Whether you are in your own yard, a park or in the woods, dog poo can be quite harmful to all surrounding life. But how can that be? Squirrels, rabbits, foxes, deer and all wildlife poop in the woods. Isn’t poop just poop?
Well no, not all poop is equal. Animals eating a biologically appropriate diet such as woodland creatures have evolved in a symbiotic relationship with nature. Woodland creatures consume whole, fresh foods from their natural environment. This includes the herbivores, omnivores and carnivores. Their food supply, for the most part, is relatively free from herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, artificial chemicals and toxic ingredients. As well it certainly is not a chemically laden, toxic feed source that our companion animals eat, namely, dry kibble. Which is another reason never to feed wildlife but that is for another post.
Most dogs no longer eat a biologically appropriate fresh, whole food diet. They eat feed that is un-fit for human consumption and that has been extensively processed under high heat and pressure. The low quality feed contains man-made chemicals and ingredients that the natural environment just has not evolved to process. Dog feces can take a long time to degrade, sometimes a year. Not only is it annoying and smelly to step in dog poo, it is an awful chore to clean out of the treads of your shoes. Besides being smelly and messy, what is actually in that poop?
You may want to read our blog on canine digestion but in a nutshell, the dog’s digestive system differs from the human digestive system in several important ways. The dog’s stomach PH level is around 1, very acidic. This has evolved to deal with the high bacterial and pathogenic load of scavenging and eating live or dead or decaying food sources which may be heavily laden with pathogens, bacteria, parasites, worms and more. Dog feces can contain e. coli, campybacteriosis, coronavirus, cryptosporidiosis, giardia, leptospira, parvo, salmonella and other pathogens. Dogs also have a very short descending colon unlike our own extensive intestinal system. Dogs have evolved to get the food in fast, churn it up for nutrients then get it out fast to avoid pathogens from hanging around in the system for too long. Thus, 1 gram of dog poop can contain over 23 million coliform bacteria.
So, now we have a poop that is full of bacteria and other pathogens on the grass, soil, trail or sidewalk. It is not fertilizer. Firstly, that poop is also high in nitrogen and phosphorus which will actually kill the grass due to the highly acidic nature. Now, here comes a greater danger: when it rains or snow thaws, all of these pathogens, bacteria, worms and parasites get washed into the soil and make their way into the waterways and water tables. Due to the un-natural state of the pet feed and the resulting chemically toxic feces, the waterways develop an algae bloom that can decrease sunlight and kill off indigenous plant and river life such as fish and their food sources. Then the toxins are washed directly into main bodies of water to further pollute beaches, fishing grounds and public water areas. Dog feces is considered the 3rd highest water pollutant and is considered by the EPA to be as toxic as oil spills and mine runoff.
As well, not all dogs have the same immune system. Since most dogs are fed a highly processed commercial feed, their immune response differs greatly. Puppies, seniors and immune-compromised dogs are at great risk for contracting disease. Commercial dog feed is laden with glyphosate (a broad spectrum anti-biotic, endocrine disruptor, carcinogenic compound) due to the high carbohydrate levels. A dog may seem perfectly healthy but may still be a carrier of pathogens and disease. If an immune-compromised dog sniffs an infected poo, they may aspirate those pathogens and become extremely ill. There are also many diseases that are zoonotic and can pass from a dog to a human. Such diseases can be contracted through gardening, walking barefoot (as most dogs do) or even from contaminated playing fields. The same thing goes for immune compromised individuals such as children or the elderly. They can become gravely ill or die from contamination.
Another interesting fact is that a few days worth of abandoned poo from around a hundred dogs can cause a rise in local waterway bacterial levels to cause the closure of swimming areas within a 20- mile radius. As well, it has been speculated that about 90% of water borne coliform bacteria is from canine fecal contamination.
There is also a high incidence of coprophagia in our canine population (poop eating). Although this is a natural behavior, think of dog moms who clean their puppies, most humans find it disgusting. It is a tough task to get to a wayward poop before your four-legged friend does. No one knows why dogs eat feces but there are many theories from a nutrient deficiency to hunger. Considering the fact that commercial dog feed is sprayed with a pre-mix that is designed to make the feed palatable, the resulting feces may be just too good to give up. Whatever the reason, a coprophagic dog is at high risk of consuming parasites, pathogens or bacteria in that smelly snack.
As well, considering the current trend of not over vaccinating dogs may have an impact here as well. There is confusion about over vaccinating and not vaccinating at all. Currently most municipalities only require a current rabies vaccine. That is usually a three-year vaccine. I would refer you to Dr. Jean Dodds or Dr. Karen Becker for current vaccine protocols. So again, not all dogs have the same level of immunity. This also applies to wild animals. It is unknown if wild animals would consume dog feces but leaving feces may also cause a high health risk to wildlife by introducing pathogens, bacteria, parasites or more into a fragile ecosystem that did not evolve to deal with such threats.
One recent development in the war on poo is utilizing the fact that methane, a poo by-product if you will, is being utilized as a power source. Some companies are forging the way to a renewable power source from the rear end of animals. And poop can’t be utilized for power production if it is left on the ground!
So, in a nutshell, discard, don’t disregard!
Put it in a bin, don’t abandon!
Consider the health of your neighbours, the wildlife and this little blue rock we call home.