Is it OK to let your dog lick your face
Why You Shouldn't Let Your Dog Lick Your Face, From a Vet
There are many ways that a dog can show physical affection, but the main one is licking. Dogs are prone to licking our hands, legs, feet and, especially, the face.
Debate rages as to whether you should let a dog lick your face, mainly due to misconceptions around their cleanliness, and specifically about how clean their mouths are.
Newsweek spoke to Judy Korman, DVM, veterinary consultant with formula company MYOS Pet, about whether you should let a dog's mouth near your face, how to keep your dog's mouth healthy, and any potential health risks.
Is My Dog's Mouth Cleaner Than Mine?
The short answer is no, dog mouths are not cleaner than those of humans. Dogs carry around 600 different types of bacteria species in their mouths.
"Like many myths, it is unclear how the myth that dogs have cleaner mouths than humans got started or took hold," Korman told Newsweek, "Perhaps it started with the observation that a dog's saliva must have healing properties since dogs typically lick their cuts and wounds, attempting to heal them."
Another possible explanation is that the saliva and bacteria in a dog's mouth create an environment that can prevent the formation of cavities. "The pH of a dog's mouth is less acidic than that of their human counterparts. This reduces the risk of cavities, but does not lower the risk of them getting periodontal disease, which is also caused by bacteria," said Korman.
Should I Let My Dog Lick My Face?
"It's important to remember that it is rare for people to acquire infections from their dogs," said Korman. However, there are some potential scenarios where it might not be the best idea.
"Dogs love to lick our faces, as this is often how they greet and show affection to members of their pack," she said. "If you enjoy face licks from your dog, then you should go for it, but be aware of certain situations that can make the practice a bit risky."
If you are immunocompromised, have a newborn baby, or allergic to the saliva of a dog, then it may be a good idea to avoid licks as certain germs and bacteria can be transmitted through dog saliva.
"Also, avoid face licks from dogs that have a tendency to eat their own or another animal's poop," advised Korman. "Germs, whose route of transmission is oral to fecal (e.g. some intestinal parasites, bacteria and viruses), can uncommonly be transferred from dogs to humans if the dog has recently ingested these germs by eating infected animal feces and subsequently licks your mouth."
There are some bacterial infections that can be transmitted to humans, but they are rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control a family of bacteria called Capnocytophaga that resides in the mouths of dogs can cause some issues for humans.
"Typically, the person would need to be bitten by the dog or have an open wound or cut for the bacteria to enter the person's body," said Korman, "Most people who have such contact with a dog do not become sick. People with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of becoming ill.
"Yersinia enterocolitica is another type of bacteria that can be transmitted to people by a dog bite. It may cause gastrointestinal disease in some, particularly those with weakened immune systems," she added.
Can I Eat Food My Dog Has Licked?
Unless your dog is incredibly well-trained or not at all interested in human food, it's usually a risk to leave them alone with your intended dinner. If they do have a penchant for human food, depending on whether it's a couple of licks or a complete decimation, you may wish to salvage some of your chow.
"It should be safe to eat food that your dog has licked, provided you know where your dog's mouth has been," Korman said, "Dogs that eat their or another animal's feces can pick up germs that they can then pass onto the food they lick. Theoretically, if a person then eats the food they can contract the germ and become infected. However, this type of transmission is rare."
It is possible for people to be allergic to canine saliva. "In fact," said Korman, "some studies show that it is the proteins in dog saliva, not dog dander or hair, that is the culprit causing the allergic reaction in people with dog allergies."
Top Tips For Keeping Your Dog's Mouth Clean
Although there are some risks involved in contact with dog saliva and mouth bacteria, they are low. However, there are things you can do to improve the cleanliness of your dog's mouth.
"Infections of the teeth and gums, called periodontal disease, is one of the most common problems affecting a dog's mouth," said Korman, adding, "It is associated with an overgrowth of certain bacteria in the dog's mouth and affects up to 90 percent of all dogs at some point in their lives. Your dog's bad breath may be a sign that they have periodontal disease. Regular teeth cleanings, performed by a veterinarian, are the best way to combat this disease."
The best way to keep your dog's mouth clean is to prevent the build-up of tartar and bacteria that can cause periodontal disease.
Korman's Top Tips For Keeping Your Dog's Mouth Clean
- Brush your dog's teeth daily
- Use antiseptic drops in their water
- Provide clean water daily
- Do not allow your dog to pick up feces
- Take your dog to the vet for regular (yearly) teeth cleanings
- Give your dog dental chews daily to prevent the buildup of tartar and bacteria
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Is It OK to Let Your Dog Lick Your Face?
