A new study has uncovered a worrying household hygiene issue that could be putting both dogs and their owners at risk - and experts are urging people to make one simple change at home. Keeping your kitchen spotless is essential for food safety, yet hidden hazards can still be lurking closer than you think. The research, carried out by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), examined the feeding habits of dog owners and evaluated the effect of the FDA's hygiene guidelines on contamination levels in dog food dishes.
Alarmingly, just 12% of the 417 dog owners surveyed cleaned their dog's bowl every day, while 22% washed it weekly, and a further 18% cleaned it every three months or not at all. According to the FDA, this poor level of cleanliness "poses significant health risks to pets and pet owners" as it creates a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and listeria. Both of these bacteria can trigger symptoms including diarrhoea, fever, stomach cramps or pain, and nausea in humans, with considerably more severe symptoms experienced by pregnant women, children, adults over 65, and those with compromised immune systems.
Poor storage and preparation habits
Regarding food storage and preparation, the study discovered that 43% kept dog food within 1.5 metres of human food, 34% washed their hands after feeding their dogs, and 33% prepared dog food on surfaces intended for human food preparation. The study reveals a worrying pattern: "It was found that the vast majority of study dog owners were not aware of and did not follow FDA pet food handling and storage guidelines." Concerning hygiene practices, it continues: "Response to individual recommendations varied, however hygiene-related handling practices (washing of hands, bowl and utensil) showed overall low levels of compliance."
Over-reporting of hygiene
The report also raises the possibility of good hygiene being over-reported: "Additionally, studies in humans regarding self-reported hand washing show an overestimation of hygiene and similar forces, including the effects of social desirability bias, could be expected in this study." Drawing attention to the health risks linked to contaminated pet food, the findings noted: "Exposure to contaminated dog food can have implications for canine and human health. For example, there have been multiple outbreaks of both humans and dogs becoming ill after exposure to dog food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria." It emphasises the heightened danger for certain households, adding: "These risks may be amplified in households with children and/or immunocompromised individuals, which were over a third of respondents' households."
FDA recommendations
In response to such discoveries, the FDA sets out a number of recommended practices for safer pet food management. According to the FDA's advice: "Proper storage of pet food and treats maintains the products' nutritional value and keeps information handy in case there's a problem." It also warned: "Proper storage also prevents your pet from getting into his own food and eating too much or getting into your cat's special diet food. Overeating or eating food that is meant for another pet can lead to health problems, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, or more severe conditions."
Pet owners' habits
Discussing how frequently they clean their dog's bowls, one Reddit user said: "I rinse it before every use. I wash them in the dishwasher like once a week, but we have a few we rotate through." Another user added: "If I wouldn't drink it, my dogs aren't going to drink it either." A third user said: "Couple of times a day. If you feel inside the bowl and it's slippery, that's most likely biofilm, a thin layer of bacteria that have been able to grow since the last cleaning."
