In order to avoid contracting any bacterial disease from dog feces, the pet’s waste should be disposed of in the right manner. In the past scientists had not yet discovered various health hazards that are now associated with pet feces. Since dog feces contains a string of bacteria that are known to cause ailments in humans and other animals, it’s important to pick up after your pet and dispose the pet’s stools in the right garbage bins.
If pet feces is left to dry out in the environment and gets washed out by the rain, it enters our rivers and streams and contaminates the water. It also attracts parasites like fleas, ticks and other insects and these in turn become carriers of disease. Since pet feces may also contain substances that hinder plant growth, it shouldn’t be left to decompose on soil.
Bacterial Disease in Dogs
Scientists have established the fact that the dog’s gut harbors a particular type of bacteria known as the coliform bacteria. This bacterium includes the dreaded E. coli bacteria that cause symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders in humans and the fecal coliform bacteria. Dog feces also contain strains of salmonella and giardia. Although certain strains of the E. coli bacteria benefit dogs as they prevent the formation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestine, some strains are known to cause hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans.
Since E.coli is also resistant to certain antibiotics, people suffering from E.coli infections may develop hemolytic-uremic syndrome if the disease cannot be controlled with medication.
Disposing Pet Feces
Although there’s a law to clean up after your pet in some countries, this law isn’t in effect all around the globe. Due to this reason, there are thousands of individuals that get infected (and succumb to the infection) in different parts of the word after ingesting contaminated food and water.
It’s therefore important to be a responsible pet owner and get rid of your dog’s feces to avoid contaminating your surroundings.
Precautions:
- Never come in direct contact with your pet’s feces.
- Also prevent children from coming in contact with the pet’s waste.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after playing with your pet.
- Use a pooper-scooper to pick up after your pet.
- Dispose of the feces in a sealed plastic bag.
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Consider training your pet to use a particular spot in your yard to defecate.
Tips for Pet Owners
As a pet owner you should make sure that you also protect your pet’s health. Take the dog for regular vet checks and conduct fecal exams twice a year to rule out intestinal parasite infections. Since the dog’s stool can tell you a lot about your pet’s health you should also take a look at his stools to identify any abnormalities like tapeworm segments, blood in the stools or watery stools.
Some dogs may also suffer from constipation and strain to defecate when they’re outdoors. You should monitor the pet and look for any unusual changes and seek medical care if necessary.