Bagging up and disposing of your pet's poo is a necessary, albeit unpleasant, part of responsible pet ownership. But a new UK government initiative will be asking people to send them their pets' poo instead of throwing it away.
Author
- Matthew B Avison
Professor of Molecular Bacteriology, University of Bristol
As strange as that might sound, the aim of this initiative is to test for antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
A growing number of bacterial species are evolving resistance to the antibiotics designed to kill them. This means that many common infections which were once easily treated are now becoming harder to get rid of.
The World Health Organization lists antimicrobial resistance as one of the top global public health threats, given estimates that antibiotic resistant bacteria were directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019.
Antibiotic-resistant superbugs are all around us. We even carry them on our skin and in our gut. You mainly pick antibiotic resistant bugs up from other people - but you can also pick them up from food, or by accidentally swallowing them if they get on your fingers and you haven't washed your hands before touching your mouth.
There are plenty of documented examples of superbugs being passed from pet to person , as well.
Superbugs find their way into our pets' bodies through similar means. Our pets swallow them either when eating, drinking, licking or chewing contaminated objects. Once swallowed, they enter the animal's gut and multiply - then get passed out in its poo.
It then only takes a tiny amount of your pet's poo to be accidentally swallowed by you for the bacteria to end up in your gut. This could happen during routine moments with your pet - such as when it licks your face, or if you forget to wash your hands after cleaning up after them.
Bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and Enterococci can be found in pet and human poo, and can cause infections in both.
These bacteria are normally harmless when present in the gut, but problems occur when, by chance, they get into places they don't belong - such as the urinary tract, a wound or the bloodstream. The bacteria can then cause what's known as an "opportunistic infection".
Such infections are a particular risk for people whose immune systems are not functioning very well, and can be serious. Opportunistic infections kill over a million people globally each year.
We use antibiotics to treat opportunistic infections. But if the causative bacterium is a superbug that has evolved resistance to the antibiotic, this makes infections longer-lasting, more serious and more likely to kill .
Clues in poo
Because pet owners pick up some of their gut bacteria from their pets, this is why it's useful to know whether the bacteria in a pet's poo are antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
The UK initiative is the first formalised, nationwide attempt to monitor for antibiotic resistant bacteria in pets' poo. However, it isn't the first time researchers have studied pet poo to understand antibiotic resistance.
For example, my team recruited 600 adult dogs and almost 250 16 week-old puppies for a series of studies looking at the levels of antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli in their poo. We found them in almost every poo sample we analysed.
One benefit of measuring the levels of superbugs in pet poo is that it can help you figure out probable risk factors. Understanding where pets might have picked up these superbugs can potentially help reduce their risk of picking up more in future.
The new UK initiative may also help researchers identify which bacterial species are resistant to antibiotics, and pinpoint how many antibiotics a specific bacterium is resistant to.
Studies from my research group and others have demonstrated that the biggest risk factor associated with dogs having antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli superbugs in their poo is that they're fed raw meat.
This is because resistant Escherichia coli can also be found in the poo of farm animals . Meat can become contaminated with these bacteria at slaughter . Cooking kills the bacteria - but if a pet eats the meat raw, these farm-origin superbugs can get into its gut.
The new monitoring study will work out how best to measure superbug levels, and will monitor levels for up to four years to see if they're changing. The results might help us work out how to make superbugs go away.
How to reduce your risk
Even without waiting for its findings, there are things you can do if you want to reduce your risk of picking up superbugs from your pet.
Take hygiene seriously when cleaning up or after touching your pet. It's highly likely your pet's poo contains antibiotic-resistant superbugs. So make sure to wash your hands after cleaning up after or touching your pet. And don't let your pet lick your face.
Minimise known risk factors. Since raw meat feeding can increase a pet's likelihood of picking up superbugs, feed them cooked meat or kibble. Never feed cooked meat that has bones because cooking can make the bones break during chewing, which can cause serious harm.
Finally, follow your vet's advice when your pet gets sick. If your pet is prescribed antibiotics, follow their advice to ensure your pet is properly treated.
Only a small proportion of the superbugs in your pet's gut (and poo) will ever be picked up by you. Most of the superbugs that find their way in your gut will come from other people . So don't put your pet in the dog house.
Matthew B Avison receives funding from UK Research and Innovation; National Institute for Health and Social Care Research; Welsh Government; Medical Research Foundation
