Aroma Pets

Why you REALLY shouldn't let your let your dog lick your face

Letting your dog lick your face or eat from your plate could be fueling the superbug crisis, a study has warned. 

Experts have also called for pet owners to wash their hands after stroking their pets or picking up dog waste, in a bid to quell the spread of deadly bugs. 

Antibiotic resistance, deemed to be as big a threat as terrorism and global warming, kills millions of people every year. It is caused by pathogens evolving to evade drugs, with the problem fuelled by unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics. 

But scientists fear cats and dogs are becoming potential reservoirs for the antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

A team of UK and Portuguese researchers say the transmission occurs 'via the faecal-oral route', meaning that dogs who lick their own backsides could be spreading the drug-resistant bacteria. 

Humans may also get infected from touching dog waste and then later their mouth, if they don't wash their hands. 

Provided by Daily Mail While cute, letting dogs and cats lick your face could increase your risk of catching a superbug a type of bacteria resistant to medication 

Experts from the UK Royal Veterinary College and the University of Lisbon, tested the faeces of human and animal inhabitants of 41 Portuguese and 45 British homes.

The project, to be presented at a medical conference in Portugal, included a total of 114 humans, 85 dogs, and 18 cats.

Samples were collected and then genetically tested for superbugs. 

Scientists found 14 dogs, one cat, and 15 humans tested positive for strains of drug-resistant E.coli, which can be life-threatening in some cases.

These strains are known to be resistant to multiple antibiotics, such as penicillin and cephalosporins.

Additionally, in four households, people and their pets were found to have bacteria with matching antibiotic-resistant genes. 

The results implied that one had contaminated the other. 

The study was only observational, meaning it cannot prove that pets were directly responsible for spreading superbugs to their owners.  

However, lead author Dr Juliana Menezes, an expert in veterinary science, said their findings were worrying.   

'Even before Covid, antibiotic resistance was one of the biggest threats to public health,' she said.

'It can make conditions like pneumonia, sepsis, urinary tract and wound infections untreatable.

'Our findings reinforce the need for people to practice good hygiene around their pets and to reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics in companion animals and people.'

She also told The Telegraph that bacteria being spread between people and their pets were likely to come from a variety of events.   

'Risk factors include kissing, licking the owner's face or eating from the owner's plate,' she said. 

'To reduce the spread of these bacteria within the household, it would be necessary to reduce this close relationship between the owners and their pets, and also to have greater hygiene practices.

'Bearing in mind that the bacteria we studied are found colonising the gastrointestinal tract, the transmission occurs via the faecal-oral route, so good hygiene practices on the part of owners would help to reduce sharing, such as washing hands after collecting dog waste, or even after petting them.' 

The study will be presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases in Lisbon later this month.  

Despite the potential risk of superbugs owning a pet has been linked to swathe of both physical and mental health benefits.

These include helping reduce blood pressure and providing companionship to increasing opportunities for exercising and socialising with others. 

Earlier this year researchers from the University of Washington and University of Oxford said antibiotic-resistant infections directly killed 1.2million people in 2019, and contributed to the deaths of 5million more. 

© Provided by Daily Mail This graph shows the combined direct and associated deaths from antibiotic-resistant bacteria per global region in 2019. Africa and South Asia had the greatest number of deaths per 100,000 people, however Western European countries like, the UK, still recorded a significantly high number of fatalities 

Reference: John Ely Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline

Top six kitten feeding tips for raising a strong and healthy cat

Reference: Pet Radar: Catherine Barnette DVM 

How to stop cats fouling in your garden: 8 simple tips

Are you looking for a simple solution to stop cats doing their business in your garden? Our feline friends are great at providing company, but it can be irritating when they use gardens as litter trays.

From water sprays to citrus scents, take a look at exactly how to stop cats pooping in the garden.

1. Odour repellent

Cats are renowned for exploring people's gardens, looking for places to leave their mark when homeowners aren't looking. One of the natural ways you can stop them from leaving deposits on your lawn is to scatter scents they don't like.

Cats are incredibly sensitive to smell so strong scents such as lavender, peppermint or cinnamon are great for keeping them away. Choose one of these scents, mix with water and spray around the garden. While this is just a short-term option, it's cost-effective and non-toxic.

2. Citrus peels

Another natural and simple solution to deter cats from your outdoor space is to finely chop citrus fruits (such as lemons, limes and oranges) and place them around the garden. Similar to lavender and peppermint, cats don't like the strong citrus scent.

