Is it really bad to leave dog poop outside? This is what the science really says

In the past, it was not necessary to pick up the excrement of dogs when they were taken for a walk. It even looked strange that there were people who did it. However, today there are many places where pet owners are fined they don’t. This is logical not only because of the bad aspect that turns cities into minefields. Also because there are already many studies that show that these feces are danger to other animals and people.

Everyone, or almost everyone, has ever stepped on one of them. It’s often said to bring good luck, but no one has ever won the lottery or landed their dream job after stepping on dog shit. And if it was, then we can say with confidence that it has absolutely nothing to do with this. The only thing it brings is problems that matter a lot except for the bad smell.

dog poopas good as feces of other animalsincluding humans, can contain a very diverse spectrum microorganisms, like bacteria, as well as some parasites. Inside the first some may be antibiotic resistant, with all the consequences. Okay, it’s true that we can’t get infected through shoes. But yes, these contaminated shoes can carry bacteria to the floor of the house and from there to a crawling baby or a pillow that has fallen off the couch. There are many ways in which dog poop is not left alone on the street, so it is best to collect them before their tenants are scattered where they should not be.

Health Issues in Dog Poop

In 2013, a group of scientists from University of Baricollected 418 samples of dog feces from seven districts of this Italian city.

Its purpose was to test whether there are antibiotic-resistant bacteria or parasites that could be dangerous to humans. What they found in greater proportion were bacteria of the genus enterococcusmany of them are resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. The most abundant were E. faecium (61.6%), E. gallinarum (23.3%) and E. casseliflavus (5.5%). Other species have also been identified, including E. fecal. These strains were clindamycin resistant (86.3%), on tetracycline (65.7%), erythromycin (60.27%) and ampicillin (47.9%). In addition, resistance to high level aminoglycosides (HLAR) in 65.7% of enterococci. Finally found Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistant in 0.7% of stool samples

As for bacteria. But they also found cysts of a parasitic protozoan called lambliain 1.9% of samples.

the situation is getting worse

It should be noted that the vast majority antibiotic resistant bacteria that they met not pathogenic for humans. However, the authors of this study warned at the time that their results were just a warning and that they could get worse for two reasons. On the one hand, because dogs more and more contacts with humans, so it is easier for bacteria to move from one species to another. And, on the other hand, because the genes that give bacteria resistance to antibiotics may be common to them. This happens through a process called conjugationwhich occurs when two bacteria come into contact, creating a kind of channel between them, through which they can exchange genes. Thus, a bacterium that is not pathogenic to humans can transfer antibiotic resistance to another pathogenic one.

All this, as he recently explained in an article for Talk Melissa Starling, a PhD researcher at the University of Sydney, came true. There are already many follow-up studies showing that dog poop can be dangerous to humans. but also for him Wednesday.

environmental hazards

If the dog poop is not picked up, it could be washed away by rainwater and pollute aquatic ecosystems already loaded antibiotic resistant bacteria. One has only to look at a study that showed that dolphins contained some of these microorganisms.

It shouldn’t be solely due to dog feces, but it’s true that it can. It may seem that there are not enough bacteria for this amount of water. However, according to a study by the US Clean Water Campaign, one gram dog poop maybe 23 million faecal coliformsHow coli. They can cause a variety of digestive symptoms in both humans and other dogs that come into contact with feces, as well as in aquatic ecosystems.

What do we do with dog shit?

We must do what we have been actively and passively told many times: pick up dog poop and Throw in the trash. Don’t stand with him compostageWhat can we do at home? It is better to dispose of it in organic waste containers, where it will be burned and destroyed those microorganisms that can be dangerous to human health and other animals.

In any case, and even if it is done well, it does not hurt to keep the habit of taking off your shoes when you come home. We bought it in COVID-19 pandemic and we quickly abandoned it, but the streets will always be dirty. Especially if there are children at home, don’t forget to leave your shoes at the entrance. Just in case.