Dogs harbor more than 600 different bacteria in their mouths alone, making every lick and slobber a potential human health risk.
Just like humans, pets have a microbiome—communities of bacteria, fungi, and viruses—not only in their mouths but also on their skin and in their stool. Though only 16.4 percent of dogs’ oral bacteria are also found in humans, it’s apparent we swap microbial critters with them just like we do with members of our family.
In Favor of Pets
Nearly 45 percent of U.S. households have a dog, and 25 percent have a cat, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association....
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