Poop from pets, like dogs and cats, can carry germs like bacteria and parasites that can make people sick. Poop from pets can also contaminate waterways and harm the environment. Practice responsible pet poop habits to keep yourself, your family, and the environment healthy.
Both humans and canines can acquire certain diseases from dog poop. In humans, diseases transmitted between species are known as zoonoses. Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms are commonly known gastrointestinal parasites that shed eggs in dog feces.
Animal stool (poop, feces, waste) can contain bacteria and parasite eggs that infect humans and pets. Infection happens when tiny amounts of animal stool containing the germs reach the mouth. People may also become accidentally infected when they touch their mouth with soiled hands.
Parasites, bacteria, and other germs can spread through pet poop. Always wash your hands after scooping litterboxes or picking up dog poop, even if you used gloves or a bag.
Toxocariasis is caused by worms found in some dog, cat and fox poo. Animals with these worms in their digestive system can pass out worm eggs in their poo. You can become infected if poo, soil or sand containing these eggs gets in your mouth. Toxocariasis is not caught from fresh poo.
Given the right conditions, such as heat, microbes, moisture, and oxygen, dog poop will decompose within two months and a week. Bacteria and other microorganisms that will break down the dog poop in your yard will get to work within the first week.
Disease can be spread in a number of ways, including: Direct contact between dogs – this can include the simple act of touching noses or sniffing each other. Contact with the feces (stool) or urine of infected dogs.
Pet waste left on the street or lawn does not just go away or fertilize the grass. Rain washes pet waste down storm drains and into waterways like rivers, bays, and beaches. This can make people sick from salmonella, E. coli, and other infections.
Because of their diet, dogs can have up to two and a half times more nitrogen than cows in their waste. If you do not promptly pick up your pet's poop—it can take a year to naturally decompose—the high nitrogen content can burn your green grass, leaving brown dead spots.
Before you start cleaning, make sure to wear gloves in order to protect yourself from potential urine and fecal pathogens, like the Leptospirosis bacteria that can be in dog pee, and the Giardia or tapeworm parasites that can be in dog poop. All of these can be zoonotic, meaning they can cause problems in people.
You should always wash your hands after you poop. It protects not only you from getting sick but helps to stop the spread of germs to others. And, consider that poop—feces in medical terms—can spread germs that cause diarrhea and respiratory infections.
The most basic way to remove the smell of poop is with soap and water. Simply wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds, making sure to scrub between your fingers and under your nails. Rinse all soap residue before drying your hands with a clean towel or air dryer.
Plastic bags are one of the most common methods of cleaning up dog poop. They're often located in dispensers near “pick up your dog poop” signs. You can reuse plastic grocery bags this way, or buy a keychain attachment with biodegradable bags. This is the most convenient, hassle-free way to pick up dog poop.
The EPA classifies dog poop as a biohazard and has found that it is responsible for a large amount of water pollution.
Do keep in mind that, however you do it, it's important to always pick up your dog's poop. Dog waste is both a human health hazard and an environmental pollutant, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and if you leave it (or worse, bury it) it can make its way into the water supply.
Your dog's feces can contain infectious germs
This means that if your dog is infected with a parasite or germ that causes diarrhea, you're at risk for infection while cleaning up after your pet.
Studies have found that roughly 40 percent of Americans don't pick up after their dogs' waste. Dog waste accounts for 24 percent of the bacteria that pollutes our urban and suburban waterways.
WHEN YOUR DOG GOES ON THE LAWN, REMEMBER IT DOESN'T JUST GO ON THE LAWN. Rain washes dog poop and its bacteria into storm drains. From there, it goes on to pollute our waterways.
Dog poop can impact water sources
Two illness-causing bacterias that can transfer from dog poop to water that you've heard of include E. coli and salmonella – both of which can make humans really sick. Help keep these nutrients and pathogens out of the water by picking up your dog's poop.
Most dogs poop at least twice a day, sometimes more so if you have only 1 small dog you can usually pick up dog poop at least once a week. If you have multiple dogs, you'll have multiple piles of poop in your yard so it's a good idea to pick up poop at least once a day or every time your dogs' poop.
Pet waste doesn't just decompose. It adds harmful bacteria and nutrients to local waters, when it's not disposed of properly. It might not seem like a stormwater problem, but animal waste is one of the many seemingly small sources of pollution that can add up to big problems for water quality, and even human health.
When you breathe in these ammonia fumes, not only does it smell bad, but it can cause some severe problems as well. If your pet has urinated in a place with reduced ventilation such as a room or even in the house, it could trigger issues like asthma, pneumonia, and in some cases, even suffocation.
The CAV-1 is not contagious to humans or cats. Thanks to the success of vaccinations, it's a rather rare disease in the U.S. now. How is ICH spread? The hepatitis virus is spread through body fluids of an infected dog, including saliva, urine and feces.
Although dogs can be beneficial to the health and wellbeing of their owners, people should be aware that dogs of any age, including puppies, can sometimes carry harmful germs that can make people sick. Germs from dogs can cause a variety of illnesses, from minor skin infections to serious illnesses.
Adding diluted bleach to the water is an additional precaution that will most definitely kill any bacteria or protozoa. If this is an area outside, use a bucket of diluted bleach water and splash it over the stain. To remove any remaining fecal material, scrub the area with a metal brush.