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The UK government will soon be asking lots of cat and dog owners to collect and send their pet’s poo for laboratory testing. <\/p>\n
Experts worry that some domestic animals might carry hard-to-treat superbugs – bacteria that have become resistant to common antibiotics. <\/p>\n
The world-first study will monitor healthy pets, not just those that are ill, to spot which bugs might pose a threat. <\/p>\n
They can spread to people through close contact with pets, such as kissing and stroking, as well as handling poo, research suggests.<\/p>\n
In many cases the bacteria do no harm, but some can lead to serious issues, including bloodstream infections or sepsis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Over half of UK adults own pets and live with them in a shared environment, meaning that bacteria, including resistant bacteria, can spread easily between animals and people, says the goverment’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate.<\/p>\n
Several studies have shown pets and owners can potentially swap pathogens, including the hospital ‘superbug’ MRSA<\/a>.<\/p>\n