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. 2022 Apr 6;17(4):e0259478.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259478. eCollection 2022.

Survey evaluation of dog owners' feeding practices and dog bowls' hygiene assessment in domestic settings

Emily Luisana  1 , Korinn Saker  1 , Lee-Ann Jaykus  2 , Caitlyn Getty  1
Affiliations

Survey evaluation of dog owners' feeding practices and dog bowls' hygiene assessment in domestic settings

Emily Luisana et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

In-home pet food handling and food dish hygiene practices can have adverse health impacts for both humans and pets. Safe food and dish handling guidelines are not easily evidenced for pet owners. The study was designed to investigate dog owners' feeding habits and evaluate the impact of the Food and Drug Association (FDA) hygiene protocols on dog food dish contamination. Procedures and surveys were approved by North Carolina State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Institutional Review Board. Pet feeding and food dish hygiene data were collected from 417 dog owner surveys and 68 food dish swabs. Total aerobic plate counts (APC) were performed on 68 dishes and randomly assigned into Group A (FDA pet food handling and dish hygiene guidelines), Group B (FDA pet and human food handling and dish hygiene guidelines), or Group C (no guidelines). Hygiene protocols were instituted in-home for 1 week, followed by a second APC and follow-up survey. Survey from dog owners-households indicated: 4.7% were aware of FDA pet food handling and dish hygiene guidelines; 36% have individuals ≤ 13 years old and/or immunocompromised; 43% stored dog food 0-5 feet from human food; 34% washed their hands after feeding; and 33% prepared their dog food on human food preparation surfaces. The hygiene protocols followed by Groups A and B resulted in significant decreases in food dish APC (p<0.001; 1.4; (0.9, 2.0); p<0.05; 0.604 (0.02, 1.2), respectively), as compared to Group C (p≥0.05). Hot water (>160° F or 71.1°C) washing decreased APC (p<0.01; 1.5 (0.4, 2.6)) over cold/lukewarm water. In the follow-up survey, 8% of Group A and B respondents reported likely to adhere to protocols long-term. This study suggests a need for pet food handling and dish hygiene guideline education to minimize bacterial contamination of dishes, especially for high-risk populations.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Food type used in average 24-h period.
Comparison of food type among all survey respondents and respondents of those participating in the APC assessment.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Food bowl material.
Comparison of bowl type among all survey respondents and respondents of those participating in the APC assessment.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Comparison of the total aerobic plate counts in studied dog bowls pre- and post- hygiene treatment.
APC on a basis of colony forming units (CFUs) per cm2 of studied bowls pre- and post-hygiene treatment. Superscripts that differ within a group indicated significant differences (p<0.05). Similar superscripts across groups indicate no significant difference (p≥0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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