drsolo wrote:
Not all his facts are Scientifically correct
I have seen a lot more campers and their kids doing unsanitary things
most dogs are treated for worms, along with other things
Some people have irrational fears of many things
--------------------------------------------------------
I am a scientist, a microbiologist who took a lot of courses at vet school before transferring to medical microbiology for my degree. While I agree there are a lot of things to worry about, like war, it doesnt excuse us from not paying attention to our health. Having spent a good chunk of my life studying microbial diseases, bacteriology, parasitology, virology, immunology, I have a lot of respect for what scientists have learned and have to teach us. And the greatest leap forward in dealing with human disease and increasing the life expectancy of humanity from 30 to 78 years old is sanitation. In the third world countries this is not true due to a lack of sanitation and ignorance. True, it is the death of the young drags down life expectancy averages, but those most susceptible are at both ends of the age spectrum. And I am now, like many of you, at that other end of the age spectrum. So I increasingly take extra care to stay healthy. But I choose to have dogs, birds and fish as pets so I do keep up with diseases that can be transmitted by them. ernie1 didnt give you a complete list of the zoonotic diseases of dogs that can be transmitted to humans, here.
The list is not static.
Perhaps you have heard of the virulent, toxic strain of E. coli an emerging disease? Dogs can be carriers.
This past month my MIL has been hospitalized with C. difficile the bacteria that is increasing in virulence and has been found to colonize dogs intestines (citation.
And the simplest and most effective method of avoiding infection is sanitation. So please dont mock those who are concerned about sanitary practices. Those who have many fears will not be found at CG.
As far as I know my dogs have no deseases, no worms, etc. They have annual check ups. When my dogs poop I pick it up, that's the best I can do, or I am going to do. If that's not sanitary enough for you, tough. Sorry about your MIL but really your going to blame that on dogs.
Oh, and I never mocked sanitary practices.
