Dog Bacteria Bring Potentially Beneficial Biodiversity To Owners' Homes, Study Shows

[ashling]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/dog-bring-bacteria-home-study_n_3324677.html

Dog owners shouldn't ship Fido off to the countryside for fear of nasty bacteria, though. In fact, the family pet may be a boon to health. Previous studies have found that pregnant women who live in homes with dogs are less likely to have children with allergies. Scientists speculate that the reason might be an exposure to greater numbers of microbes that keeps the immune system from turning on the body.

[baldguy]

1. Does this mean Orchid doesn't need to get baths anymore?

[nomorenomore08]

5. Err... you ever smelled a dog that hasn't been bathed in a few months?

[nomorenomore08]

7. BTW she's a real beauty! Is she a purebred pit? Looks like one.

[baldguy]

11. What made me laugh was that I gave her a bath yesterday.

Whenever I do, she looks like the most forlorn little doggie in the world!

When I got her I thought she was, but since I got her from the city shelter - who really knows? Especially after this.

[nomorenomore08]

12. Yeah, I know what you mean. Though she does look a lot like the purebred APBT's I've known.

nt

[Arugula Latte]

2. Same with cats, as I understand it.

It makes sense. We evolved with lots of dirt, germs and bacteria, so our immune systems need to be exposed to that stuff from an early age. We didn't evolve in a Clorox Wipes world.

[Demo_Chris]

3. Cats are different and evil. I think we should all agree about that. nt

[Arugula Latte]

4. Booooo.

You need to be banned from the Lounge.

Kitties rule, and that's all you need to know.

[nomorenomore08]

6. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're joking...

[Demo_Chris]

8. Joking? Just this evening my cat proved my assertion

The little traitor completely blew me off when I wanted to pet her. I nicely called her over and she just rolled her eyes and went to my wife instead. And while my wife ignored her, the cat acted like she was having the time of her life rubbing up against her and purring loudly putting on a show for my benefit.

[nomorenomore08]

9. Well since you're a cat owner/servant yourself, I guess I can understand where you're coming from.

I just lost Bob, my 11-year-old Siamese mix, very suddenly a few weeks ago. So it's kind of a sensitive subject for me right now.

[Demo_Chris]

10. Ouch! :(