A Kansas State University study has learned that humans are much more likely to spread germs to dogs (primarily through poor hand-washing hygiene) than are dogs likely to share germs while licking their owners’ faces and other dog bonding behaviors.
American veterinarian Kate Stenska, a clinician at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State (Manhattan, Kansas), made this conclusion while performing her doctoral research at the University of Tennessee.
She concentrated her study on strains of E. coli (Escherichia coli) bacteria, which are commonly found in humans and dogs. Using DNA techniques, Dr. Stenska examined fecal samples from dogs and their owners.
She found that 10% of dogs and their owners shared the same strains of E. coli bacteria in their gastrointestinal tracts
The Kansas State University article K-state veterinarian’s research finds that dog owners more likely to share germs with pets by not washing hands than by sleeping with dog, getting licks on the face, states: “Stenske said surveys also show that nearly half of all dog owners share food with their dogs, and more than half allow the dog to sleep in the bed and lick them on the face.”
Stenske stated in the January 27, 2009 Kansas State article, “I became interested in the topic because there is such a strong bond between dogs and their owners. If you look at one study, 84 percent of people say their dog is like a child to them.”

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