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VIRTUALISATION Dogs’ health at risk from human germs
VIRTUALISATION Dogs’ health at risk from human germs | Dogs’ health at risk from human germs |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Saturday, 31 January 2009 | |
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American veterinarian Kate Stenska, a clinician at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State (Manhattan, Kansas), made this conclusion while performing her doctoral research at the University of Tennessee. She concentrated her study on strains of E. coli (Escherichia coli) bacteria, which are commonly found in humans and dogs. Using DNA techniques, Dr. Stenska examined fecal samples from dogs and their owners. She found that 10% of dogs and their owners shared the same strains of E. coli bacteria in their gastrointestinal tracts The Kansas State University article K-state veterinarian’s research finds that dog owners more likely to share germs with pets by not washing hands than by sleeping with dog, getting licks on the face, states, “Stenske said surveys also show that nearly half of all dog owners share food with their dogs, and more than half allow the dog to sleep in the bed and lick them on the face." Stenske stated in the January 27, 2009 Kansas State article, "I became interested in the topic because there is such a strong bond between dogs and their owners. If you look at one study, 84 percent of people say their dog is like a child to them." She added, "We also know diseases can be shared between dogs and people. About 75 percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning they are transferrable between humans and other animals. With these two pieces of knowledge, I wanted to examine the public health aspects of such activities." Page two continues. |
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