Did you know ‘‘International Pooper Scooper Week’’ is observed annually between 1 – 7th April in hopes of motivating dog owners to clean up after their pet? Picking up your dog’s mess is part of being a responsible dog owner. We know it’s not pleasant, but it’s incredibly unpleasant for someone else to step in it! Not only that, but there are a number of health risks associated with dog faeces that pose a big threat to other canines…
Dog poop… It won’t disappear on its own!
Believe it or not, dog waste can take up to 12 months to fully break down. And if you think the rain will wash it away without causing any harm then you’d be very wrong indeed. In fact, rainwater washes over the mess and it subsequently flows into our drainage systems. The contaminated water is then carried into lakes, streams and rivers, potentially polluting our drinking water. Pretty gross, right?
Disease and Parasites
Even if your dog isn’t displaying any symptoms of being unwell, they can still spread harmful diseases through their waste. In fact, dog waste carries an array of germs including bacteria and parasites that can make other dogs and even people sick. E.coli and salmonella are some of the bacteria which are carried in dog waste and, if not cleared up properly, can spread! These nasty germs can stay in the soil so by not picking up after your pooch you’re putting other people and their pets at risk of exposure to harmful bacteria.
One virus in particular that is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their faeces is Canine Parvovirus (CPV). CPV is a highly contagious virus that affects dogs of all shapes, sizes, breeds and ages. If a dog contracts the CPV virus, they will experience lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and bloating, fever or low body temperature (potentially hypothermia), vomiting, and severe and bloody diarrhoea. These symptoms combined will cause rapid dehydration. The virus can also cause damage to the intestines and immune system which may result it septic shock – a life-threatening condition caused by an infection in the bloodstream (sepsis or blood poisoning) in which blood pressure falls dangerously low and organs subsequently malfunction.
Unfortunately there is no cure for the CPV virus. Once diagnosed, your vet will offer your dog supportive care over the course of the illness, treating symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. Antibiotics may be an appropriate therapy for a dog suffering from CPV, administered either intravenously or as injections. The antibiotics will help fight the infection if intestinal bacteria have entered the bloodstream. Treatment will involve veterinary hospitalisation and mortality is extremely high in untreated cases. Although this virus can affect all canines, unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than four months old are at greater risk.
It’s Mess, not Fertiliser!
Animals that consume plant matter (grass) such as cows, horses, chickens, sheep, goats, and llamas all produce waste that can be used as fertiliser. Dog waste, however, cannot! There seems to be a common misconception that dog poop fertilises grass, but it doesn’t. In fact, it can kill grass if not picked up promptly as it is so acidic. The reason for this is that most dogs’ diets are high in protein and when broken down, nitrogen is created as a by-product (giving the reverse effect of fertiliser). In addition, dog waste also contains high levels of phosphorus which, if washed into our lakes, streams or rivers, can deplete oxygen that fish and other water-based life need to survive. Phosphorus can also encourage the growth of harmful algae and is considered a significant source of pathogens like fecal coliform, a disease-causing bacterium.
Common Courtesy
Picking up after your dog is not only common courtesy, but your duty as a responsible pet owner. Taking your dog for a walk down the street or through the park is something you can both enjoy, but leaving their mess creates a bad smell for others and causes annoyance and upset if someone accidentally steps in it. When taking your dog for a walk (away from your home), you enter public property and as the owner of the dog, any mess they make is your responsibility to clear away.
A Helping Hand
Here at Rooke’s Pet Products we have a number of poop-related products to help make cleaning up after your dog easy, quick and mess-free. Our Rosewood Poop Bags are scented (lemon fragrance) to help mask the unpleasant smell, they’re extra strong (suitable for dogs of all sizes) and have tie handles for quick disposal! Plus they’re available in packs of 100 so you’ll be covered for many outings to come with your four-legged friend.
The Ancol Poop Bag Dispenser is very popular among customers – you won’t be caught short without a poop bag with one of these! Simply clip the compact dispenser to a lead, bag or jacket and off you go! Plus, this dispenser comes with 15 biodegradable poop waste bags to limit your dog’s impact on the environment. And perfectly sized refill bags are available from our high street store too!
We also recommend the Arms Length Poop Scoop, designed so there is no need to bend down to pick up your dog’s waste. It’s lightweight, sturdy, easy to clean and store, and has telescopic poles.
And we couldn’t not mention the Rosewood Easy Pick-Up Waste Scooper – a firm favourite among dog owners! The pooper scooper picks up waste for you and its silicone base expands to the user’s requirements. It’s perfect for use in the garden, on walks or on holiday!
Prevent parasites, bacteria and viruses from infecting people and other pets by picking up your dog’s poop immediately. It might not be the nicest part about owning a dog, but it is in the make-up of a responsible dog owner. To stock up on poop bags and dispensers, pop into our High Street store. You can bring your dog with you, but remember to clean up after them if they make a mess!