Is Kissing Your Pet Okay or Risky?

Vet Street via Yahoo! Shine ^ | 1/12/14 | Dr. Marty Becker

[Slings and Arrows]

There's a controversy in veterinary medicine that divides the profession, and it's over something that many pet owners never give a second thought: kissing your pets. As you might imagine, I have some thoughts on this topic. Because, yes, I kiss my pets, and yes, I know I probably shouldn't.

-snip-

But back to the risks. Shortly after the study about the transfer of oral bacteria from pets to people came out, I talked with Dr. Richard E. Besser, a pediatrician and the former acting head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the current ABC News chief health and medical editor.

"What do you think about this, Dr. Becker?" he asked me, to which I replied, "When's the last time you ever heard or read of a veterinarian dying of a zoonotic disease or having no teeth from dental disease?"

"Exactly," replied Dr. Besser. "I'm still kissing my dogs!"

And so am I.

[capt. norm]

It seems OK until you see your doggie licking his ass.....I guess it’s psychological.

[freekitty]

Like. Pickle has to have a lot of cuddle time you know as well as Peaches and Juanita. Don’t forget my little kitty, Murphy. He is a real snuggle bunny.

[Slings and Arrows]

Awww! (I’m saying that a lot on this thread.)

[Gumdrop]

I kiss my yorkiepoo on the top of her head, not on her mouth. When she wants to reciprocate, I try to move fast so she licks the tip of my nose.

She a real sweetiepie.

[Slings and Arrows]

The tip of my nose is my tomcat’s favorite place to kiss. He’s a strange one.

[Thorliveshere]

I love my dogs, but geez, I’m sorry, knowing where that tongue has been... can’t stand the “kisses.” Chin fine. Lips, no. Just gross, man.

[djf]

Don’t kiss your cat!
Toxoplasmosis!

Then again, if you own a cat, yur probably already infected... so go ahead, give him some tongue...

[catnipman]

“Is Kissing Your Pet Okay or Risky?”

Probably depends a lot on exactly WHERE you kiss your pet.

[Slings and Arrows]

TMI, dude.

[KGeorge]

“Pucker up, buttercup.” LOL I like that.

But I don’t kiss the pups on the mouth or the nose (Heh. some of them, I just want to bite their nose- they’re so cute!). I’ve been known to kiss them on the side of their face or their head, though.
Worms would be my big concern (& one is a poopy eater).

Sleeping with pets probably makes it a moot point. Oh well.

[Slings and Arrows]

My cats sleep with me, and one is a big kisser. I figure that whatever I’m going to get, I’ve already got.

[Dick Vomer]

For those that let dogs lick their face and mouth just remember a Dog licks his ass, then licks your face ......

[MeshugeMikey]

Its a superb image of kitty love!

[KGeorge]

LOL True.

[Slings and Arrows]

He’s trying to get the taste out of his mouth. If he licked your face, and THEN licked his ass, well...

[EinNYC]

On the couch?

[VerySadAmerican]

When I think back to my drinking days and some of the women I kissed, my dogs look pretty good.

[Slings and Arrows]

48 Reasons why Dogs are better than women

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/965399/posts

[itssme]

Oh how I miss my orange cat, my snuggle kitty. That video is precious.

[Daffynition]

Like your dog's tongue....think about where it has been.