Is It Safe to Let Your Dog Lick You?
One of the best things about dogs is how affectionate they can be. It’s like they sense when we’re hurt or feeling overwhelmed and then try to help us with additional hugs or kisses. But while these kisses – well, licks – are well-meaning, they may not always be good for your health.
Unfortunately, this happened to an Ohio woman who contracted a rare infection after her dog licked a slightly infected scratch and had to amputate both legs and arms. In this case, bacteria from the dog’s mouth spreads to the dog’s body through an open wound – and the same can happen if a dog, cat, or other animal bites or scratches you.
So what does this mean for puppy kissing? Are they prohibited, or was it an accident? Should you worry if your dog licks your face or a scratch on your hand? Here’s what you need to know.
When to worry about kissing a dog
When you think about everything your dog licks or puts in his mouth – street trash, toilet water, his trash, etc. – you probably don’t want his tongue to touch your face. But according to Pritish Tosh, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic, in most cases, dog kisses are probably okay. “Would it be harmful if you let the dog lick your face? “Probably not,” he said in a video posted by the clinic , but it’s best to keep them away from open wounds.
Like humans, dogs’ mouths are full of bacteria all the time. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control has found that up to 74 percent of dogs have capnocytophage (the bacteria that infected an Ohio woman) in their mouth at any given time because it is part of their natural microbiome . But for most people this is not a problem, and it is very rare to get sick from licking a dog. The groups most at risk of contracting this bacterium are people with already weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, pregnant people, cancer patients, those who drink alcohol excessively, people who have had their spleen removed, and those who take certain medications. like some steroids, says the CDC.
Signs that you are infected
Signs and symptoms of a Capnocytophaga infection from your dog usually show up three to five days after you have been licked, but the CDC says it can be as long as one day or as long as 14 days. And cat people, you are not clear: capnocytophage can also spread if a cat licks an open wound or bites you.
There are a number of signs and symptoms of Capnocytophaga infection, according to the CDC, including:
- Blisters around the bite wound within hours of the bite
- Redness, swelling, pus, or pain at the bite site
- Heat
- Diarrhea and / or abdominal pain
- Vomit
- Headache and / or confusion
- Muscle or joint pain
If you notice any of these symptoms, you need to seek immediate medical attention because Capnocytophaga infection can cause serious complications such as heart attack, kidney failure, and gangrene, leading to amputation of the limbs, as in the case of the Ohio woman. … … Again, it is very rare to become infected this way, but when it does, three in 10 people who develop the disease will die as a result. In most cases, and if you catch it in time, people who do have a Capnocytophaga infection will receive a course of antibiotics and recover.
How to prevent infection
At an early age, we are taught that a dog bite can be bad news, especially when it comes to rabies, but dog licks have not come with the same warning. So take this as your warning: Don’t let dogs or cats love any open wounds, including scratches or anywhere else where your skin has been damaged.
Even if you have a strong immune system, if an animal licks an open wound, wash it immediately with soap and water just in case and watch for any signs of infection. If anything looks or feels unusual, see your doctor right away. But for most people, and most of the time, dog kissing is okay.