PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If you have a pet, here is some important news for you. Dogs have earned the title “man’s best friend” but, according to a new study from North Carolina State University, pet owners need to take special notice of a potential source of infection in the home — the dog bowl.
Four hundred pet owners were surveyed, and 20% of them said they only washed the bowl every three months or so. A higher percentage said they don’t wash with soap and water before or after feeding the dog. To compound things, many people feed their pets at the same time as they are eating.
E. coli and salmonella are common pathogens lurking in and around the dog bowl. The best advice: Wash the bowls regularly with soap and hot water and make sure you wash your hands before and after feeding the pet.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.