Why does dog poop smell so bad?
The stronger odor is due to the fact that a dog’s body isn’t meant to absorb certain nutrients that are found in kibble diets. Dogs aren’t designed to absorb grains and other starches. Neither can they absorb unnaturally high amounts of potato and pea used in many “grain free” foods.
Disease
Dog poop contains bacteria and viruses that can infect humans and other animals. These bacteria can cause infections such as giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. These infections can also cause a variety of symptoms including fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, and lethargy. They can also damage the liver and nervous system.
This bacteria can live in dog and cat feces and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animal urine. Leptospirosis is infectious and can cause diarrhea, fever, and even kidney failure. Fortunately, leptospirosis is curable with antibiotics.
Hookworms are another common health hazard from contact with dog feces. Especially in the warmer South, these parasites are common. They can attach themselves to the skin and enter the digestive tract. Hookworm infection is infectious, and it will itch for a while, so you should wash your feet thoroughly after handling dog poop. In addition, make sure to remove your shoes when entering the house to avoid contact with dog poop.
Moreover, poop from dogs can contain parasite eggs and larvae. These parasites can infect people while they are walking barefoot. The risk is reduced if you wash your feet immediately after stepping in dog poop, but increased if you wait for a long time to wash your feet.
Dog Poop Dangers for Water Systems
Did you know that the poop dogs leave behind raises the bacteria level so high that public beaches have to close? It’s true. Pet waste is a serious issue for waterways. According to the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, “In Seattle waters, about 90% of harmful bacteria can be attributed more broadly to animals, and between 20% and 30% can be directly blamed on dogs (or more appropriately, on the dog owners who neglect to pick up poo).”
Unfortunately, many people think the doody their dog leaves behind isn’t that big of a deal. But consider this tidbit from Live Science, “Just two to three days of waste from 100 dogs can contribute enough bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorous to close 20 miles of a bay-watershed to swimming and shellfishing.”
Pet waste is such an issue that it is a major focus of the Clean Water Campaign, which shares, “Pet waste contributes to bacterial contamination of our rivers, lakes and streams. Pet waste contains harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and fecal coliform. Waters that contain a high amount of bacteria such as E. Coli are unfit for human contact.”
STEPPING ON DOG POOP !!!!
When it comes to dog poop, most of us just think it is gross. In actuality, it is much worse than gross. It is dangerous. So dangerous that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency labeled pet waste a nonpoint source pollutant, which means it is in the same category as toxic chemicals from motor vehicles, pesticides, and more. They even suggest flushing it down the toilet rather than letting it pile up in your yard.
According to Live Science, “America’s 83 million pet dogs produce some 10.6 million tons of poop every year.” That’s a whole lot of poo. Here’s where it gets even scarier – “A single gram [of poop] contains an estimated 23 million bacteria.” When dog poop isn’t disposed of correctly, we all are in danger of the bacteria it contains.
In other words, there are far worse dangers than getting doggy doo on the bottom of your shoe. The good news is that Super Scoopers answers the call of DOO-dy! Rather than worrying about the dangers of dog poop, allow us to safely remove it from your property.