Should you smooch your pet on the mouth?
What’s the harm in sharing some cat kisses or a pooch smooch? After all, you’ve probably heard that your pet’s mouth is cleaner than yours! Unfortunately, that’s a myth and your pet’s mouth is likely host to a large number of bacteria, viruses and yeast.
Why do dogs and cats want to lick our faces in the first place?
Many people wonder whether pet licks are truly “kisses” and a sign of affection. From the time they’re puppies and kittens, mother dogs and cats lick their babies to groom them, get them to urinate and digest food. Before they even open their eyes, puppies and kittens know the calming effect of being licked by their mom. Your pet may try to get in a lick to gather information, like trying to determine if you just ate, who you were just with or if you taste nice!
Is bacteria found in a pet’s mouth dangerous?
Some bacteria found in your pet’s mouth are zoonotic (meaning they can be passed from animals to humans and cause disease), including Clostridium, E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can cause severe gastrointestinal disease in humans. Luckily, we humans have very good immune systems that help us fight off these germs most of the time. However, babies, children, seniors and people with compromised immune systems are at risk of developing disease and should avoid receiving face kisses from pets.
Precautions you can take
You can still show your pet love and affection by giving lots of belly rubs, a peck on the top of their head and lots of scratches behind their ears!
Find out the ways your dog shows their love! >>
