Salmonella/Other Bacteria and Humans

[Collette17n]

Hi everyone! I'm new here... Hopefully getting our pup at the end of January. The breeder we are talking to is weaning the puppies onto a raw diet and after reading about it we would like to continue that. I thought my question would be quite common, but I searched and couldn't find it... So maybe I'm just being a freak....

My question is this - after my dog eats and he goes sniffing around, licking the floor, people's hands, faces, etc, don't I need I worry about the people getting salmonella??? Or the house being covered in it???

It's not really feasible to follow him around sprung everything he touches and making sure he leant give visitors kisses... Is this not s problem?

Please ease my mind about this and also help me explain to visitors why they don't need to worry....

Thank you!!!

[GatorBytes]

Dogs mouths are cleaner then ours - there shouldn't be a concern as dogs saliva is designed to start to neutralize bacteria - plus a raw diet, munching bones will clean the teeth - kibble gets mushy and gets stuck in the teeth and gums allowing for bacteria to proliferate - so you have more of a chance of getting bacteria kisses from a kibble dog - not to mention gum disease (doggie that is) and harmful drugs to have him put under to have cleaned - and the oh so unwelcome dog breath.

My dog gets a bit of saliva on his chin or side of mouth, I just wipe off with my hand and wash off.

Clean up area he eats w/ a 50/50 vinegar/water solution

[msvette2u]

Dogs mouths are cleaner then ours

Myth.

Immunocompromised people are advised to not feed raw, and if you have a therapy dog that visits nursing homes, kids' classrooms or hospitals, etc. you are not able to feed raw.

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

Myth.

Immunocompromised people are advised to not feed raw, and if you have a therapy dog that visits nursing homes, kids' classrooms or hospitals, etc. you are not able to feed raw.

IYO...

How would they know

You have more of a chance of contacting staph from a bag of kibble - hence the endless recalls

[Sunflowers]

Originally Posted by GatorBytes

IYO...

How would they know

You have more of a chance of contacting staph from a bag of kibble - hence the endless recalls

Yeah, really! And it is not the visitors' concern what the dog eats.

If this were a problem, vast numbers of raw feeders would be dropping dead of salmonella. Ridiculous.

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by Sunflowers

Yeah, really! And it is not the visitors' concern what the dog eats.

If this were a problem, vast numbers of raw feeders would be dropping dead of salmonella. Ridiculous.

err...oops, I said staph, was reading an article on colostrum...
meant salmonella

AND all teh dogs that would be dropping dead from raw

[msvette2u]

...staph?? In dog food??

Um. Okay.

But yes it's true about therapy dogs. If you want to visit immunocompromised patients receiving Chemo while your dog could possibly give them a life-threatening bacterial illness I guess that's your business - but part of the requirements are that you feed kibble and not raw.

FAQ about Therapy Dog Training

There's risks to every way of feeding, please do present all sides, including that yes, getting a bacterial infection from feeding raw is a risk, how big of one, that's up to you and how you clean/disinfect but it's there all the same.

http://www.petpartners.org/rawdiet

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by Collette17n

My question is this - after my dog eats and he goes sniffing around, licking the floor, people's hands, faces, etc, don't I need I worry about the people getting salmonella??? Or the house being covered in it???

No. I've fed raw for a few years now and never had a problem. Follow the same hygiene you would when you handle meat. Wash their dishes often.

I do think it is not accurate to say a dog's mouth is cleaner than ours. I know we've heard it our whole lives but I think it's an old wives tale.

The salmonella factors in when they poop. They may shed more bacteria but not necessarily. It is true that SOME, NOT ALL, therapy dog organizations will not allow you to feed raw and be registered with them. I read the study they presented. It was one sided and did not take into account contaminated kibble.

here's a good article
Are Raw-Fed Dogs a Risk? - Whole Dog Journal Article

Interesting tidbit at the end of the article...how many dogs were infected by people in the nursing homes and then transferred the bacteria such as MRSA to another room or building.

[GatorBytes]

@msvette...you must have been busy while I made the correction

albiet (re: staph)...not far off, given the amount of dogs with itchyskinitis do to the overabundant use of carbohydrates, artificial/synthetic ingredients, lack of natural enzymes and amino acids as well as the toxic rendered fats once exposed to air start to oxidize - proven to cause cancer...toxic load, malnutrition, leaky gut - all leads to staph...

so yeah "staph" infection in a bag

[GatorBytes]

Saliva contains two types of components that inhibit bacterial
growth. The first type is thiocyanate ions, which can kill bacteria,
especially once the ions get inside the bacteria. The second component,
lysozyme, is an enzyme with three main properties: it digests
food particles, thus removing nutrients for bacteria. It can directly
attack bacteria, either killing them or limiting their growth. Finally,
lysozyme aids thiocyanate ions in entering bacteria.

1 The adage

about saliva's healing properties is indeed correct.

From Don Hamilton's DVM book - but cannot find his ref for his book - I could look up in my copy...but, not a debate....just some info that explains saliva function in dogs