All you need to get sick are germs from your dog entering a tiny wound in your skin — or your nose or mouth if you happen to put your hands to your face after touching your pet. One of the best ways you can protect yourself from becoming infected is to thoroughly wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds after handling, caring for, feeding, or cleaning up after your dog, say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It may be a pain since you take care of your pet so many times a day, but it’s worth the effort not to become ill.
