends raw eggs, meat, or fish.

In this video by Bright Side shows all the hidden dangers that can be lurking in giving your four-legged friend a big hug and a kiss. It’s likely that you will never kiss your pet again after watching this video but nevertheless please be mindful why you should never kiss your pet!