Kissing is a common way for humans to show affection to one another. Some dogs love to give their humans kisses, too, but they do it in the form of licking.
If you have a dog that loves to give kisses, you may have wondered whether it's OK for your dog to lick your face.
Concerns with Dog Kisses
Dogs' mouths contain a huge host of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and yeast, that humans don't have much immunity to. Some of them are zoonotic, which means that they can transfer from dogs to humans and cause illness in the humans. Some of these include Salmonella, e.coli, and campylobacter.
Not only are there lots of organisms inside your dog's mouth, but there are likely to be quite a few on your dog's face and muzzle because dogs are known for sticking their faces and noses into all sorts of places that might not be too clean.
Dogs use their mouths to explore the world, eat and drink, and clean themselves. So before you let your dog kiss your face, consider where his tongue might have last been.
When your dog licks your face, his saliva may get into the mucous membranes of your mouth, eyes, and nose, where they'll find it easy to enter your body. Your immune system is likely to fight the majority of these organisms off, but if you are immune compromised, already sick, young, or elderly, you may not be so lucky.
Should You Avoid Dog Kisses Entirely?
Now that you may be thoroughly grossed out about dog kisses, we'll tell you that you probably don't have to worry about a kiss given elsewhere on your body. If the skin where you receive the kiss is unbroken, organisms most likely won't be able to get into your body.
Special Concerns for Kids
It's especially important to do what you can to keep puppies and dogs from licking your child's face. Kids have immature immune systems that are less equipped to fight off microbes.
One big concern when it comes to kids is intestinal parasites that dogs, especially puppies, might be harboring. Eggs from these parasites are passed into the dog's stool. If the puppy gets stool into his mouth (which is quite likely for a puppy; he may eat his own stool or clean it off of his paws), those parasite eggs can be transferred to your child's mouth, where they are swallowed and can infect her.
These intestinal parasites can be quite serious in children. For instance, the most common intestinal parasite in puppies, roundworms, can even cause blindness in humans in some instances.
Not only is it important to teach your child not to allow a dog to lick her face, but she should be instructed to wash her hands whenever she's finished playing with a dog or after she plays outside, where she may come into contact with parasite eggs in the soil. Keep your dog's stool cleaned up outside, and be sure that you follow your veterinarian's de-worming and parasite prevention schedule for your dog.
Not All Dogs Like Kisses
Another important consideration when thinking about allowing dogs to kiss your face is that not all dogs are nice. If you are dealing with a dog you don't know well, don't offer your face for doggie kisses.
If You Still Want to Allow Dog Kisses
It's understandable if you still want to allow your dog to lick your face. In order to protect yourself as much as possible, follow these suggestions:
- Keep your dog's vaccinations, de-wormings, and parasite prevention up-to-date.
- Keep yourself healthy, and avoid dog kisses if you are immune compromised.
- Wash your hands and face with soap and warm water often.
- Keep your dog's mouth as healthy as possible with regular tooth-brushing at home and professional dental cleanings as recommended by your veterinarian.
- Closely monitor children with regards to dog kisses.
- Don't solicit face-licking from a dog you don't know.
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Disclaimer: This website is not intended to replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed veterinarian. If you require any veterinary related advice, contact your veterinarian promptly. Information at DogHealth.com is exclusively of a general reference nature. Do not disregard veterinary advice or delay treatment as a result of accessing information at this site. Just Answer is an external service not affiliated with DogHealth.com.
Is it OK for a Dog Lick a Baby? (Dog Saliva is Harmful to Babies)
When you bring a new baby home, often you will see some strange and unexpected behavior from your dog. Some dogs can become obsessed with babies, but this does need to be monitored very closely, particularly if the dog starts to lick the baby.
Whilst your dog licking your baby might look harmless, it can have potentially drastic consequences, as I will discuss below. But first, heres the short answer as to why its not safe for a dog to lick a baby.
Is it ok for my dog to lick my baby? Its not ok for dogs to lick babies. Aside from the potential hazardous bacteria in dog saliva that can harm weak baby immune systems, licking can also be a sign of a dog asserting dominance over the small human baby, which could lead to aggression.
So, if your dog does lick your baby constantly, its something that you should put a stop to immediately. Face licking is certainly dangerous, and even when a dog licks your babys feet, it could be the sign of dominance being exerted.
