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Now
dogs are blamed for ‘increase in food poisoning’
DOGS
COULD be responsible for an increase in food poisoning according
to the latest ‘silly season’ scare story in the national
press. Last week the Daily Telegraph told how Bob Williams found
his nine-year-old daughter, Freya, curled up in bed with Dottie,
a beloved family dog. "I went up to say goodnight and they
were both under the duvet" says the London-based journalist.
"Dottie's little black head was on the pillow next to Freya's.
I thought it was really cute." writes Nick Mays.
But, continues the report, Mr Williams, 46, regrets not banishing
young Dottie – an appealing Border terrier and Jack Russell
cross - to her basket. Research to be presented to a House of
Lords committee in the coming weeks suggests that dogs are responsible
for a rise in food poisoning cases.
An estimated half a million people became ill with the campylobacter
infection last year, which can lead to paralysis and death.
According to the research, half of all pet dogs carry the infection,
which they probably pick up from bird droppings. Birds are natural
carriers of the bacteria and do not become ill. Even stroking
a pet can transmit the bug, which typically causes a range of
unpleasant symptoms including high temperature, abdominal pain
and severe diarrhoea.
Hugh Pennington, a leading microbiologist who compiled the report,
has warned people to wash their hands after touching their dogs.
Many worried parents are thinking of getting rid of them altogether.
The findings also seem to contradict another recent study showing
that pets make children healthier. A team at the University
of Nottingham found that children with pets had fewer days off
school due to sickness than those who did not.
"An early exposure to a wide range of bugs is very important"
says John Warner, director of allergy and inflammation sciences
at the University of Southampton. "If babies do not have
this exposure, it seems that they are more likely to have an
allergic pattern of responsiveness in later life,’ says
Mr Williams.
Freya’s mother, who says she has assessed all the evidence
carefully, has no intention of giving up her beloved family
pets. “Our dogs will always be part of the family and we
couldn't be without them,” she says. “Of course, the
children will have to wash their hands more in future. The benefits
outweigh the risks, and the joy we get out of Dottie and Kaylee
is huge.”
But, the article concludes, Dottie will be sleeping in the kitchen
in future.
Not certain
Phil
Buckley of the Kennel Club commented on the article for OUR
DOGS: “We became aware of this issue early last week
via our media monitoring service and quickly noted that, whilst
Dr Hugh Pennington of Aberdeen University believes that there
may be a link between the campylobacter bacteria and dogs
- also birds, cattle and other animals - he was not certain
of this fact, nor was there any scientific evidence.
Indeed, it would appear that the major thrust of the article
was Dr Pennington's intention to seek funding for a £250,000
study in an attempt to discover the facts. We were therefore
both surprised and dismayed to then note that some of the
national newspapers were carrying stories alleging that, according
to Dr Pennington's research, ‘half of all pet dogs carry
the campylobacter infection’ and that ‘many worried
parents are thinking of getting rid of their dogs altogether’?
It is quite possible that Dr Pennington is also unhappy about
these comments as well, bearing in mind the current lack of
supporting evidence.
“It is clear that the necessary research has not been
conducted yet, so no case has been proven, therefore the reporting
of this issue could certainly be seen as both premature and
sensationalist. It also helped to further fuel the ‘anti-dog
publicity’ that was just beginning to subside, after
a spate of recent biting incidents.
However, the Kennel Club has been encouraged by the fact that
not everyone is convinced that the proposed study will discriminate
further against dogs and in the interim period we would request
that all dog owners do all they can to reassure friends, family
and members of the community that this issue is far from proven
and let us all await the results, whilst continuing to act
as responsible owners, making our much loved companions both
a credit to us, and society.”
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