You can also make your own solution by squeezing the fruits into water if you'd rather spray it around the garden.

Tim Bird - Getty Images gettyimages-610885220

3. Install a motion-activated sprinkler

This option might be more expensive than the others, but it's incredibly effective. Cats hate getting wet, so a motion-activated sprinkler which turns on every time it detects the movement and heat of an animal is great to consider if you're feeling fed up.

Every time a cat wanders into your garden the sprinkler will release a sudden burst of water, along with a startling noise, to scare them away.

primrose.co.uk Jet Spray Cat Repeller By PestBye®

4. Using sound motion detectors

Similar to how the water sprinklers work, ultrasonic cat deterrents will emit a very high frequency when they detect movement. Usually, the sounds are very off-putting to cats but can hardly be heard at all by humans. These only cover a small area of the garden, so it's best to place them at entry points.

5. Cover your garden with twigs

Cats aren't fond of prickly ground underfoot, so placing twigs or rough leaves on flower beds will help to keep them away. While it might not make your garden look pretty, it's a simple solution to keep them at bay.

Other options to consider also include placing down stone mulch, eggshells, holly cuttings or repurposed plastic carpet runners.

Holger Leue - Getty Images Cat struts along fence, Scey-sur-Saone, Scey-sur-Saone-et-Saint-Albin, Haute-Saone, Bourgogne-Franche-Comte, France

6. Bananas

Cats also don't like the smell of bananas, so another way to stop them from pooping in your garden is to finely chop bananas and scatter them around your flower beds. Ripening bananas give off a strong smell that cats simply can't stand. Want to scare them away? This could be worth a try.

7. Keep your garden clean

If your cat seems to always visit the same spot, consider giving it a hose down with soapy water. While this can throw cats off their own scent, it may simply make them move to another part of your garden.

 Alex Walker - Getty Images gettyimages-6805230048.

Use an outdoor litter tray

If all else fails, you could try placing an outdoor litter tray in your garden for them to use. Of course it's not your job to clean up the mess from your neighbour's cat, but it could be a smart way to stop them from pooping in your favourite flowers.

Reference: Country Living : Lisa Joyner  

Dog trainer: You should not walk your dog every day, despite popular belief

The bestselling author of STOP Walking Your Dog is encouraging people not to walk their dogs every day. Instead, Niki French is encouraging dog owners to replace their 30-minute walk with an alternative activity, that is even more stimulating.

Lancs Live A dog expert has advised that dog owners should find alternatives to walking

For most dog owners, a daily walk is part of their pet's routine, and an essential one too. However, for dog trainer Niki, 53, this habit is an old one - and something she definitely doesn't agree with.

"Replacing walk time with training games at home can give the dogs the skills they're missing to live calm and happy lives," Niki told The Mirror. "It might come as a surprise, but traditional walks are a human invention and aren't helpful for many of our dogs."

Niki launched her first Don't Walk Your Dog Day yesterday, Saturday, April 2, to raise awareness that "not all dogs thrive on daily walks".

"Contrary to popular belief, dogs with behaviour struggles can get more reactive or more excitable when we try to exhaust them through too much exercise," she said. "A growing number of my clients have nervous or reactive dogs and I've shown them all the amazing activities you can do at home to help dogs grow the skills they’re lacking to be happy on walks."

Niki has a two-year-old rescue dog named Bodie at home, who is "noticeably calmer" with fewer walks and more enrichment games.

"Skipping some walks can help both dogs and owners alike destress," Niki continued. "When more than half of walks are stressful (for the dog or you), it's time to do something different."

There are many reasons owners might benefit from skipping a walk. For example, if the weather is too hot or cold, it can be dangerous to the dog. Also, for new puppies that aren't vaccinated, bitches that are in season, and dogs who are unwell, a walk might not be best.

"Playing games at home is a great way to build skills our dogs need and boost our relationship with them," Niki said. "It's good to have other things in your toolkit. This applies to all dogs and surprisingly it can work best for breeds that need lots of exercise."

Niki has been an animal lover her entire life, and became a dog trainer three years ago. She focuses on positive reward and enrichment games like digging sandpits, playing with cardboard boxes, using lick mats and hide-and-seek activities.

For dog owners who have reactive or anxious pets, it can be intimidating and stressful leaving the house for a simple walk.

"I want these people to know that they aren't alone, and we aren't judging them," Niki said.