Read on for all you need to know about dogs licking babies, and how you can take steps to be safer from possible risks.
Why dogs lick babies
There are a number of reasons why dogs lick babies, none of which should be permitted given the risks it could pose to the human infant. The licking reasons include:
- Licking to show affection, empathy, or submission:it has been said that dogs lick babies to show affection, but in most cases its probably an instinctive thing, possibly even a way of leaving scent down or the opposite to be submissive.
- Babies taste interesting and new:dogs like to lick adults for the salt taste in our skin. Babies certainly wont be as salty, but they will have new and interesting tastes, which whilst similar to adults, are different enough for a dog to want to know more.
- Licking to show dominance:mothers will lick and clean their puppies, to take care of them or even be the dominant pack member.
Theres no doubt that it is dangerous to let a dog lick your baby. Not only could you be inviting a bite, but theres also the potential for bacterial infections as discussed below.
Handy Hint:Theres a debate over whether dogs know what babies are. Given theres no scientific proof, its another reason to be very careful when the two are in close proximity.
Is dog saliva harmful to babies?
There is the potential for dog saliva to be harmful to babies. Their mouths contain lots of germs that can be passed to humans. Babies have a weaker immune system than adults, so the risk of an infection via dog saliva is increased.
While dogs always seem to want to lick babies and it can look cute, think about it from a hygiene point of view.
You only have to watch where a dog sniffs and licks to know that theres going to be lots of germs and bacteria around their mouth area.
That bacteria, including e Coli and campylobacter, are called zoonotic because they can be the source of diseases in humans and animals.
As well as bacterial infection threats, theres also a risk that a dog licking a baby could pass on parasites such as worms into the infant. Worms are very common in dogs; in fact, almost all puppies are born with worms.
While the risk of infection is actually pretty low, its best to avoid any potential problems so dont let your dog lick a baby.
If your dog does try to lick your baby, just distract him with a toy or throw a treat across the floor for him to chase
Ensuring that your dog is up to date on working and flea treatments is also a good idea, along with making sure that your promptly clean up after them in the yard and keep them well-groomed.
Is it dangerous for a dog to lick a baby?
Imagine for one moment that your dog is licking your babys face, the baby moves suddenly, and the dog reacts with a bite. Thats a fatal accident waiting to happen.
Babies and dogs are both unpredictable and should not be allowed to mix in close quarters like this where the dog is in a position to lick the child.
Or what if the dog decides it likes the taste of the baby after a lick? The potential consequences dont even bear thinking about.
It could also be that your dog has no bad intentions at all, but simply wants to play with the baby. The dog mouthing and semi-biting might be okwith an adult or another dog, but has the potential to seriously injure a baby.
Why dogs my dog lick my newborns feet?
Dogs will lick newborn baby feet often because its the only part of the babys exposed skin that us adults will let sniff around and go near.
However, whilst it might seem harmless to let your dog lick your babys feet, please dont let them. That harmful bacteria in the dog saliva can make its way up to your babys mouth.
You might be thinking how that could happen, but if you see a baby, you will know that they clasp their feet in their own hands and can suck their own toes. Those actions alone are enough to get the harmful dog saliva and bacteria into your babys system.
Above all though, the most obvious reason why you should not your dog lick a baby is the risk of the dog attacking. Not a month goes by without their being a press report somewhere of a dog attack on a baby.
No matter how much your trust your dog, its simply not worth the risk.
Handy Hint: Ive compiled some medical research of real-life examples where dogs licking humans has led to disease transmission. You can read that in this blog about dogs that like to lick their owners eyes.
How to stop the dog licking your baby
If youve read other blogs on my Doggysaurus website, you will know that I am an advocate of reward-based training. I would use lots of the leave it type commands, and treats, along with distraction techniques.
To read a guide, I recommend this resource on Wag Walking.
Handy Hint: Not all dogs will get along ok with babies, some can actually get jealous and exhibit problematic behavior.
Conclusion
It can be super cute to see your dog and baby get along, but ultimately there will always be risks involved.
You might have the most well-behaved dog in the world who will be gentle with your baby. But just one lick from the dog could be enough to make your baby very ill, so its simply not worth the risk of having them too close together where licking can happen.
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Once youve learned about more about your dog licks and baby, you might also find the following useful.
Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/baby-dog-animal-cute-pet-puppies-3858285/
