Good Lifestyle

Caressing a dog can soothe your soul and can even Boost your health , but there is a good chance that you will miss a key step after touching your friend on all fours. Experts say it is crucial to wash your hands afterwards, and that not doing it could endanger your health. In fact, a 2009 study revealed that dogs were more likely to exchange germs with their owners By making caresses by sleeping next to them in bed.

"In a perfect world, you would do it wash your hands After each time you touch your pet, "explains the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Their experts add that the habit is particularly important for demographic data which are vulnerable to serious illnesses, like young children, weaken immune systems. However, anybody Can fall ill from the past germs of dogs to people and everyone should take precautions, say doctors and veterinarians.

Read the rest to learn the four things that can happen if you don't wash your hands after caressing a dog, including a problem that affects more than you.

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Washing your hands after a dog's caress is an important step to prevent the spread of parasites, including roundworms, tenias, etc., according to experts.

"Although dog fur is soft and pleasant to touch, it can host germs that can potentially affect humans," said Dwight Alleyne , DVM, a veterinarian based in Georgia and a veterinary advisor to Betterpet.com . He explains that dogs love to roll up when they are outside and that the grounds of the soil or grass can be transferred to their fur. When you caress a dog, these parasites then transfer from their fur to the hands and spread from there, he explains.

Zeeshan Afzal , MD, a Dermatologist and Consultant based in Texas for Welzo.com Said that some parasites are particularly common - splendor, ticks and mites among them. "Some of these parasites can cause skin infections, rashes and even serious illnesses such as Lyme disease and spotted Rocky Mountain," he warns.

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It is common for dogs to carry bacterial infections, some of which are zoonotic or transmitted for humans. "Dogs can transport a variety of bacteria in their fur, mouth and intestines, as Salmonella ,, E. coli , And Campylobacter , said Afzal. "These can cause gastrointestinal disease, diarrhea, vomiting and fever." AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

However, children are not the only way to contract a bacterial infection of your dog: contact with their food, their supply or their excrement can also endanger you. This is why you should always be sure to wash your hands carefully after handling your dog's food or bowl of food, moving their toys and of course after cleaning their poop.

If a dog has a fungal skin infection like ringworm, it can transmit it to you when you caress them. In many cases, these types of infections are not clearly visible in dogs, because their fur covers their skin.

According to American Academy of Dermatology , wash your hands with a lot of hot and soapy water can help prevent the spread of these diseases. They warn that "touch or scratch the area with the ringworm, then touch another area can spread the ringworm from one part of your body to another", but add that "washing your hands can help you prevent".

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It turns out that you are not the only one to support you to wash your hands after caressing a dog. "Washing your hands after a dog's caress is also important for the health of other animals," said Ellen Russell , DVM, MPH, a veterinarian and veterinary consultant in The Malamute mother .

"If you interact with several pets or visit pets of members and family members, it is important to wash your hands between interactions to prevent germs from spreading to other animals," said -She. "This can help keep other pets in the region healthy and happy, while protecting your own pet from any possible disease."

So, if you are a real animal lover, do not hesitate to wash your hands after touching your best friend with fur. In doing so, you stand - and the other animals you love - a little safer.