Why do dogs lick humans? The surprising science behind the cute habit and its medical risk
Interpreting Dog Behavior: More Than Just Affection
The Hidden Risks of Dog Licks
When a Lick Turns Dangerous
Symptoms and Safety Measures
When dogs lick their owners, it's often viewed as a sign of affection. However, experts say there are deeper evolutionary reasons behind the behavior. Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, a noted dog cognition expert and author of The Year of the Puppy, explained that licking is an instinct dogs inherited from their wolf ancestors. In the wild, when wolves return from a hunt, other members of the pack lick their faces to prompt regurgitation of food.'So, your dog's lick of you when you come home is absolutely a greeting — you know, they're happy to see you. But also, it's a little bit of a request for whatever you just ate,' said Horowitz on CBS Mornings Plus.Licking also helps dogs gather sensory information. Horowitz noted that when dogs lick, they are essentially 'smelling you by licking you,' using their mouths to explore their environment much like humans use their eyes.Beyond affection, licking can serve as a form of communication. 'On some level, they are communicating with us. We're not always good at interpreting what they're saying,' said Horowitz. For instance, when a dog appears to look guilty — ears back, whining — it may not indicate actual guilt. According to Horowitz, this reaction is more about submission and an attempt to avoid punishment.Tail behavior also reveals emotional cues. Horowitz explained that a low tail wag may signal anxiety or fear, while a high, waving tail often shows interest or arousal.Despite their ability to adapt to human environments, Horowitz emphasized that dogs experience the world differently. 'The way we see the world — dogs smell it... They're living in a kind of parallel universe to us.'Though licking is normal and instinctive for dogs, health professionals warn that it can carry risks — especially when it involves the face. Dogs lick various objects daily, including their own genitals, which can introduce bacteria into their mouths.A widely viewed video by a medical professional known as 'The Gut Doc' raised awareness about Capnocytophaga, a bacterium found in dog saliva. While infections are rare, they can be severe, particularly for those with compromised immune systems. 'Did you know that a dog's lick can introduce harmful bacteria into your body?... It's rare, but it can lead to life-threatening infections," the doctor warned, as per the Times of India.Marie Turner, a woman from Ohio, experienced the devastating impact of such an infection in 2019. After being licked by her dog while having a small cut on her hand, she developed a rapid and severe infection from Capnocytophaga. The bacteria entered her bloodstream, and despite medical intervention, doctors had to amputate all four of her limbs to save her life.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that while most people will never be affected, those with conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, cancer, or without a spleen are more vulnerable to serious outcomes. People undergoing chemotherapy or those with alcohol dependency are also at higher risk.Signs of a Capnocytophaga infection include redness, swelling or blisters near the site of contact, along with fever, vomiting, and confusion. In extreme cases, the infection can lead to organ failure or sepsis.To reduce risk, medical professionals recommend avoiding face licks, washing any licked area thoroughly, and seeking medical attention if unusual symptoms appear. People with open wounds or weakened immune systems are advised to be especially cautious.While dog licks may feel like acts of love, experts suggest safer alternatives for bonding, like petting or playing. Appreciating a dog's affection doesn't have to come at the cost of personal health.
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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Arizona officials confirm measles outbreak in Navajo County
Health officials in Arizona say there are four linked measles cases in Navajo County, marking the state's first outbreak this year. The U.S. logged 122 more cases of measles last week — but only four of them in Texas — while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended. There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak raged during the late winter and spring, said they'll now post case counts only once a week — yet another sign the outbreak is slowing. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,009 cases from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 761 as of Thursday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks — which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. There were a total of 744 cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state health officials said Tuesday. Throughout the outbreak, 96 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January — just under 2% of the county's residents. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of 'what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.' A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. New Mexico held steady Tuesday with a total of 81 cases. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. Oklahoma added one case Tuesday for a total of 16 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. The cases are linked to a single source, the county health department said Monday. All four are unvaccinated and have a history of recent international travel. Colorado has seen a total of 14 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of eight related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes four cases in Arapahoe County, three in El Paso County and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. Kansas has a total of 71 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but two of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. Ohio remained steady for a third week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents. The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors. Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each. Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee's outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks. Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from 'killed' virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have 'presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to 'herd immunity.' But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The is solely responsible for all content.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Measles outbreaks in Michigan and Pennsylvania end, while Texas logs just 4 new cases
New York: The U.S. logged 122 more cases of measles last week - but only four of them in Texas - while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended. There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak raged during the late winter and spring, said they'll now post case counts only once a week - yet another sign the outbreak is slowing. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,009 cases from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 761 as of Thursday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks - which the CDC defines as three or more related cases - include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? There were a total of 742 cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state health officials said Friday. Throughout the outbreak, 94 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases - fewer than 10 - are actively infectious. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January - just under 2% of the county's residents. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure." A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico added two cases in the last week for a total of 81. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma added one case last week for a total of 15 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 12 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of seven related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes three cases each in Arapahoe and El Paso counties and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas has a total of 71 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but two of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up - Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Ohio? Ohio remained steady for a third week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents. The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 - 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors. Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each. How many cases are there in Tennessee? Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee's outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have "presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates - above 95% - due to "herd immunity." But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Diabetes: How it silently impacts liver, kidneys, and heart
is usually considered in the simplistic terms of blood glucose management. However, reality is much more complicated and much more perilous. With over 422 million individuals living with diabetes globally today and 1.5 million deaths directly caused by the disease annually, the condition has become one of the major global health risks, as determined by the World Health Organization Outside of its signature symptom of high blood glucose, diabetes creeps in quietly to destroy almost every organ system in the body. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Sometimes, damage starts even years before someone is diagnosed. One of the most severe complications of diabetes is its effect on the cardiovascular system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions that adults with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease or stroke as those who are not afflicted. High glucose levels over time impair blood vessels and nerves that regulate the heart, speeding up the formation of plaques and resulting in heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease. Kidneys are under siege The kidneys are another silent victim. Diabetes is the leading global cause of kidney failure, reports the WHO. Too much blood sugar slowly destroys the kidneys' filtering units, impairing them from filter out waste from the body. The CDC estimates that nearly one in three individuals with diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease. If not treated early, the condition can advance to needing dialysis or transplantation. Diabetes also affects the vision The eyes are also especially at risk. Diabetic retinopathy—caused by damaged blood vessels in the retina—is a major cause of blindness among working adults. Though the disease can be treated if diagnosed early, others are oblivious until sight difficulties become permanent. Individuals with diabetes also experience heightened risks of cataracts and glaucoma. Nerve damage and Loss of Feeling Diabetes is also infamous for inducing peripheral neuropathy, a type of nerve damage that begins in the legs and feet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The CDC estimates that as many as 50% of those with diabetes experience some type of nerve damage, which can result in numbness, pain, tingling, and loss of sensation. In the worst cases, hidden injuries can result in severe infections and amputations. Diabetes weakens the body's defense system High blood glucose damages the immune system and makes people more vulnerable to infections like urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and fungal skin infections. Digestive complications like gastroparesis—sluggish emptying of the stomach—can also happen when nerves in the gut are damaged. This latest research also points to the neurological complications of diabetes. Individuals with diabetes have a much higher risk of cognitive impairment and types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. Inflammation and reduced circulation to the brain are thought to be contributing factors. Diabetes is not just a "sugar problem" condition. It is a multi-system disease with the possibility to inflict permanent damage when left uncontrolled. As both the WHO and CDC stress, early detection, frequent monitoring, lifestyle modifications, and adequate medical attention can lower the risk of complications significantly. In a world where diabetes keeps on increasing, knowledge and education are our best prevention measures.
